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The Worst and Best of the Premiers and Some We Never Had: A Political Report Card
Part memoir, part history, The Worst and Best of the Premiers and Some We Never Had is Bill Rowe’s most ambitious work of non-fiction to date. The book observes with a critical and humorous eye the landscape of Newfoundland and Labrador politics since Confederation in 1949.
Forty-two leaders are presented here, of all political stripes. Bill Rowe, with his inimitable style, examines the professional lives of each leader—from Chesley A. Crosbie in the 1940s to Dwight Ball, present-day premier of the province—and grades them based on accomplishment during their time in public life.
Bill Rowe is a national bestselling author and former MHA and minister in the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and he was a long-time host of Open Line, a popular radio talk show. His books Danny Williams: The War With Ottawa and The Premiers Joey and Frank: Greed, Power, and Lust have appeared on the Globe and Mail bestsellers lists. His non-fiction works have also appeared on the annual best books lists of the Hill Times in Ottawa.
Forty-two leaders are presented here, of all political stripes. Bill Rowe, with his inimitable style, examines the professional lives of each leader—from Chesley A. Crosbie in the 1940s to Dwight Ball, present-day premier of the province—and grades them based on accomplishment during their time in public life.
Bill Rowe is a national bestselling author and former MHA and minister in the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and he was a long-time host of Open Line, a popular radio talk show. His books Danny Williams: The War With Ottawa and The Premiers Joey and Frank: Greed, Power, and Lust have appeared on the Globe and Mail bestsellers lists. His non-fiction works have also appeared on the annual best books lists of the Hill Times in Ottawa.
268 pages, Paperback
Published September 7, 2017
11 people want to read
About the author
Bill Rowe
18 books7 followersWilliam Neil "Bill" Rowe, QC is a former politician, lawyer, broadcaster, and writer in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He is married to Penelope Ayre Rowe of St. John's, who is a member of the Order of Canada. They have a son, Dorian, a daughter, Toby, and three grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 10, 2019
2.5
I was hoping to get a pretty thorough history of the political landscape in Newfoundland from this book. There are some chapters that are done exceptionally well - Joey Smallwood, John Crosbie, Danny Williams, Brian Tobin. I found these sections a good balance between political jargon (number of votes for/against, etc), social reception/perception of the leaders, the successes and challenges of their time in office, and personal anecdotes.
However, this book is very "inside baseball" - no one born outside Newfoundland or not familiar with the dialect, dramatics, and social/cultural nuances of Newfoundland could understand or appreciate this book. There's also a lot of self aggrandizing and a lot of the personal touches of the author come across as arrogant and not approachable.
As a Newfoundlander born and bred, I was hoping to come away with a more nuanced understanding of our provincial political history. I have a little bit more knowledge, but I would not recommend this book to anyone else looking for depth and critical understanding.
I was hoping to get a pretty thorough history of the political landscape in Newfoundland from this book. There are some chapters that are done exceptionally well - Joey Smallwood, John Crosbie, Danny Williams, Brian Tobin. I found these sections a good balance between political jargon (number of votes for/against, etc), social reception/perception of the leaders, the successes and challenges of their time in office, and personal anecdotes.
However, this book is very "inside baseball" - no one born outside Newfoundland or not familiar with the dialect, dramatics, and social/cultural nuances of Newfoundland could understand or appreciate this book. There's also a lot of self aggrandizing and a lot of the personal touches of the author come across as arrogant and not approachable.
As a Newfoundlander born and bred, I was hoping to come away with a more nuanced understanding of our provincial political history. I have a little bit more knowledge, but I would not recommend this book to anyone else looking for depth and critical understanding.
October 6, 2017
Loved the immaculate detail Rowe puts into this account. The part historical with personal anecdotes littered throughout really make the book compelling. Worth a read, very educational.
March 4, 2024
Although politics is not my cup of tea
I enjoyed this read.
I learned a lot about names I’ve heard a lot in my 29 years and a lot about names I didn’t know existed
A lot of history and information about our beautiful province in this novel
The author should be very proud of himself for his narration and his research
I love flakerpress reads
I enjoyed this read.
I learned a lot about names I’ve heard a lot in my 29 years and a lot about names I didn’t know existed
A lot of history and information about our beautiful province in this novel
The author should be very proud of himself for his narration and his research
I love flakerpress reads
July 21, 2024
A great read for anyone interested in Newfoundland politics.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews