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The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau #1
Citizen of the World: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Volume One: 1919-1968
One of the most important, exciting biographies of our the definitive, major two-volume biography of Pierre Elliott Trudeau – written with unprecedented, complete access to Trudeau’s enormous cache of private letters and papers.
Bestselling biographer John English gets behind the public record and existing glancing portraits of Trudeau to reveal the real man and the multiple influences that shaped his life, providing the full context lacking in all previous biographies to-date.
As prime minister between 1968 and 1984, Trudeau, the brilliant, controversial figure, intrigued Canadians and attracted international attention as no other Canadian leader has ever done. Volume One takes us from his birth in 1919 to his election as leader in 1968.
Born into a wealthy family in Montreal, Trudeau excelled at the best schools, graduating as a lawyer with conservative, nationalist and traditional Catholic views. But always conscious of his French-English heritage, desperate to know the outside world, and an adventurer to boot, he embarked on a pilgrimage of discovery – first to Harvard and the Sorbonne, then to the London School of Economics and, finally, on a trip through Europe, the Middle East, India and China. He was a changed man when he returned – socialist in his politics, sympathetic to labour, a friend to activists and writers in radical causes. Suddenly and surprisingly, he went to Ottawa for two mostly unhappy years as a public servant in the Privy Council Office. He frequently shocked his colleagues when, on the brink of a Quebec election, for example, he departed for New York or Europe on an extended tour. Yet in the 1950s and 60s, he wrote the most important articles outlining his political philosophy.
And there were the remarkable relationships with friends, women and especially his mother (whom he lived with until he was middle-aged). He wrote to them always, exchanging ideas with the men, intimacies with the women, especially in these early years, and lively descriptions of his life. He even recorded his in-depth psychoanalysis in Paris. This personal side of Trudeau has never been revealed before – and it sheds light on the politician and statesman he became.
Volume One ends with his entry into politics, his appointment as Minister of Justice, his meeting Margaret and his election as leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister of Canada. There, his genius and charisma, his ambition and intellectual prowess, his ruthlessness and emotional character and his deliberate shaping of himself for leadership played out on the national stage and, when Lester B. Pearson announced his retirement as prime minister in 1968, there was but one obvious man for the Pierre Trudeau.
In 1938 Trudeau began a diary, which he continued for over two years. It is detailed, frank, and extraordinarily revealing. It is the only diary in Trudeau’s papers, apart from less personal travel diaries and an agenda for 1937 that contains some commentary. His diary expresses Trudeau’s own need to chronicle the moments of late adolescence as he tried to find his identity. It begins on New Year’s Day 1938 with the intriguing “If you want to know my thoughts, read between the lines!”
–from Citizen of the World
Bestselling biographer John English gets behind the public record and existing glancing portraits of Trudeau to reveal the real man and the multiple influences that shaped his life, providing the full context lacking in all previous biographies to-date.
As prime minister between 1968 and 1984, Trudeau, the brilliant, controversial figure, intrigued Canadians and attracted international attention as no other Canadian leader has ever done. Volume One takes us from his birth in 1919 to his election as leader in 1968.
Born into a wealthy family in Montreal, Trudeau excelled at the best schools, graduating as a lawyer with conservative, nationalist and traditional Catholic views. But always conscious of his French-English heritage, desperate to know the outside world, and an adventurer to boot, he embarked on a pilgrimage of discovery – first to Harvard and the Sorbonne, then to the London School of Economics and, finally, on a trip through Europe, the Middle East, India and China. He was a changed man when he returned – socialist in his politics, sympathetic to labour, a friend to activists and writers in radical causes. Suddenly and surprisingly, he went to Ottawa for two mostly unhappy years as a public servant in the Privy Council Office. He frequently shocked his colleagues when, on the brink of a Quebec election, for example, he departed for New York or Europe on an extended tour. Yet in the 1950s and 60s, he wrote the most important articles outlining his political philosophy.
And there were the remarkable relationships with friends, women and especially his mother (whom he lived with until he was middle-aged). He wrote to them always, exchanging ideas with the men, intimacies with the women, especially in these early years, and lively descriptions of his life. He even recorded his in-depth psychoanalysis in Paris. This personal side of Trudeau has never been revealed before – and it sheds light on the politician and statesman he became.
Volume One ends with his entry into politics, his appointment as Minister of Justice, his meeting Margaret and his election as leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister of Canada. There, his genius and charisma, his ambition and intellectual prowess, his ruthlessness and emotional character and his deliberate shaping of himself for leadership played out on the national stage and, when Lester B. Pearson announced his retirement as prime minister in 1968, there was but one obvious man for the Pierre Trudeau.
In 1938 Trudeau began a diary, which he continued for over two years. It is detailed, frank, and extraordinarily revealing. It is the only diary in Trudeau’s papers, apart from less personal travel diaries and an agenda for 1937 that contains some commentary. His diary expresses Trudeau’s own need to chronicle the moments of late adolescence as he tried to find his identity. It begins on New Year’s Day 1938 with the intriguing “If you want to know my thoughts, read between the lines!”
–from Citizen of the World
576 pages, Hardcover
First published October 10, 2006
42 people are currently reading
558 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
June 4, 2016
Hating Pierre Trudeau was par for the course in Saskatchewan when I was a kid: that hatred got inside me by osmosis. I purged most of it once I entered university and he retired. And now I'm a middle aged homo, more than a little obsessed with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, not only politically. Never mind how much I adore Margaret Trudeau. If mother or son walked into the room right now, I'd squeal like a girl.
All of which is to say, this is not going to be an unbiased review.
This is a terrible biography, but I've only ever read one biography in my life that wasn't. Biographies suck. Biographers try to interpret every gol-darned thing about their subject, a process that is especially painful to endure while reading the childhood and early adulthood chapters. Thus, I read biographies anarchically: while I don't skip over the interpretive inanities, I most definitely do disregard them. My biography-reading manifesto and practice is, "Just shut the hell up and tell me the stories!"
So yes, 'Citizen of the World' was dreadful; the author somehow managed to write boring chapter-after-chapter about the most fascinating Canadian in public life. No small feat. I really wasn't sure I'd finish: the first sections were that bad.
But Johnson eventually won out over his mediocre Boswell: by the time English was narrating Trudeau's crazy round-the-world trip when he was in his late-20s, I had tuned the writer out and Trudeau in. In spite of John English, I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the book, which covered Trudeau's life up to the moment he wins the leadership of the federal Liberal party which would lead to his being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Canada a day or so later.
I knew next to nothing about his parents and siblings. I knew only a little more than that about the evolution of Trudeau's Quebecois, Canadian and international political views. English does quite a good job of tracing and explaining all that, particularly against the backdrop of World War II and the crazy politics of Quebec.
And then there are the love letters between Pierre and his many, many women, pre-Margaret. And a surprising and fascinating amount of detail of his sessions with a psychoanalyst in Paris. His first meeting with Margaret Sinclair, when she stood him up in favor of the hunky lifeguard working at the resort they were both staying at. The quite moving fact that, moments after winning the Liberal leadership a year or so later, the first person Trudeau spoke to was Margaret, his future wife, this being their second conversation, ever.
I learned a lot, and admire Trudeau even more, now. By the end, I'd even developed a begrudging degree of respect for the biographer, for at least getting out of the way enough to let Pierre Trudeau live and breathe and wink mysteriously on the page.
All of which is to say, this is not going to be an unbiased review.
This is a terrible biography, but I've only ever read one biography in my life that wasn't. Biographies suck. Biographers try to interpret every gol-darned thing about their subject, a process that is especially painful to endure while reading the childhood and early adulthood chapters. Thus, I read biographies anarchically: while I don't skip over the interpretive inanities, I most definitely do disregard them. My biography-reading manifesto and practice is, "Just shut the hell up and tell me the stories!"
So yes, 'Citizen of the World' was dreadful; the author somehow managed to write boring chapter-after-chapter about the most fascinating Canadian in public life. No small feat. I really wasn't sure I'd finish: the first sections were that bad.
But Johnson eventually won out over his mediocre Boswell: by the time English was narrating Trudeau's crazy round-the-world trip when he was in his late-20s, I had tuned the writer out and Trudeau in. In spite of John English, I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the book, which covered Trudeau's life up to the moment he wins the leadership of the federal Liberal party which would lead to his being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Canada a day or so later.
I knew next to nothing about his parents and siblings. I knew only a little more than that about the evolution of Trudeau's Quebecois, Canadian and international political views. English does quite a good job of tracing and explaining all that, particularly against the backdrop of World War II and the crazy politics of Quebec.
And then there are the love letters between Pierre and his many, many women, pre-Margaret. And a surprising and fascinating amount of detail of his sessions with a psychoanalyst in Paris. His first meeting with Margaret Sinclair, when she stood him up in favor of the hunky lifeguard working at the resort they were both staying at. The quite moving fact that, moments after winning the Liberal leadership a year or so later, the first person Trudeau spoke to was Margaret, his future wife, this being their second conversation, ever.
I learned a lot, and admire Trudeau even more, now. By the end, I'd even developed a begrudging degree of respect for the biographer, for at least getting out of the way enough to let Pierre Trudeau live and breathe and wink mysteriously on the page.
December 31, 2021
A very detailed and well balanced look into one of our countries most intriguing and talked-about prime ministers we've ever had.
November 24, 2020
This was a great read, about a person that slowly sharpen his ideas, make his opinions evolve, and keep his eyes on the future already at hand. The story of Trudeau here talks of threading lightly on the promises of ideals, the danger of malformed identity, and upbringing of the modern nation.
Review
This book is mainly based on the preserved writing and documents concerning Trudeau, which were surprinsgly well preserved for most of it : his drafts, correspondences and so on. The author decided to stay close to this material, make it clear when he speculate on Trudeau state of mind or train of though when he have, and show concrete reason to do so. Additionally, he successfully makes efforts to replace those elements in their historical context. The psychological close-up of the man, his experiences, the political opinion surrounding him and coming from him, and the historical context, in the end all come together to make us understand well the life of Trudeau, that we agree or not with his opinion. This book is also apolitical, exposing only the train of thought of its subject, without making them as facts of life. Therefore it succeed in staying reasonably objective.
The only negative criticism i had to make was regarding the technical aspect of the writing, which had some faults. For examples, some elements was presented in some paragraphs, without taking place, but resurfaced later on like it was the first time they were exposed. At other times, maybe trying to stay as objective as possible or staying true to the facts, the writing seemed dry to me.
Resume
Trudeau have a mixed upbrining, being exposed early to the english language and manners through his mother's anglophone heritage and some of his education, and french-canadian heritage through his father, in which he will still spend most of his early education. However he definitly found himself more close to the latest, greatyl due to his catholic faith. He also shared the strong desire and aspiration for a french catholic state in his youth, reflecting his identity at the time. AS the book show later on, this aspiration will come to radically changed aloong his identity and nuanced view of the world. He was exposed early by some of his mentor to unorthodox thinking, and encouraged to experiment with different opinions.
The first major change seemed to have come during his study at Harvard, during which he shared with the world the discorvery of the Holocaust horror perpetuated in the name of nazi nationalism. This realization made him think on how Quebec was missing out on the world moving on, by its focus on its nationalism ( that was specifically conservative and religious at the time, and did not welcome the exterior world).
During his travels around the world and his encounters, Trudeau exposed himself to the many questions of identity politics, nationalism, decolonizations, revolutions, and the role of the states toward its citizens, either through socialism or US capitalism. On this, the basis of his thinking began to found strengh : before any ideology, a individual need to be fed and attain a certain well-being. Any ideology or political system that fail at this cannot be sustainable. This view kept him open on the freedom offered by capitalism, but also the security offered by a more socialist state; on the value of personal identity, faith and beliefs but also on the trappings of such identity in ideologies for one's own sakes.
Trudeau then was in search for pragmatical politics, during which came his second big transformation while working at the Privy Council Office in Ottawa. He got familiar with canadian federalism and politics between provinces. He saw their limits, but also their potential as framework that could offer to each provinces the freedom of enacting their identity while still opening them to a modern world. Trudeau was wary of the insecurities thet were maintained to legitimate nationalism sentiment, and how those could lead to revolution without progress by forcing the nations to close on themselves, avoiding exchange and evolution in their ideas. Such was the Quebec nationalist and sovereign movement when he found himself confronting them.
Despite his own identity as catholic and french canadian, Trudeau tried not to lose his principle to what was to him ''emotional arguments'', and slowly articulated his vision for the future of Canada, where anglophone and quebecois ''nations'' would both mutually benefits and expand their horizons, instead of closing of each other.
Political context and incidence of history end up giving a remarkable opportunity to Trudeau, who ended up being the right person at the right place at the right time. That moment materialized not through the NPD, the political party he would have favoured, but the liberal party who was at the other end of so many of his criticism. THere he launched his campaign which will lead him to establish the foundation of Modern canada as we know it today.
Review
This book is mainly based on the preserved writing and documents concerning Trudeau, which were surprinsgly well preserved for most of it : his drafts, correspondences and so on. The author decided to stay close to this material, make it clear when he speculate on Trudeau state of mind or train of though when he have, and show concrete reason to do so. Additionally, he successfully makes efforts to replace those elements in their historical context. The psychological close-up of the man, his experiences, the political opinion surrounding him and coming from him, and the historical context, in the end all come together to make us understand well the life of Trudeau, that we agree or not with his opinion. This book is also apolitical, exposing only the train of thought of its subject, without making them as facts of life. Therefore it succeed in staying reasonably objective.
The only negative criticism i had to make was regarding the technical aspect of the writing, which had some faults. For examples, some elements was presented in some paragraphs, without taking place, but resurfaced later on like it was the first time they were exposed. At other times, maybe trying to stay as objective as possible or staying true to the facts, the writing seemed dry to me.
Resume
Trudeau have a mixed upbrining, being exposed early to the english language and manners through his mother's anglophone heritage and some of his education, and french-canadian heritage through his father, in which he will still spend most of his early education. However he definitly found himself more close to the latest, greatyl due to his catholic faith. He also shared the strong desire and aspiration for a french catholic state in his youth, reflecting his identity at the time. AS the book show later on, this aspiration will come to radically changed aloong his identity and nuanced view of the world. He was exposed early by some of his mentor to unorthodox thinking, and encouraged to experiment with different opinions.
The first major change seemed to have come during his study at Harvard, during which he shared with the world the discorvery of the Holocaust horror perpetuated in the name of nazi nationalism. This realization made him think on how Quebec was missing out on the world moving on, by its focus on its nationalism ( that was specifically conservative and religious at the time, and did not welcome the exterior world).
During his travels around the world and his encounters, Trudeau exposed himself to the many questions of identity politics, nationalism, decolonizations, revolutions, and the role of the states toward its citizens, either through socialism or US capitalism. On this, the basis of his thinking began to found strengh : before any ideology, a individual need to be fed and attain a certain well-being. Any ideology or political system that fail at this cannot be sustainable. This view kept him open on the freedom offered by capitalism, but also the security offered by a more socialist state; on the value of personal identity, faith and beliefs but also on the trappings of such identity in ideologies for one's own sakes.
Trudeau then was in search for pragmatical politics, during which came his second big transformation while working at the Privy Council Office in Ottawa. He got familiar with canadian federalism and politics between provinces. He saw their limits, but also their potential as framework that could offer to each provinces the freedom of enacting their identity while still opening them to a modern world. Trudeau was wary of the insecurities thet were maintained to legitimate nationalism sentiment, and how those could lead to revolution without progress by forcing the nations to close on themselves, avoiding exchange and evolution in their ideas. Such was the Quebec nationalist and sovereign movement when he found himself confronting them.
Despite his own identity as catholic and french canadian, Trudeau tried not to lose his principle to what was to him ''emotional arguments'', and slowly articulated his vision for the future of Canada, where anglophone and quebecois ''nations'' would both mutually benefits and expand their horizons, instead of closing of each other.
Political context and incidence of history end up giving a remarkable opportunity to Trudeau, who ended up being the right person at the right place at the right time. That moment materialized not through the NPD, the political party he would have favoured, but the liberal party who was at the other end of so many of his criticism. THere he launched his campaign which will lead him to establish the foundation of Modern canada as we know it today.
November 19, 2025
I do not understand Quebec
March 17, 2026
As someone with a lack of knowledge on Canadian history, especially Quebec history, this was an amazing read. The details and sources that this book pulls from was impressive. Can’t wait to dive into volume II.
January 6, 2013
This is the first volume of John English’s biography of the life of Pierre Trudeau. It deals with the period up to when Trudeau was elected to lead the Liberal party in 1968 after the resignation of Prime Minister Pearson (it does not concern itself with the later Canadian election of 1968; this is in the second volume).
Somewhat like the biography of Max and Monique Nimni it paints a portrait, for Trudeau’s early formative years, of a nationalistic and fervent Catholic who was right-wing, bordering on the fascist. It also gives us a view of his rich and privileged life – a perpetual and traveling student. But Trudeau was always open to the wider world even though his road to it was long, taking him over thirty years to really embrace it. Up to that time Trudeau was so conservative that he would ask Catholic priests for permission to read controversial books. He was cocooned in the insular world of Quebec and was hardly aware of the onset of World War II. He opposed conscription due mostly to the influence of Quebec Catholicism. In the U.S. he would have been considered an isolationist, except that Trudeau’s isolationism lasted to the early 1950’s.
It is when he attended Harvard, then schools in Paris and London that he finally came to realize the extent of his Quebec parochialism. Mr. English depicts well how Trudeau became more and more like the title of his book – “Citizen of the World”.
One senses throughout – even though now and then we are aware of Trudeau’s deficiencies (such as his infatuation with left-wing dictatorships – from Stalin to Castro), the esteem with which the author regards Trudeau. And one comes to admire throughout the pages of this book Trudeau’s eloquence, fortitude and magnetism. This is certainly reflected throughout his many years as Prime Minister – that marked him as the most phenomenal of the modern era. In this book we are given a perspective of the individualism of Trudeau which made him such a formidable and erudite figure.
Two of my favourite Trudeau quotes (from page 471 of my volume)
- “the state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation”. This was said in 1967; can one imagine a U.S. presidential contender saying such today?!
- “what may be sin to some is not law for all”.
Somewhat like the biography of Max and Monique Nimni it paints a portrait, for Trudeau’s early formative years, of a nationalistic and fervent Catholic who was right-wing, bordering on the fascist. It also gives us a view of his rich and privileged life – a perpetual and traveling student. But Trudeau was always open to the wider world even though his road to it was long, taking him over thirty years to really embrace it. Up to that time Trudeau was so conservative that he would ask Catholic priests for permission to read controversial books. He was cocooned in the insular world of Quebec and was hardly aware of the onset of World War II. He opposed conscription due mostly to the influence of Quebec Catholicism. In the U.S. he would have been considered an isolationist, except that Trudeau’s isolationism lasted to the early 1950’s.
It is when he attended Harvard, then schools in Paris and London that he finally came to realize the extent of his Quebec parochialism. Mr. English depicts well how Trudeau became more and more like the title of his book – “Citizen of the World”.
One senses throughout – even though now and then we are aware of Trudeau’s deficiencies (such as his infatuation with left-wing dictatorships – from Stalin to Castro), the esteem with which the author regards Trudeau. And one comes to admire throughout the pages of this book Trudeau’s eloquence, fortitude and magnetism. This is certainly reflected throughout his many years as Prime Minister – that marked him as the most phenomenal of the modern era. In this book we are given a perspective of the individualism of Trudeau which made him such a formidable and erudite figure.
Two of my favourite Trudeau quotes (from page 471 of my volume)
- “the state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation”. This was said in 1967; can one imagine a U.S. presidential contender saying such today?!
- “what may be sin to some is not law for all”.
January 28, 2023
Never a fan of anyone named Trudeau, but the author appears to be. Such as glossing over Pierre's youth in which he did very little, except clown around in a German helmet on a motorcycle in Montreal while Canadian boys were dying overseas.
The book does get interesting during Quebec's Quiet Revolution and Trudeau's emergence as one of the three "wise men" recruited as federal candidates by Prime Minister Lester Pearson. His big opportunity being the federal foil to Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson was pivotal to his subsequent leadership campaign and eventual ascent to the role of Prime Minister.
Even though I always had a grudging admiration for Trudeau's intellect and discipline I found that I liked him a lot less after reading this. Quebec always came first ahead of the rest of Canada with Trudeau. His leftist leanings were no mirage and his sympathies towards murderous tyrants like Mao and Castro are permanent stains on his record.
The book does get interesting during Quebec's Quiet Revolution and Trudeau's emergence as one of the three "wise men" recruited as federal candidates by Prime Minister Lester Pearson. His big opportunity being the federal foil to Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson was pivotal to his subsequent leadership campaign and eventual ascent to the role of Prime Minister.
Even though I always had a grudging admiration for Trudeau's intellect and discipline I found that I liked him a lot less after reading this. Quebec always came first ahead of the rest of Canada with Trudeau. His leftist leanings were no mirage and his sympathies towards murderous tyrants like Mao and Castro are permanent stains on his record.
August 12, 2021
John English a eu, le premier, accès à l'ensemble des archives de Trudeau.
Ce volume sur le Trudeau pré-premier ministre est bien mené et apporte des éléments jusqu'ici inconnus, bien que non déterminants, sur son parcours.
Ce volume sur le Trudeau pré-premier ministre est bien mené et apporte des éléments jusqu'ici inconnus, bien que non déterminants, sur son parcours.
December 17, 2023
John English has written an in depth life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau. A good narrative that follows the first Trudeau from his birth all the way to his victory in the Liberal Convention of 1968, with such detail that one could consider themselves an intimate of the great man.
When considering what book to read on Trudeau, I had considered skipping this first volume and simply reading his years in office, I am glad I did not. For this volume although long and features active politics scarcely, gives one the true picture of the man. From his education and his Quebec Nationalism, to his two world tours, from his intellectual journey and his love affairs, John English, has given the full life of Trudeau to the point of his political victory.
No detail escapes English’s grasp of his subject, this is its greatest strength yet also its greatest weakness. In truth this is no political biography, for Trudeaus arrival in national politics was so late, it is a biography of the man, a biography that paves his long road to politics. For one who would not care for the man himself it would be a heavy read, yet I would say a useful one. To know Trudeau the reader must see him develop for otherwise he, more than any politician I have read is a great contradiction, flashy yet reserved, he floats of the pages and as said above you come away from reading this book as if you are an intimate of the man, another contradiction in itself for he had few.
This book is well worth reading. If one is simply reading it for political intrigue and a narrative of political life, you will be disappointed, yet I, being a British citizen who has no connection at all to Canada, just a lust for politics, can say whole heartedly that this book was a great read that creates a connection with the man that would be one of Canada’s most transformative Prime Ministers.
When considering what book to read on Trudeau, I had considered skipping this first volume and simply reading his years in office, I am glad I did not. For this volume although long and features active politics scarcely, gives one the true picture of the man. From his education and his Quebec Nationalism, to his two world tours, from his intellectual journey and his love affairs, John English, has given the full life of Trudeau to the point of his political victory.
No detail escapes English’s grasp of his subject, this is its greatest strength yet also its greatest weakness. In truth this is no political biography, for Trudeaus arrival in national politics was so late, it is a biography of the man, a biography that paves his long road to politics. For one who would not care for the man himself it would be a heavy read, yet I would say a useful one. To know Trudeau the reader must see him develop for otherwise he, more than any politician I have read is a great contradiction, flashy yet reserved, he floats of the pages and as said above you come away from reading this book as if you are an intimate of the man, another contradiction in itself for he had few.
This book is well worth reading. If one is simply reading it for political intrigue and a narrative of political life, you will be disappointed, yet I, being a British citizen who has no connection at all to Canada, just a lust for politics, can say whole heartedly that this book was a great read that creates a connection with the man that would be one of Canada’s most transformative Prime Ministers.
June 22, 2024
A thorough and detailed look into the early life of one of the most influential Canadians of all time.
The account seems to be accurate. Author John English wrote this book based on letters and documents provided by the Trudeau family following Pierre’s death.
In some sections, the text does drag on and can be mildly boring. With that being said, this could be viewed positively as evidence that the author did his due diligence to include even the smallest details of Trudeau’s life — regardless of whether they’re important or not.
English does an excellent job of maintaining a neutral tone throughout all 500 pages. This allows the reader to determine how they evaluate his actions without an ideological lens present from the author.
This first volume includes Trudeau’s life up until he is elected Prime Minister for the first time. I’ll definitely pick up the second volume at some point, but you may want to look elsewhere if you’re just looking for a short broad overview of his life.
The account seems to be accurate. Author John English wrote this book based on letters and documents provided by the Trudeau family following Pierre’s death.
In some sections, the text does drag on and can be mildly boring. With that being said, this could be viewed positively as evidence that the author did his due diligence to include even the smallest details of Trudeau’s life — regardless of whether they’re important or not.
English does an excellent job of maintaining a neutral tone throughout all 500 pages. This allows the reader to determine how they evaluate his actions without an ideological lens present from the author.
This first volume includes Trudeau’s life up until he is elected Prime Minister for the first time. I’ll definitely pick up the second volume at some point, but you may want to look elsewhere if you’re just looking for a short broad overview of his life.
December 31, 2025
This was a really interest biography of a very interest man. I grew up when Trudeau (#1) was prime minister and I liked everything about him. I also thought I had read everything about him but I was wrong. This book showed me just how little I really knew about one of our best liked and flamboyant leaders. The book itself was a quick read but left me wanting more, so I guess I will be looking for Vol.2 for another good read very soon.
July 19, 2020
Undoubtedly the best book I have read in many years. Brilliantly written and full of detail, this book is sure to intrigue and enthral, as well as introduce this major figure of Canadian politics and his exciting life to a younger generation for whom his name may already be nothing more than a historical relic.
January 12, 2020
Canada's best and certainly coolest Prime Minister - a head of state during a tumultuous and pivotal period of the 20th century - and his life was arguably more interesting *before* becoming PM. What a guy.
November 21, 2020
At 566 pages, and its emphasis on politics it was quite a slow read for me, but none-the-less interesting to see what made up this charismatic politician. I will read Trudeau's auto biography for comparison.
October 26, 2022
Detailed biography on his personal life before being prime minister.
July 16, 2024
Enigmatic and bold. Clever and cunning.
March 7, 2017
Ca vaut vraiment la peine de lire cette biographie superbe même si vous êtes un de ces nombreux québecois qui n'aiment pas Pierre Trudeau et qui ont horreur du culte que nous autres anglophones vouent au père du premier ministre actuel.
D'abord English explique très bien l'évolution intellectuelle de Trudeau et identifie les écrivains qui ont eu une influence déterminant sur la pensée de Trudeau. Je crois bien que la plupart des Québecois qui ont moins que quarante ans ne connaissent pas Paul Claudel, Emmanuel Mounier et Teilhard de Chardin qu'English identifie comme ayant éte des sources d'inspiration importante pour Trudeau et les personnes dans son milieu. English incontestablement donne un portrait admirable d'un aspect important de l'histoire intellectuelle de la société québecoise qui est de nos jours peu connus.
English brille aussi dans son traitement des amours de Pierre Trudeau qui parait-il avait l'âme plus torturée que Swann. English montre clairement qu'il possède les talents nécessaires pour écrire une excellent biographie d'une étoile d'Hollywood ou d'un membre de la famille royalle britannique. Si les récits des moments intimes des amoureux sont un de vous plaisirs coupables, ce livre vous plaira énormément
D'abord English explique très bien l'évolution intellectuelle de Trudeau et identifie les écrivains qui ont eu une influence déterminant sur la pensée de Trudeau. Je crois bien que la plupart des Québecois qui ont moins que quarante ans ne connaissent pas Paul Claudel, Emmanuel Mounier et Teilhard de Chardin qu'English identifie comme ayant éte des sources d'inspiration importante pour Trudeau et les personnes dans son milieu. English incontestablement donne un portrait admirable d'un aspect important de l'histoire intellectuelle de la société québecoise qui est de nos jours peu connus.
English brille aussi dans son traitement des amours de Pierre Trudeau qui parait-il avait l'âme plus torturée que Swann. English montre clairement qu'il possède les talents nécessaires pour écrire une excellent biographie d'une étoile d'Hollywood ou d'un membre de la famille royalle britannique. Si les récits des moments intimes des amoureux sont un de vous plaisirs coupables, ce livre vous plaira énormément
September 5, 2017
As an American, I am intrigued and fascinated by all things Canadian. One of the things that intrigues me is this period in history: as we were contending with President Nixon and this surge of conservatism, Canadians were enjoying a period of liberalism with Prime Minister Trudeau. I wanted to learn more about him and his times, and that's what brought me to this book.
This was a little bit more challenging to read - primarily because I didn't know who the people that the author talked about were (but with a lot of help from Wikipedia, I got that sorted out). I think that if I was more well-versed in 20th century Canadian history, it would have been much faster for me to read. That being said, the first part of the book was a little rough, and I had to put the book down for a few months and come back to it. But I'm glad I did - it was very cool to see how Pierre Trudeau came to his first term as Prime Minister from his beginnings in Montreal. I'm excited to read part two!
This was a little bit more challenging to read - primarily because I didn't know who the people that the author talked about were (but with a lot of help from Wikipedia, I got that sorted out). I think that if I was more well-versed in 20th century Canadian history, it would have been much faster for me to read. That being said, the first part of the book was a little rough, and I had to put the book down for a few months and come back to it. But I'm glad I did - it was very cool to see how Pierre Trudeau came to his first term as Prime Minister from his beginnings in Montreal. I'm excited to read part two!
December 10, 2015
This is, I think, the first actual biography I ever read, so this is one of those cases where I feel weird writing a review because I'm not familiar with a genre. So take this with a grain of salt.
Trudeau is an incredibly interesting character. His life story has so many twists and turns and often doesn't seem to make sense. The access John English had here to Trudeau's own private and meticulous archive of letters, drafts and clippings adds much welcome insight into the psyche of this remarkable man, especially during his early years. Supplementing his extensive public writing with the even more extensive correspondence he had had throughout his life with a number of women adds a new perspective to this oft-told story, and English does this with flourish. He weaves the historical story of this exciting period in Quebec and Canada as a whole into the personal story in a way that pulls it away from the pages of the history books and brings it to life.
One issue that bothered me is the treatment of women in this book. There are many female protagonists, and English clearly tries to give them their fair place, but I couldn't help but notice that EACH AND EVERY WOMAN in this book is either "beautiful" or "stunning". Each and every one. Even just the random women who try to get close to Trudeau or other charismatic people. Were all these women "beautiful"? Was this characterization really necessary? It's a small thing, but in an otherwise sensitive depiction of the inner worlds of the characters in the book, this really stuck out like a sore thumb.
The story of Trudeau is fascinating for me because of the parallels I could draw from it to my own personal obsession - Israel's relations with its Arab minority. I found the emphasis here on the development of Trudeau's thinking about democratic values and the relationship between Canada and Quebec was truly enlightening when considering where Israel and Canada diverged in their treatment of their respective national-religious-linguistic minorities. This is something I hope to give more thought to in the future, but this book certainly provided a good starting point for this thinking for me.
Trudeau is an incredibly interesting character. His life story has so many twists and turns and often doesn't seem to make sense. The access John English had here to Trudeau's own private and meticulous archive of letters, drafts and clippings adds much welcome insight into the psyche of this remarkable man, especially during his early years. Supplementing his extensive public writing with the even more extensive correspondence he had had throughout his life with a number of women adds a new perspective to this oft-told story, and English does this with flourish. He weaves the historical story of this exciting period in Quebec and Canada as a whole into the personal story in a way that pulls it away from the pages of the history books and brings it to life.
One issue that bothered me is the treatment of women in this book. There are many female protagonists, and English clearly tries to give them their fair place, but I couldn't help but notice that EACH AND EVERY WOMAN in this book is either "beautiful" or "stunning". Each and every one. Even just the random women who try to get close to Trudeau or other charismatic people. Were all these women "beautiful"? Was this characterization really necessary? It's a small thing, but in an otherwise sensitive depiction of the inner worlds of the characters in the book, this really stuck out like a sore thumb.
The story of Trudeau is fascinating for me because of the parallels I could draw from it to my own personal obsession - Israel's relations with its Arab minority. I found the emphasis here on the development of Trudeau's thinking about democratic values and the relationship between Canada and Quebec was truly enlightening when considering where Israel and Canada diverged in their treatment of their respective national-religious-linguistic minorities. This is something I hope to give more thought to in the future, but this book certainly provided a good starting point for this thinking for me.
February 22, 2017
Probably a 4.5 if that was possible on the star rating. Enjoyed learning about his early years of which I know little and the book was just staring to get really interesting so can't wait for the second volume. I suspect one I will read again to really take all the points in.
October 12, 2015
I received both volume's of John English's Trudeau biography for Christmas a number of years ago. As is often the case, it sat on the shelf until I felt like I it was the right time to read. I picked up this first volume hoping it might provide some insight into our current election. Volume 1 starts with PET's childhood and ends at the 1968 leadership conference in which he wins the Liberal leadership and becomes Prime Minister.
In many ways, the political environment of the 1960s was much more difficult than today. The federal government and the provinces where in a full-on fight about federal and provincial rights (which wasn't solved until the repatriation of the constitution in 1982). Trudeau and others were fighting for a Bill of Rights for Canadians to ensure individual human rights. And of course the Quiet Revolution was underway, though it seems to me, not so quietly. Already in the 1960s there had been home grown terrorist attacks in favour of an independent French state in North America. All this well Pearson was try to build a social welfare state in Canada (RIP).
What does this tell about the 2015 election? In the 1960s they were grappling with issues that would define us as a nation, with politicians whose skill (on all sides) remains unparalled in Canadian politics. It makes this election look lacklustre at best and the candidates juveniles at worst.
From his childhood, PET was interested in a life of public service, as a politician. How do we groom such people? Those who have an authentic interest in public life?
I'll end with something PET told Peter Newman then of the Toronto Star when he was reforming the Criminal Code: "Justice, should be regarded more and more as a department planning for the society of tomorrow, not merely the government's legal advisor... Society is throwing up problems all the time - divorce, abortions, family planning, pollution, etc. - and it's no longer enough to review your statues every 20 years."
In many ways, the political environment of the 1960s was much more difficult than today. The federal government and the provinces where in a full-on fight about federal and provincial rights (which wasn't solved until the repatriation of the constitution in 1982). Trudeau and others were fighting for a Bill of Rights for Canadians to ensure individual human rights. And of course the Quiet Revolution was underway, though it seems to me, not so quietly. Already in the 1960s there had been home grown terrorist attacks in favour of an independent French state in North America. All this well Pearson was try to build a social welfare state in Canada (RIP).
What does this tell about the 2015 election? In the 1960s they were grappling with issues that would define us as a nation, with politicians whose skill (on all sides) remains unparalled in Canadian politics. It makes this election look lacklustre at best and the candidates juveniles at worst.
From his childhood, PET was interested in a life of public service, as a politician. How do we groom such people? Those who have an authentic interest in public life?
I'll end with something PET told Peter Newman then of the Toronto Star when he was reforming the Criminal Code: "Justice, should be regarded more and more as a department planning for the society of tomorrow, not merely the government's legal advisor... Society is throwing up problems all the time - divorce, abortions, family planning, pollution, etc. - and it's no longer enough to review your statues every 20 years."
July 16, 2015
Seeing a man come together is an incredible sight. Very few of us actually manage to become our best selves. Not to mention the heroic aspects of throwing oneself against the world to reach at some accommodation with the fraudulent sham that surrounds us.
Such a process is all the more worthy if the man changes through this journey. How does a religious Québécois separatist kid become THE Pierre Trudeau? John English solves this puzzle by digging deep into heretofore sealed private papers and shows us why the young Trudeau was so remarkable.
Namely, two factors are at play here: 1) young Pierre went around the world and studied in large parts of it and 2) he had an ability to reject idiotic arguments. I believe this largely gave him eyes clear enough to see the Quebec separatist movement for the lie it was and why the federal solution was best to unite such a diverse country.
If you believe, as I do, that our upbringing manifests itself loudly in our day-to-day, his argument is clear and convincing. The author never drifts into hagiography nor does he vilify needlessly. English’s dual track training as a historian and a politician makes this one of the best political biographies ever written. And in an era where academics have lost their way in absurd trivialities, this is a welcome effort.
Such a process is all the more worthy if the man changes through this journey. How does a religious Québécois separatist kid become THE Pierre Trudeau? John English solves this puzzle by digging deep into heretofore sealed private papers and shows us why the young Trudeau was so remarkable.
Namely, two factors are at play here: 1) young Pierre went around the world and studied in large parts of it and 2) he had an ability to reject idiotic arguments. I believe this largely gave him eyes clear enough to see the Quebec separatist movement for the lie it was and why the federal solution was best to unite such a diverse country.
If you believe, as I do, that our upbringing manifests itself loudly in our day-to-day, his argument is clear and convincing. The author never drifts into hagiography nor does he vilify needlessly. English’s dual track training as a historian and a politician makes this one of the best political biographies ever written. And in an era where academics have lost their way in absurd trivialities, this is a welcome effort.
February 3, 2017
The first volume of John English's biography of Pierre Trudeau covers Trudeau's life from birth until Trudeau became Prime Minister of Canada in 1968. The amount of research and analysis is astounding; English gained access to more of Trudeau's private papers than any previous biographer.
The coverage of Trudeau as a budding left-wing intellectual is remarkable, although scant coverage is offered to Trudeau's years as a backbencher in the House of Commons and Trudeau's rise as Lester Pearson's Minister of Justice. This is lamentable because Trudeau made fundamental changes in the lives of Canadians as Justice Minister.
Moreover, Trudeau's personal life does not receive the promised coverage in the second half of the book. Trudeau's fabled relationships with women, for example, are covered more in depth early but less so in the second half of the book, where the volume seems to bog down in professional detail.
John English had an impossible task: trying to clarify Trudeau the man vs. Trudeau the legend. English did this about as well as anyone could, and did so with a fairly remarkable and readable first volume. However, the most enigmatic figure in Canadian history remains just that.
The coverage of Trudeau as a budding left-wing intellectual is remarkable, although scant coverage is offered to Trudeau's years as a backbencher in the House of Commons and Trudeau's rise as Lester Pearson's Minister of Justice. This is lamentable because Trudeau made fundamental changes in the lives of Canadians as Justice Minister.
Moreover, Trudeau's personal life does not receive the promised coverage in the second half of the book. Trudeau's fabled relationships with women, for example, are covered more in depth early but less so in the second half of the book, where the volume seems to bog down in professional detail.
John English had an impossible task: trying to clarify Trudeau the man vs. Trudeau the legend. English did this about as well as anyone could, and did so with a fairly remarkable and readable first volume. However, the most enigmatic figure in Canadian history remains just that.
July 27, 2014
Trudeau is a fascinating character, and English does a good job in portraying why he was so polarizing throughout his life. I can relate to Trudeau's youth in many ways growing up in a bilingual Montreal family and with extensive international experience in my 20's, but even then I'm not sure I'd get along with him at all were I to meet him in his late 20's today. However, I respect a man who is able to reflect on his own opinions and have the strength of mind to change positions on significant issues. It is also interesting to read Trudeau's vision of Quebec and Canada's place in the world which resonates strongly with my own view, considering the influences in his youth and early adulthood were heavily religious and from the francophone sphere vs. my own coming from the opposite spectrum. Looking forward to learning in more detail how he puts it all together in practice as prime minister in Volume Two.
August 21, 2008
Comprehensive biography of Trudea's life up until his assumption of the Liberal leadership in 1968. The biographer's access to the Trudeau family and friends, as well as Trudeau's personal papers led to a whole picture of Trudeau, both his strengths and failings. The book reveals a complicated but brilliant man who could be mercurial and whimsical, and at the same time he displayed amazing charisma also appear arrogant and aloof. I'm looking forward to reading volume 2, and in particular, the coverage of the FLQ crisis, the imposition of the War Measures Act, and "Just watch me."
January 16, 2011
John English is a fantastic writer. He does know how to keep the eyes of the readers where they should be. This biography of the late Prime Minister of Canada is an excellent example of the trust the Estate of P.E. Trudeau put into his skills.
Periods of his life are described with the most amazing way, to keep us from putting it down, not that the days of Trudeau were that exceptional but just for the presence of facts and prose mixed together.
Periods of his life are described with the most amazing way, to keep us from putting it down, not that the days of Trudeau were that exceptional but just for the presence of facts and prose mixed together.
September 3, 2014
I read this for research into my wordless book about Trudeau. As our 15th prime minister you may love him or hate him but his views and impact on Canadian culture and politics have had a lasting impact. His name still animates public debate about his contributions to Canadian politics and policy. His flamboyant personality and passion for politics has made him an icon and his memory lives on through those of us who lived through those times. Trudeau now belongs to the historians.
November 3, 2014
An interesting look at both the rise to power of Pierre Elliott Trudeau and the changing political scene in Quebec from the 1920s through the 1960s. In some places, the narrative is slightly repetitive and clumsy as it jumps back and forth in time, but overall a very well-written, cogent story. English tends to "explain," rather than analyze, Trudeau, but he remains clear-eyed throughout the book.
I'm looking forward to volume II.
I'm looking forward to volume II.
December 7, 2015
A densely researched book with seamlessly woven together information. Regardless of your party leaning, you'll enjoy this one if you are politically minded. It fundamentally concentrates on how Trudeau developed his political identity starting with his student years through to the early part of his career. Within this framework, excellent context is provided of the social/political environment of the time.
Read
June 12, 2009Some reviews found this book stodgy. Not for me it wasn't. English isn't one for grand pronouncements certainly but he handles Trudeau with justice. Trudeau's latent anti-semitism is shocking and isolation from world events but he doesn't overrate these things. English also puts his own spin on Trudeau's 'lost decade' the fifties. Well done.
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