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Gut Instinct: The life and times of Dr. Charles Allard
“Gut Instinct – The life and times of Dr. Charles Allard”
The story of Dr. Charles Allard is as much a universal story, as it is Canadian. It is the true story, of one of Canada’s greatest 20th century entrepreneurs.
History moulds our character, shapes our soul and fuels our spirit. There are defining moments in one’s lifetime, a benchmark where one’s path is altered, through a moment in time. Charles Allard was just a school boy when he promised himself that he would never go hungry, never be poor. Witnessing the anguish of his parents’ struggle through bankruptcy and seeing the plight of children begging at the door of his mother’s rented boarding house during the Depression years, made an indelible impression that lasted a lifetime.
Allard earned money to help his family during his formative years and excelled at school, by virtue of his extraordinary discipline. He attended the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Alberta, continuing with extensive post-graduate surgical training in Toronto, Montreal and Boston. His expertise allowed him to practise medicine anywhere in the world, but he chose his hometown, Edmonton, where he became a highly respected surgeon.
Yet, the true story of Dr. Charles Allard was defined in the hours after the demands of his full-time medical practice, late into the evening and early morning hours, from the confines of his den where he launched the most remarkable business empire. With the instinct of a gambler, he decisively controlled a conglomeration of diverse business interests and assets around the world. He amassed two incredible fortunes over the course of four decades. His rise to prominence wasn’t without risk and suffering. Few could have guessed the stress he endured and the vulnerability of his assets. Apart from his incredible sense of timing, Dr. Allard also cited luck with preventing the collapse of his empire.
Posthumously he was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame and was named an Edmontonian of the Century. As a business associate once said of he could have been a prime minister, if he had been so inclined, but he loved business.
This is the story of one of Canada’s greatest entrepreneurs intertwined through the birth of a nation and world events. For 12 weeks “Gut Instinct – The life and times of Dr. Charles Allard” remained #1 on the “non-fiction” best sellers list on its initial release in Alberta, as recorded by the Edmonton Journal.
The story of Dr. Charles Allard is as much a universal story, as it is Canadian. It is the true story, of one of Canada’s greatest 20th century entrepreneurs.
History moulds our character, shapes our soul and fuels our spirit. There are defining moments in one’s lifetime, a benchmark where one’s path is altered, through a moment in time. Charles Allard was just a school boy when he promised himself that he would never go hungry, never be poor. Witnessing the anguish of his parents’ struggle through bankruptcy and seeing the plight of children begging at the door of his mother’s rented boarding house during the Depression years, made an indelible impression that lasted a lifetime.
Allard earned money to help his family during his formative years and excelled at school, by virtue of his extraordinary discipline. He attended the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Alberta, continuing with extensive post-graduate surgical training in Toronto, Montreal and Boston. His expertise allowed him to practise medicine anywhere in the world, but he chose his hometown, Edmonton, where he became a highly respected surgeon.
Yet, the true story of Dr. Charles Allard was defined in the hours after the demands of his full-time medical practice, late into the evening and early morning hours, from the confines of his den where he launched the most remarkable business empire. With the instinct of a gambler, he decisively controlled a conglomeration of diverse business interests and assets around the world. He amassed two incredible fortunes over the course of four decades. His rise to prominence wasn’t without risk and suffering. Few could have guessed the stress he endured and the vulnerability of his assets. Apart from his incredible sense of timing, Dr. Allard also cited luck with preventing the collapse of his empire.
Posthumously he was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame and was named an Edmontonian of the Century. As a business associate once said of he could have been a prime minister, if he had been so inclined, but he loved business.
This is the story of one of Canada’s greatest entrepreneurs intertwined through the birth of a nation and world events. For 12 weeks “Gut Instinct – The life and times of Dr. Charles Allard” remained #1 on the “non-fiction” best sellers list on its initial release in Alberta, as recorded by the Edmonton Journal.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 10, 2020
A great way to teach a young person about indigenous cultures, the fact that different stories exist in different cultures, and also about the ethical principles expressed in those cultures. A must read for white families in Canada. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
October 18, 2018
The concept of mutual respect is explored in this cartoon-illustrated picturebook featuring Indigenous characters Rabbit, Bear Paws, and Strawberry. The children are fascinated to watch the behaviour of a nearby buffalo herd, but are warned to keep their distance. Rabbit behaves carelessly, not heeding this advice. Despite his antics, the buffalo demonstrate respect for their fellow creatures and the children take away a few valuable lessons.
July 21, 2021
I read the whole series of Sacred Seven. They are a lighthearted series of books which explain, simply, the core meanings of the Anishinabek Seven Grandfathers teachings. Each value has its own book: respect, honesty, wisdom, humility, love, truth, courage.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews