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John Turner: An Intimate Biography of Canada's 17th Prime Minister
One of the most glamorous and successful politicians in Canadian history In this masterful and engaging biography, acclaimed journalist Steve Paikin brings to life John Turner (1929-2020), one of the most glamorous and successful politicians in Canadian history. Born in England, raised in BC, Turner was a champion sprinter and a Rhodes scholar who captured the national imagination as escort for Princess Margaret on her 1959 Canadian tour. Elected to Parliament in 1962, he served in Prime Minister Lester Pearson’s cabinet and as Pierre Trudeau’s attorney general, minister of justice, and finance minister. In 1984, he won a hotly-contested Liberal leadership contest and served a brief four months as Canada’s seventeenth prime minister before falling to Brian Mulroney in a Progressive Conservative landslide. In this surprisingly candid and personal book, Paikin draws on unprecedented access to Turner’s personal and public papers to show how he struggled to meet the towering expectations that came with his abundant gifts, and keep his faith in Canadian democracy despite the challenges of his own career.
337 pages, Hardcover
Published October 28, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 30, 2025
As Canada recently went through an election, pushing up against some turbulent times south of the border, I took it upon myself to do more reading about Canadian politics and what some have been discussing. That went well, though I did not get to finish all the books I had hoped. I found this political biography of former Canadian Prime Minister John Turner, penned by Steve Paikin. This book is not only thorough in its depiction of the great politician, but honest in much of its delivery. Paikin provides a well-researched piece that fills in many gaps I had about the man and his experiences, perhaps partially due to the fact that I was just a child during his leadership in the House of Commons. John Turner is a man of many faces and proved to be someone whose passion for Canada exceeded everything, save his determination to serve his country well. Steve Paikin delivers a stunning biography that was well worth my time.
While the name 'John Turner' might ring a bell for many Canadians, few likely know the specifics of this man's life and importance to Canada. Steve Paikin delivers a stunning biography of the man whose public life spanned multiple decades. Paikin explores the early days of John Napier Turner, born in the United Kingdom before moving to Canada as a toddler. Losing his father in infancy, Turner was raised by his mother, who ensured that he had all he needed. Paikin examines Turner's upbringing and schooling, which included some stardom when he reached university. All the time, Turner sought to connect with people and better their lives with his intuitive nature. Academics might have been important to Turner, but his passion was serving the public, which young John found possible by linking himself to the Liberal Party.
Turner found his niche when he joined the fray and ran for a seat in the House of Commons in 1962. Serving his constituents in a Montreal-area riding, Turner made his mark early by presenting a fiery presence on Parliament Hill. Paikin explores these days and some of the great moments in Turner's early days as an MP, making a name for himself and connecting with others in ways that would work well for him in the coming years. Turner was a natural politician and soon found his legs, tapped to become a Cabinet minister first in the Pearson Government and later under Pierre Trudeau.
Speaking of the powerful Trudeau, Turner forged a lukewarm relationship with the man, which started during the Liberal’s 1968 leadership convention, when the two men locked horns in a battle that would lay the groundwork for future skirmishes. Turner had to accept that he was not yet leadership material, but used his time in Justice and Finance, where he made an indelible mark. That Turner was an essential part of the Trudeau Government is not dismissed by Paikin, who effectively argues that success came from many of Turner's policy decisions, which reflected well on the Liberals as a whole.
Paikin explores the Trudeau-Turner clash in detail during part of the book, which led the latter to surprise everyone by leaving public life with no forewarning in 1975. Speculation abounds as to what happened and Paikin can only shed limited light on the matter, especially since both men were deceased by the time this biography came together. Turner used his time in the political wilderness to connect with Canada’s business community and waited for his chance to strike once Trudeau left politics. This interregnum period was important for Turner, as Paikin describes. It permitted refocusing and made sure that everything align for when an opportunity to lead presented itself.
Turner’s patience would pay off by 1984, when Pierre Trudeau decided that he wanted to leave the public spotlight. Turner prepared a solid leadership campaign, which would have him cross swords with another Trudeau-esque politician, Jean Chrétien. Paikin parallels the sour relationship that would come to haunt both men for the next two decades with that suffered between Turner and Trudeau. Turner succeeded in winning the leadership and automatically became prime minister, but began making mistakes that proved fatalistic in the days that followed. These included a poorly calculated snap election and agreement to make patronage appointments promised by Trudeau. As Paikin describes, disaster was brewing and came to pass when Turner was handed the largest party fall from grace up to that point in 1984's federal election.
Serving as Leader of the Opposition, Turner was forced to handle sitting on a side of the House he had never experienced. He was also the target of a number of attacks from the Liberal Party, with caucus revolt threats and flip predictions should he not change his approach post haste. These were tense times for Turner, particularly when his views diverged from those of the elected Liberal membership, on issues of Free Trade and constitutional renewal. Paikin does a great job setting the scene and pulls no punches about how close Turner came at being removed in a coup.
As Paikin explores Free Trade and Turner’s positions, he examines how close the Liberal leader came to complete annihilation and winning the election of 1988 in the same 5-week period. This was a period about which I was completely unaware, though I had seen some great clips of the Leaders’ Debate where Turner held Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s feet to the fire over signing a Free Trade Agreement with the United States. A second electoral loss for Turner proved too much for the Liberals to stomach, leaving the pathway to retirement in the not too distant future for John Turner, who knew the Party had his fate sealed.
Paikin tackles the post-political life of John Turner in the final section of the book. While he left the House of Commons in 1993, handing over control of the Liberals to his bitter rival, Chrétien. Turner continued to make appearances and impacted many as he aged, proving to be a stalwart political operative years after he left the battlefield. While he aged, his sharp wit and filterless sense of speaking his mind never diminished. Paikin takes readers through much of his accomplishments, which culminated in Turner’s death in 2020, at the height of the COVID pandemic. For a man whose loved people and socialising, his sparsely attended funeral was the final insult. A brilliant biography that depicts the life and times of a great political figure.
I have read many political biographies and found Steve Paikin’s depiction of John Turner to be amongst the best. While it did not extend for hundreds of pages, it served to handle many of the key aspects of the man’s experiences in enough detail to keep the reader curious. Paikin presents a well-rounded exploration of Turner’s life, offering insight from many people who knew Turner, even if they did not all love him. I found the rawness of the analysis refreshing, as this was no attempt to create a sycophantic prose that would laud the man and serve to support political sainthood, but also not vilify him as the press appeared to do when he served as leader from 1984-90. Turner is portrayed as a great politician, strong leader, and great man, though he was only human. Paikin writes in such a way that the reader can follow with ease and yet need to know more. The chapters are built to work as independent topics, but link together to create a stellar biography. I will be looking to see what else Steve Paikin has to offer, as I was able to learn with ease and great interest.
Kudos, Mr. Paikin, for this wonderful biography.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
While the name 'John Turner' might ring a bell for many Canadians, few likely know the specifics of this man's life and importance to Canada. Steve Paikin delivers a stunning biography of the man whose public life spanned multiple decades. Paikin explores the early days of John Napier Turner, born in the United Kingdom before moving to Canada as a toddler. Losing his father in infancy, Turner was raised by his mother, who ensured that he had all he needed. Paikin examines Turner's upbringing and schooling, which included some stardom when he reached university. All the time, Turner sought to connect with people and better their lives with his intuitive nature. Academics might have been important to Turner, but his passion was serving the public, which young John found possible by linking himself to the Liberal Party.
Turner found his niche when he joined the fray and ran for a seat in the House of Commons in 1962. Serving his constituents in a Montreal-area riding, Turner made his mark early by presenting a fiery presence on Parliament Hill. Paikin explores these days and some of the great moments in Turner's early days as an MP, making a name for himself and connecting with others in ways that would work well for him in the coming years. Turner was a natural politician and soon found his legs, tapped to become a Cabinet minister first in the Pearson Government and later under Pierre Trudeau.
Speaking of the powerful Trudeau, Turner forged a lukewarm relationship with the man, which started during the Liberal’s 1968 leadership convention, when the two men locked horns in a battle that would lay the groundwork for future skirmishes. Turner had to accept that he was not yet leadership material, but used his time in Justice and Finance, where he made an indelible mark. That Turner was an essential part of the Trudeau Government is not dismissed by Paikin, who effectively argues that success came from many of Turner's policy decisions, which reflected well on the Liberals as a whole.
Paikin explores the Trudeau-Turner clash in detail during part of the book, which led the latter to surprise everyone by leaving public life with no forewarning in 1975. Speculation abounds as to what happened and Paikin can only shed limited light on the matter, especially since both men were deceased by the time this biography came together. Turner used his time in the political wilderness to connect with Canada’s business community and waited for his chance to strike once Trudeau left politics. This interregnum period was important for Turner, as Paikin describes. It permitted refocusing and made sure that everything align for when an opportunity to lead presented itself.
Turner’s patience would pay off by 1984, when Pierre Trudeau decided that he wanted to leave the public spotlight. Turner prepared a solid leadership campaign, which would have him cross swords with another Trudeau-esque politician, Jean Chrétien. Paikin parallels the sour relationship that would come to haunt both men for the next two decades with that suffered between Turner and Trudeau. Turner succeeded in winning the leadership and automatically became prime minister, but began making mistakes that proved fatalistic in the days that followed. These included a poorly calculated snap election and agreement to make patronage appointments promised by Trudeau. As Paikin describes, disaster was brewing and came to pass when Turner was handed the largest party fall from grace up to that point in 1984's federal election.
Serving as Leader of the Opposition, Turner was forced to handle sitting on a side of the House he had never experienced. He was also the target of a number of attacks from the Liberal Party, with caucus revolt threats and flip predictions should he not change his approach post haste. These were tense times for Turner, particularly when his views diverged from those of the elected Liberal membership, on issues of Free Trade and constitutional renewal. Paikin does a great job setting the scene and pulls no punches about how close Turner came at being removed in a coup.
As Paikin explores Free Trade and Turner’s positions, he examines how close the Liberal leader came to complete annihilation and winning the election of 1988 in the same 5-week period. This was a period about which I was completely unaware, though I had seen some great clips of the Leaders’ Debate where Turner held Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s feet to the fire over signing a Free Trade Agreement with the United States. A second electoral loss for Turner proved too much for the Liberals to stomach, leaving the pathway to retirement in the not too distant future for John Turner, who knew the Party had his fate sealed.
Paikin tackles the post-political life of John Turner in the final section of the book. While he left the House of Commons in 1993, handing over control of the Liberals to his bitter rival, Chrétien. Turner continued to make appearances and impacted many as he aged, proving to be a stalwart political operative years after he left the battlefield. While he aged, his sharp wit and filterless sense of speaking his mind never diminished. Paikin takes readers through much of his accomplishments, which culminated in Turner’s death in 2020, at the height of the COVID pandemic. For a man whose loved people and socialising, his sparsely attended funeral was the final insult. A brilliant biography that depicts the life and times of a great political figure.
I have read many political biographies and found Steve Paikin’s depiction of John Turner to be amongst the best. While it did not extend for hundreds of pages, it served to handle many of the key aspects of the man’s experiences in enough detail to keep the reader curious. Paikin presents a well-rounded exploration of Turner’s life, offering insight from many people who knew Turner, even if they did not all love him. I found the rawness of the analysis refreshing, as this was no attempt to create a sycophantic prose that would laud the man and serve to support political sainthood, but also not vilify him as the press appeared to do when he served as leader from 1984-90. Turner is portrayed as a great politician, strong leader, and great man, though he was only human. Paikin writes in such a way that the reader can follow with ease and yet need to know more. The chapters are built to work as independent topics, but link together to create a stellar biography. I will be looking to see what else Steve Paikin has to offer, as I was able to learn with ease and great interest.
Kudos, Mr. Paikin, for this wonderful biography.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
July 20, 2023
It seems to me that writing a biography of any kind is a perilous undertaking. Simply documenting the observable behavior of another human being runs the risk of producing only a piece of arms-length journalism; it’s likely to be rather dry and sterile. On the other hand, penetrating the motivations, private struggles and intimate personality of the subject is both difficult and, at best speculative. And writing a bio of a well-known public figure, especially a politician, is surely an endeavor to be entered into by only the most courageous and masterful of writers. It’s necessary to strike a fine balance between adulation and condemnation (either of which is bound to enrage some readers); and the writer is obliged to perform deeply rigorous fact-checking and be willing to omit any detail that cannot be verified. Few writers are likely to display such a level of discipline; fortunately, Steve Paikin is one of those rare individuals, as anyone who follows his long-time performance on TVO’s “The Agenda” can verify.
In Paikin’s capable hands, this is a very even-handed portrait of John Turner the politician — and John Turner the man. It’s regrettable that most Canadians, if they recall anything about Turner today, it’s likely to be that one brief exchange during a televised debate on July 25, 1984 when Brian Mulroney destroyed Turner in such dramatic fashion that he never recovered politically. That one episode overshadowed almost all of Turner’s accomplishments and contributions to democracy — demonstrating the pernicious power of TV to dangerously distort public discourse.
But, unfair as all that may be, Paikin is entirely even-handed in how he relates the event: he makes it clear that the wound Turner suffered that day was self-inflicted. It was in fact Turner’s own decision to make a series of blatantly opportunistic patronage appointments, instead of leaving it to be done by the outgoing (and therefore unaccountable “lame duck”) Jean Crétien; Turner thereby handed his political opponent a golden opportunity to attack him on ground where he had no defense. Mulroney sounds vindictive and merciless in the exchange, but in fairness, he was simply playing strictly by the rules of political discourse. And everyone knew that Mulroney was right. Turner’s dreadful mistake could only have been made because he was politically rusty; he had been out of politics for too long and the nature of the game had changed. Simply put, he blew it.
All that aside, this book is a deeply researched and very well crafted portrait of Turner, warts and all. It justly credits Turner with long and honorable service to his country and shows him to have been a man of integrity — while also acknowledging his very human foibles. And, like any bio worth reading, the book also reminds us of things long forgotten, and a few intriguing tidbits to add spice, such as Turner’s rescue of John Diefenbaker from drowning — and of course his brief affair with Princess Margaret. Like him or not, Turner was never boring!
In Paikin’s capable hands, this is a very even-handed portrait of John Turner the politician — and John Turner the man. It’s regrettable that most Canadians, if they recall anything about Turner today, it’s likely to be that one brief exchange during a televised debate on July 25, 1984 when Brian Mulroney destroyed Turner in such dramatic fashion that he never recovered politically. That one episode overshadowed almost all of Turner’s accomplishments and contributions to democracy — demonstrating the pernicious power of TV to dangerously distort public discourse.
But, unfair as all that may be, Paikin is entirely even-handed in how he relates the event: he makes it clear that the wound Turner suffered that day was self-inflicted. It was in fact Turner’s own decision to make a series of blatantly opportunistic patronage appointments, instead of leaving it to be done by the outgoing (and therefore unaccountable “lame duck”) Jean Crétien; Turner thereby handed his political opponent a golden opportunity to attack him on ground where he had no defense. Mulroney sounds vindictive and merciless in the exchange, but in fairness, he was simply playing strictly by the rules of political discourse. And everyone knew that Mulroney was right. Turner’s dreadful mistake could only have been made because he was politically rusty; he had been out of politics for too long and the nature of the game had changed. Simply put, he blew it.
All that aside, this book is a deeply researched and very well crafted portrait of Turner, warts and all. It justly credits Turner with long and honorable service to his country and shows him to have been a man of integrity — while also acknowledging his very human foibles. And, like any bio worth reading, the book also reminds us of things long forgotten, and a few intriguing tidbits to add spice, such as Turner’s rescue of John Diefenbaker from drowning — and of course his brief affair with Princess Margaret. Like him or not, Turner was never boring!
March 8, 2023
I was drawn to this book when I read a review in the Montreal Gazette around the time it was published. I liked the fact that the author clearly admires (and perhaps loved) John Turner but his writing did not come across as sycophant. Reading through the lengthy list of references he shares at the end of the book proves that the author wanted to be thorough, and fair.
Not sure of the difference between reading a book in its digital version vs hard copy, i.e., were there more photos in the print version? I felt the need to SEE more of the players and of their encounters, but I suppose that is the price of going digital, you do lose some of that extra.
There was a bit of repetition amid the hundreds of facts and figures, but I am sure that is inevitable when compiling so many details and creating a chronological timeline. People, and events, cross back over each other and that is just life. And just to be more picky, sorry and this does not change the fact that it is definitely a minimum 4-star read so no quibbles about that, but as a word fan, I tend to notice the repetition of actual words, in this case, I read a few that clocked another bar on the word counter: myriad, internecine, eponymously, to name a couple.
Was a heartbreaking end to have his and his son’s funerals occur in the midst of the pandemic thus limiting the tributes they both deserved. So sad.
Lastly, because gossip is such an embedded by-product of politics, it did feel to me that the author was going easy on the “juicier” aspects of behind the scenes. And yes this is respectful of Turner’s own integrity and a courtesy to his family, but I was hoping for a few more insider reveals than we saw here. But I also acknowledge the shallowness of this statement.
Not sure of the difference between reading a book in its digital version vs hard copy, i.e., were there more photos in the print version? I felt the need to SEE more of the players and of their encounters, but I suppose that is the price of going digital, you do lose some of that extra.
There was a bit of repetition amid the hundreds of facts and figures, but I am sure that is inevitable when compiling so many details and creating a chronological timeline. People, and events, cross back over each other and that is just life. And just to be more picky, sorry and this does not change the fact that it is definitely a minimum 4-star read so no quibbles about that, but as a word fan, I tend to notice the repetition of actual words, in this case, I read a few that clocked another bar on the word counter: myriad, internecine, eponymously, to name a couple.
Was a heartbreaking end to have his and his son’s funerals occur in the midst of the pandemic thus limiting the tributes they both deserved. So sad.
Lastly, because gossip is such an embedded by-product of politics, it did feel to me that the author was going easy on the “juicier” aspects of behind the scenes. And yes this is respectful of Turner’s own integrity and a courtesy to his family, but I was hoping for a few more insider reveals than we saw here. But I also acknowledge the shallowness of this statement.
January 11, 2023
A surprisingly well-balanced biography of a complicated man. The first-person perspective of the biographer was an interesting twist - not only was he transparent about his sources but Paikin also offered his personal opinions, which was refreshing.
February 24, 2025
I began following current events at eight. I vividly recall watching the morning news when I was 10 and seeing the 1988 Canadian leaders debate on CBS. The raised voices, pointed fingers, and a white-haired man in a bright red tie stood out to me.
The man was Liberal Party Leader John Turner. And, while I did not know it at the time, I had witnessed this political gladiator's finest hour in the epic 1988 free trade election.
As a 10-year-old fascinated by history and politics, I took my precocious self to the public library to learn more about Canadian politics. Looking back, that moment made me a Canadaphile. Over the years, I've closely followed Canadian politics.
About three years ago, I requested Steve Paikin's recently released biography of Turner for Christmas. I just now read it and found it to be an absolutely superb political biography.
Rather than a lengthy cradle-to-grave biography, Paikin succinctly covers Turner's 91 years in a concise, 300-page intimate portrait - exactly as promised in the title. More than any other political biography I've read, this book offers a genuine sense of the man and his times.
Once the golden boy of Canadian politics, Turner was tragically the victim of poor timing. It was his great misfortune to follow Pierre Trudeau's 15-year reign. (Considering the Democratic Party's current malaise, I kept thinking as I read the book that Barack Obama resembles Pierre Trudeau in many ways.) Compounding his challenges, Turner's political skills were rusty from a nine-year hiatus in the private sector, and the opposition Conservative Party was united and expertly led by another Canadian political giant, Brian Mulroney.
Turner's premiership lasted only from June to September 1984. While it might be tempting to view him as an asterisk, that would be a miscarriage of history. Fortunately, Paikin sets the record straight, portraying Turner for who he truly was: a talented statesman, a pragmatic yet imperfect party leader, a devoted parliamentarian, a tireless advocate for democracy, as well as an Oxford-educated intellectual who could be both regal and profane, but always honorable and compelling — scotches, cigars, f-bombs, and all.
Anyone interested in politics, Canada, or who simply enjoys reading compelling biography will be richly rewarded in reading this biography of Canada's 17th prime minister.
Highly recommended!
The man was Liberal Party Leader John Turner. And, while I did not know it at the time, I had witnessed this political gladiator's finest hour in the epic 1988 free trade election.
As a 10-year-old fascinated by history and politics, I took my precocious self to the public library to learn more about Canadian politics. Looking back, that moment made me a Canadaphile. Over the years, I've closely followed Canadian politics.
About three years ago, I requested Steve Paikin's recently released biography of Turner for Christmas. I just now read it and found it to be an absolutely superb political biography.
Rather than a lengthy cradle-to-grave biography, Paikin succinctly covers Turner's 91 years in a concise, 300-page intimate portrait - exactly as promised in the title. More than any other political biography I've read, this book offers a genuine sense of the man and his times.
Once the golden boy of Canadian politics, Turner was tragically the victim of poor timing. It was his great misfortune to follow Pierre Trudeau's 15-year reign. (Considering the Democratic Party's current malaise, I kept thinking as I read the book that Barack Obama resembles Pierre Trudeau in many ways.) Compounding his challenges, Turner's political skills were rusty from a nine-year hiatus in the private sector, and the opposition Conservative Party was united and expertly led by another Canadian political giant, Brian Mulroney.
Turner's premiership lasted only from June to September 1984. While it might be tempting to view him as an asterisk, that would be a miscarriage of history. Fortunately, Paikin sets the record straight, portraying Turner for who he truly was: a talented statesman, a pragmatic yet imperfect party leader, a devoted parliamentarian, a tireless advocate for democracy, as well as an Oxford-educated intellectual who could be both regal and profane, but always honorable and compelling — scotches, cigars, f-bombs, and all.
Anyone interested in politics, Canada, or who simply enjoys reading compelling biography will be richly rewarded in reading this biography of Canada's 17th prime minister.
Highly recommended!
June 26, 2023
I've really enjoyed Steve Paikin on The Agenda and his book on Ontario Premier John Robarts. So when this came along, I had to read it.
Paikin had access to Turner's family, friends, and others as well as Turner's papers. He's synthesized all this material into a really good read, especially if you lived through the Canadian political scene inn the 70s, 80s, and 90s. s with the Robarts book, Paikin writes really well and you always want to read another few pages before putting the book down. You really do feel that you know the real John Turner.Paikin is a fan of Turner's and generally speaking rightly so. But, Turner had some real judgment stumbles in his political life.
The major one was accepting Trudeau's patronage appointments as he came into power. I always assumed that Trudeau forced Turner to make the appointments - but he offered to make them himself. Turner somehow thought the right thing to do was to make the appointments. That turned out to be the source of his major vulnerability in the debate with Brian Mulroney. The book does reming us though that the Liberals were very likely doomed to lose that election.
I also think that Turner was on the wrong side of the free trade debate - although it was great politics.
If you are interested in Canadian politics- I recommend this book.
Paikin had access to Turner's family, friends, and others as well as Turner's papers. He's synthesized all this material into a really good read, especially if you lived through the Canadian political scene inn the 70s, 80s, and 90s. s with the Robarts book, Paikin writes really well and you always want to read another few pages before putting the book down. You really do feel that you know the real John Turner.Paikin is a fan of Turner's and generally speaking rightly so. But, Turner had some real judgment stumbles in his political life.
The major one was accepting Trudeau's patronage appointments as he came into power. I always assumed that Trudeau forced Turner to make the appointments - but he offered to make them himself. Turner somehow thought the right thing to do was to make the appointments. That turned out to be the source of his major vulnerability in the debate with Brian Mulroney. The book does reming us though that the Liberals were very likely doomed to lose that election.
I also think that Turner was on the wrong side of the free trade debate - although it was great politics.
If you are interested in Canadian politics- I recommend this book.
January 18, 2023
Fascinating life of an ex prime minister and I'm not a supporter of the Liberal party. I had no idea he was an Olympic level sprinter and star swimmer. Even though I did not agree with his views, eg. anti free trade speeches, I came away with more respect for the person, particularly his love of parliament and gentleman approach to politics. Steve Paikin has done his research and weaves a great story flashing between what others say and Turnerh's own dialogue. Recommended.
September 7, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. I went in knowing little about John Turner, but as a big fan of Steve Paikin, I knew it would be an informative read— and it was! I especially appreciated learning about Turner’s personal life and his love of parliamentary tradition. I’d recommend this to anyone interested in Canadian politics, and I definitely plan to read Paikin’s book on Bill Davis soon. 4/5
December 16, 2022
The fourth book about the life of John Turner. A truly remarkable man, one of the last politicians in Canada that has earned the title statesman. Presents a full picture of a remarkable public servant.
February 5, 2023
This is the best biography of Turner that's been written. Paikin is the first author to have had access to Turner's family and many of his friends, so this is a much more intimate and personal biography than the previous ones. It's sympathetic but does not shy from exposing Turner's faults as well.
March 2, 2023
Well, you might have to be a Canadian political junkie, like me, to give this five stars, but it sure worked for me. The author clearly admired the man but he wasn't sappy about it and he didn't hide Turner's warts ( some of which I'm a little sorry to have learned about ).
January 13, 2023
A great read, which I finished in 24 hours. It's sad, in a way, to think of politics in a by-gone era, not necessarily for its increased civility, but for the idea of men like Turner who looked at the country from coast to coast to coast and not an electoral map to be divided into appealing to the winnable ridings at the expense of the unwinnable ones.
July 15, 2023
Very enjoyable read.
January 27, 2024
An absolutely fantastic read about one of the greats of Canadian politics. JNT was a true legend.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews