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Hell or High Water: My Life in and out of Politics
National bestseller
Paul Martin was the Prime Minister we never really knew — in this memoir he emerges as a fascinating flesh and blood man, still working hard to make a better world.
“The next thing you know, I was in a jail cell.” (Chapter 2)
“From the moment I flipped his truck on the road home to Morinville…” (Chapter 3)
“When I came back into Aquin’s headquarters I had a broken nose.” (Chapter 4)
These are not lines that you expect in a prime ministerial memoir. But Paul Martin — who led the country from 2003 to 2006 — is full of surprises, and his book will reveal a very different man from the prime minister who had such a rough ride in the wake of the sponsorship scandal.
Although he grew up in Windsor and Ottawa as the son of the legendary Cabinet Minister Paul Martin, politics was not in his blood. As a kid he loved sports, and had summer jobs as a deckhand or a roustabout. As a young man he plunged into family life, and into the business world. After his years as a “corporate firefighter” for Power Corporation came the excitement of acquiring Canada Steamship Lines in Canada’s largest ever leveraged buy-out, “the most audacious gamble of my life.”
In 1988, however, he became a Liberal M.P., ran for the leadership in 1990 and in 1993 became Jean Chrétien’s minister of finance, with the country in a deep hole. The story of his years as perhaps our best finance minister ever leads to his account of the revolt against Chrétien, and his time in office.
Great events and world figures stud this book, which is firm but polite as it sets the record straight, and is full of wry humour and self-deprecating stories. Far from ending with his defeat in 2006, the book deals with his continuing passions, such as Canada’s aboriginals and the problems of Africa.
This is an idealistic, interesting book that reveals the Paul Martin we never knew. It’s a pleasure to meet him.
Paul Martin was the Prime Minister we never really knew — in this memoir he emerges as a fascinating flesh and blood man, still working hard to make a better world.
“The next thing you know, I was in a jail cell.” (Chapter 2)
“From the moment I flipped his truck on the road home to Morinville…” (Chapter 3)
“When I came back into Aquin’s headquarters I had a broken nose.” (Chapter 4)
These are not lines that you expect in a prime ministerial memoir. But Paul Martin — who led the country from 2003 to 2006 — is full of surprises, and his book will reveal a very different man from the prime minister who had such a rough ride in the wake of the sponsorship scandal.
Although he grew up in Windsor and Ottawa as the son of the legendary Cabinet Minister Paul Martin, politics was not in his blood. As a kid he loved sports, and had summer jobs as a deckhand or a roustabout. As a young man he plunged into family life, and into the business world. After his years as a “corporate firefighter” for Power Corporation came the excitement of acquiring Canada Steamship Lines in Canada’s largest ever leveraged buy-out, “the most audacious gamble of my life.”
In 1988, however, he became a Liberal M.P., ran for the leadership in 1990 and in 1993 became Jean Chrétien’s minister of finance, with the country in a deep hole. The story of his years as perhaps our best finance minister ever leads to his account of the revolt against Chrétien, and his time in office.
Great events and world figures stud this book, which is firm but polite as it sets the record straight, and is full of wry humour and self-deprecating stories. Far from ending with his defeat in 2006, the book deals with his continuing passions, such as Canada’s aboriginals and the problems of Africa.
This is an idealistic, interesting book that reveals the Paul Martin we never knew. It’s a pleasure to meet him.
504 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 2008
About the author
Paul Martin
8 books2 followersLibrarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Paul^^Martin
Paul^^Martin
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 11, 2020
Although fairly outdated, Paul Martin's political memoirs offer an interesting glimpse into a time of politics not too long ago, even if we tend to forget it even happened. With the occasional use of humour, Paul Martin writes a book which makes the former prime minister seem relatable, and his lack of self-indulgence is a breath of fresh air compared to Jean Chretien's My Years As Prime Minister. His insights at time offer an interesting glimpse into the politics of the early 2000s which most of us only experienced through newspapers at the time, and considering how little Paul Martin is talked about today his book offers a glimpse of what could have been.
Even if chapters on the relations between him and his predecessor Jean Chretien, together with the chapter on his early bid for the leadership, were fascinating, his take on the 2004 and 2006 elections were fairly lacklustre. I understand the difficulty of admitting one's wrongs at times, but there was no mention of the famous soldier ad of 2006, or of his unclear political messaging during the campaign. The former prime minister writes of the lack of the support due to the Sponsorship Scandal leading to his downfall, but fails to mention a lot of the mess-ups by the Liberal campaign.
I would still recommend for political junkies- it might be the only comprehensive look at a time of politics which many of us have long forgotten.
Even if chapters on the relations between him and his predecessor Jean Chretien, together with the chapter on his early bid for the leadership, were fascinating, his take on the 2004 and 2006 elections were fairly lacklustre. I understand the difficulty of admitting one's wrongs at times, but there was no mention of the famous soldier ad of 2006, or of his unclear political messaging during the campaign. The former prime minister writes of the lack of the support due to the Sponsorship Scandal leading to his downfall, but fails to mention a lot of the mess-ups by the Liberal campaign.
I would still recommend for political junkies- it might be the only comprehensive look at a time of politics which many of us have long forgotten.
January 12, 2025
I love and admire Paul Martin dearly, so I'll excuse bias in my review. Double Vision and Paul Gray's book are good reads for third person accounts of Martin. This book is a personal book, it reads genuine. I love the title 'Hell or High Water'. I think it describes Martin perfectly. A smart man, with a big heart, and a voracious appetite for adventure and ambition. If Paul Martin never entered politics, he would have lived an extraordinary life. My only wish out of this book, would have been more on his time at Power Corporation and CSL. I would have loved to have read more about this business career. Perhaps more stories, the lessons he learned, and what he achieved as a corporate firefighter. I have and will always believe Martin was a man guided by the right reasons, the moral fiber is strong in the man. I think the background chapters on his upbringing and his regard for his parents tells us how he became the man he is today. If you love the man, you'll love the book.
January 12, 2021
An exceptional Minister of Finance and former PM who was able to balance the budget.
Paul Martin also talks about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as well as the pressure to join the ballistic missile defense program. From NATO to NAFTA and many other stories from Martin's days.
Paul Martin also talks about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as well as the pressure to join the ballistic missile defense program. From NATO to NAFTA and many other stories from Martin's days.
April 29, 2015
I read this as a book club pick and did not expect to enjoy it at all as I am really not into reading about politics, but it was not that bad. I found myself actually agreeing with Paul Martin on a number of subjects, and am surprisingly sorry that his time as Prime Minister was so short. The book is somewhat longer than it needs to be, but of course all politicians love to hear themselves talk. He does a credible job of explaining complicated political matters with clarity, and gives a good picture of what was happening in Canadian and world politics at the time. I'm glad I'm finally finished with this very long book, but I'm not sorry I read it.
June 4, 2009
Now I know everything that Jean Chretien ever did wrong....... and how Paul Martin could have been the best PM Canada ever had, if Jean hadn't destroyed the country and left Paul to pick up the pieces...
Even if you are a lover of political bios (like me), skip this one.
Even if you are a lover of political bios (like me), skip this one.
July 10, 2011
A little long but a very interesting read. It's a shame Paul Martin didn't get as long as a run as he should have, as he had some really solid ideas. Either way, this book will take you through Martin's personal life as well as some insights into Canadian poltics.
January 24, 2013
Did not like it.
July 26, 2015
Can't help but feel sorry for the guy after reading it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews