John A. Macdonald: The Young Politician, The Old Chieftain

First published in 1952 and 1955, John A. Macdonald: TheYoung Politician, The Old Chieftain remains a classic inCanadian arts and letters. Described as the greatest biography everwritten in Canada, it earned Donald Creighton two GovernorGeneral's Awards. In 2013, the Toronto Review of Booksrecommended it to anyone who wished to become a better Canadian. Inthis book, Creighton examines the public and private lives ofCanada's first prime minister, his victories and defeats as well ashis joys and pains. A gifted writer, Creighton takes the readerback in time, to the nineteenth century, the road to Confederation,and the building of the railway. Along the way, he visits Kingston,Quebec, Charlottetown, Ottawa, and London, following his hero froma few rooms above his father's shop in Kingston to the corridors ofpower in England, including the magnificent Highclere Castle wheremuch of the British North America Act was written. This editionincludes a new introduction by Creighton's biographer, DonaldWright, and by Peter Waite, Creighton's very first doctoralstudent.