King: William Lyon Mackenzie King: A Life Guided by the Hand of Destiny

by Allan Levine

Overview

William Lyon Mackenzie King, twice former Prime Minister of Canada, was a brilliant tactician, was passionately committed to Canadian unity, and was a protector of the underdog, introducing such cornerstones of Canada’s social safety net as unemployment insurance, family allowances and old-age pensions. At the same time, he was insecure, craved flattery, became upset at minor criticism, and was prone to fantasy—especially about the Tory conspiracy against him. King loosened the Imperial connection with Britain and was wary of American military and economic power. Yet he loved all things British and acted like a praised schoolboy when British Prime Minister Winston Churchill or U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt treated him as an equal.

This first major biography of Mackenzie King in 30 years mines the pages of his remarkable diary, at 30,000 pages one of the most significant and revealing political documents in Canada’s history and a guide to the deep and often moving inner conflicts that haunted Mackenzie King. With animated prose and a subtle wit, Allan Levine draws a multidimensional portrait of this most compelling of politicians.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781553659082
Publisher:	Douglas & McIntyre Ltd.
Publication date:	09/09/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	560
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Allan Levine is an award-winning author and historian who has written ten books. A diverse author who moves easily between popular non-fiction and fiction, he has written four historical mysteries. His first mystery, The Blood Libel, won the Margaret McWilliams Medal for Best Historical Fiction and was nominated for the Chapters/Books in Canada First Novel Award and the Arthur Ellis First Mystery Novel Award. He lives in Winnipeg.

Table of Contents

Introduction: By the Hand of Destiny 1

1 His Mantle Has Fallen on Me 23

2 The Peacemaker 55

3 Industrial Prophet 82

4 A Not Unacceptable Party Leader 111

5 Vindication and Victory 139

6 A Place in History 166

7 Scandal and Resurrection 201

8 A Romantic Among the Spirits 229

9 A United Canada Cry 260

10 A Man on a Tightrope 293

11 Conscription if Necessary 327

12 The Sense of Triumph 358

13 With the Loved Ones at Last 392

Conclusion: Canada's Greatest Prime Minister 404

Acknowledgements 410

Timeline 412

Notes 416

Bibliography 489

Index 499