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Nation Maker: Sir John A. Macdonald: His Life, Our Times (2011)

by Richard J. Gwyn(Favorite Author)

4.36 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0307356442 (ISBN13: 9780307356444)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Random House Canada

review 1: Canadian history is turning out to be way more interesting than when I was in university! this is an excellent and very readable book about John A Macdonald's career after Confederation and just as interesting as the first book in the series which I read some time ago. The more I learn about him the more impressed I am with his vision for Canada and his modern outlook on various social questions, such as his support for the vote for Indians and for women, back in 1885. Unfortunately his contemporaries were not so enlightened.
review 2: Capital job of covering the life of Canada's first, best prime minister. The events you expect to be covered well- building of the CPR and clash with Riel- are. But there are surprises in Gwynn's analysis. He points to the Washin... moregton Conference at which Canada was only a subsidiary player in negotiations between Britain and the US where JAM first established himself and where Canada proved to be a nation in its own right. Macdonald is criticized here for his lackadaisical attitude toward British control over Canadian affairs (it's unbelievable that the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London undercut our Supreme Court for years!) and for a racist policy toward the Chinese who built the railway. But on balance JAM ruled wisely and his Franchise Bill of 1885 proves his attitude toward natives and women's suffrage were well ahead of their time. Excellent. less

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