Right Side Up: The Fall of Paul Martin and the Rise of Stephen Harper's New Conservatism

Right Side Up chronicles the 2004-2006 period in Canadian politics, focusing on Paul Martin's brief tenure as Prime Minister and Stephen Harper's path to power. The book provides an inside view of the Liberal Party's internal conflicts and the Conservative Party's strategic transformation during this pivotal time. Paul Wells draws from his experience as a political journalist to document the key players, decisions, and events that shaped this transition in Canadian governance. The narrative tracks both the public campaigns and behind-the-scenes maneuvering that led to the Conservative victory in 2006. The account examines how Harper rebuilt the conservative movement in Canada while Martin struggled to maintain his party's grip on power. Wells includes details from interviews with political staffers, MPs, and strategists from both sides of the political divide. The book serves as both a political history and an analysis of how Canadian conservatism evolved to meet modern electoral challenges. It raises questions about party loyalty, political adaptation, and the relationship between leadership style and electoral success.

The book received positive feedback from readers for its clear explanation of the transition from Martin to Harper's government. Multiple reviewers noted Wells' humor and insight into the inner workings of Canadian politics during this period. Readers appreciated: - Detailed insider perspective on campaign strategies - Strong research and interviews with key players - Clear writing style that made complex political events accessible Main criticisms: - Some felt it focused too heavily on Conservative viewpoints - A few readers wanted more analysis of Paul Martin's longer political career - Several noted the book ends abruptly after the 2006 election Ratings: Goodreads: 3.93/5 (43 ratings) Amazon.ca: 4/5 (6 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.5/5 (4 ratings) "A refreshingly non-partisan look at a pivotal moment in Canadian politics" - Amazon reviewer "Wells has access to inside sources but maintains journalistic objectivity" - Goodreads user

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📚 Author Paul Wells won the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing in 2014 for "The Longer I'm Prime Minister," another book about Canadian politics. 🗣️ The book was written in just 100 days after Stephen Harper's victory in the 2006 federal election, making it one of the fastest turnaround times for a political analysis book in Canadian publishing. 🇨🇦 The 2006 election marked the first time in Canadian history that a merged conservative party (Conservative Party of Canada) defeated the Liberal Party to form government. ⚡ Paul Martin's tenure as Prime Minister was one of the shortest in Canadian history, lasting only 2 years and 2 months. 🏛️ The book's title "Right Side Up" is a play on words referencing both the conservative (right) victory and the reversal of Liberal Party dominance that had lasted for over a decade.