Citizen of the World: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Volume One: 1919-1968

This first volume of Pierre Elliott Trudeau's biography covers the years 1919-1968, from his Montreal childhood through his ascent to Prime Minister of Canada. The book draws on previously restricted private letters, diaries, and documents to construct an intimate portrait of Trudeau's early life and political development. The narrative traces Trudeau's education at elite institutions, his extensive world travels as a young man, and his initial resistance to entering politics. His relationships with family members, romantic partners, and key mentors emerge through correspondence and personal papers. Author John English examines Trudeau's intellectual evolution through his time as a labor activist, journalist, and academic before his entry into public service. The book concludes with Trudeau's selection as Liberal Party leader and his campaign for Prime Minister. The biography reveals the complex interplay between Trudeau's privileged background, his philosophical principles, and the social changes of mid-20th century Canada. Through extensive research and primary sources, English presents Trudeau's transformation from rebellious intellectual to national leader.

Readers note this biography provides deep research and access to Trudeau's private papers and family interviews. Many appreciate English's detailed coverage of Trudeau's pre-political life and intellectual development. Likes: - Thorough documentation of Trudeau's early travels and education - Analysis of influences that shaped his political philosophy - Personal insights from family archives and interviews Dislikes: - Some find the writing style dry and academic - Too much focus on minutiae of Trudeau's youth - Several readers wanted more coverage of key political events Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (42 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (16 ratings) Sample review: "English excels at showing how Trudeau's education and world travels formed his worldview, but gets bogged down in excessive detail about his school years." - Goodreads reviewer The book resonates most with readers seeking comprehensive background on Trudeau's formative years rather than those primarily interested in his time as Prime Minister.

Just Watch Me: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, 1968-2000 by John English The second volume completes the Trudeau biography with equal depth of research into his years as Prime Minister and final decades.

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John A: The Man Who Made Us by Richard Gwyn The biography of Canada's first Prime Minister details his role in confederation and the building of the transcontinental railway.

🍁 Author John English served as a Liberal Member of Parliament (1993-1997), giving him unique political insight into Trudeau's world and the inner workings of Canadian government. 🍁 The book reveals that young Pierre Trudeau was initially skeptical of democracy and admired certain fascist leaders in the 1930s, before his views dramatically evolved during his studies at Harvard. 🍁 Trudeau's mother spoke to him exclusively in English while his father spoke to him in French, laying the foundation for his perfect bilingualism and later passion for Canadian unity. 🍁 The biography was written with unprecedented access to Trudeau's private letters and papers, which had never before been available to researchers or previous biographers. 🍁 Despite being known for his playboy image later in life, Trudeau remained a virgin until age 28, largely due to his strict Catholic upbringing and personal religious convictions.