William Lyon Mackenzie King: Dreams and Shadows. (Quest Library). Lian Goodall. Montreal, PQ: XYZ Publishing, 2003. 181 pp., pbk., $15.95. ISBN 1-894852-02-8. Subject Headings: King, William Lyon Mackenzie, 1874-1950. Canada-Politics and government-1921-1930. Canada-Politics and government-1935-1948. Prime ministers-Canada-Biography. Grades 7 and up/ Ages 12 and up. Review by A.D. Gregor. *** /4

excerpt:

Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King felt humbled to receive such a wonderful card for his sixty-ninth birthday. It was a moving tribute, a simple manifestation of trust. Yet, guiding the people of Canada so often felt like a burden, especially since the beginning of the war. With Christmas drawing nearer, King thought of the fighting men. His own nephew, Lyon King, had been killed, and King shuddered to think that many men might meet a similar fate. War raged abroad, but at home, English Canadians clamoured for overseas conscription while the people of Quebec were so strongly opposed to it that King feared civil war might befall his beloved country. Although he sometimes felt unsure and alone in the position of prime minister, King knew he had guidance. He felt those he loved, and those who had left this earth, were still near him, assuring him he was doing the will of God."

William Lyon Mackenzie King: Dreams and Shadows is part of the excellent "Quest Library" Canadian biography series. Aimed at the middle and senior school levels, the series provides an engaging introduction to a wide range of individuals prominent in various aspects of Canadian life; and, through these individuals, an overview is provided as well to the broader social, cultural and political backgrounds, nationally and internationally, within which the individuals lived and worked. The books follow a common and very effective format of presenting the subject's story in almost novel-like fashion, and, like most in the series, this volume is written by someone familiar not just with the topic but also with the tactics of writing to and for the adolescent.

     In the case of William Lyon Mackenzie King: Dreams and Shadows, extracts from Mackenzie King's diaries and letters are very nicely woven into a series of vignettes that trace his life from childhood to death. Like the other books in the series, this one is generously illustrated and includes both a comprehensive bibliography (evidence of careful research, as well a source for further study), and a Chronology, in which the various events of the subject's life are paralleled by significant events in the larger national and international contexts. With these characteristics, the book provides an excellent complement and resource for studies of Canadian history and society.

     William Lyon Mackenzie King was one of the stranger and yet most significant of Canada's political figures. As leader of the Liberal party, he served as Prime Minister during a major portion of the first half of the Twentieth Century. His influence was a critically important one as Canada faced its national and international "coming of age" as well as the potentially divisive effects of the Second World War. The importance of these events is well conveyed, but, just as effectively, the reader is helped to understand something of the world view and values that shaped and motivated King and much of his generation. The impact of liberalism, of impulses toward public service and social reform, and of questions of the place and role of religion in politics and society are all nicely integrated. King's own character and idiosyncrasies are dealt with as well: the personal tragedies that shaped his life and led ultimately to an eccentric loneliness; and his curious obsession with spirituality and mediums. The author indicates how King so often turned to the dead for guidance though this part of his life is oddly presented as a given rather than an issue. In many ways (and sometimes literally), King was unworldly; but, at the same time, he was very much a clever and manipulative politician (his survival for so long, and the comparative success of his various undertakings could not otherwise be explained). If a particular fault can be found in the book, it is that the picture presented is one of a man more naive and child-like than the original. A full explanation of what King accomplished in the face of daunting odds requires a more complex character. But it can be hoped that this fuller picture will be afforded by the further study which this very good introduction should prompt.

Recommended.

Dr. Alexander Gregor is a former history of education professor at the Faculty of Education, the University of Manitoba.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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