Mike, the Memoirs of the Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson, Volume 1, 1897 - 1948

by Lester B. Pearson

Book by Pearson

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Politics, Canada

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson PC OM CC OBE (23 April 1897 – 27 December 1972) was a Canadian scholar, statesman, soldier, prime minister, and diplomat, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis. He was the 14th Prime Minister of Canada from 22 April 1963 to 20 April 1968, as the head of two back-to-back Liberal minority governments following elections in 1963 and 1965.

Reviews

[Dean Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pearson, one of Canada's most celebrated and remembered Prime Ministers illuminates his exceptional life and career in these memoirs. Although he's a larger than life Canadian, his writings speak to us in a very forthright, honest and optimistic way.

I enjoyed learning about Pearson's passion for athletics, history and eventually diplomacy. He was on the leading edge of Canada's "venture of independence" when it came to foreign affairs. As Canada broke away from the shadow of Britain when it came to international diplomacy, Pearson was at the forefront. I was amazed to read how quickly Pearson climbed through the ranks of Canada's fledgling External Affairs Department to eventually become Canada's Ambassador to the United States in 1945.

Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing The United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis.

This was a very engaging read about an exceptional statesman.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume covers the period from Mike's birth to 1948, and is consequently a bureaucratic biography. Throughout the whole, you sense how well LBP understood the twins of silliness and seriousness in the federal civil service -- he remains concerned with chain-of-command rankings, is careful to spell out full titles and honoraria throughout, and quotes from his memos extensively, but there's always a punchline or a charming anecdote to deflate the resulting pomp. Given his accomplishments even before being a Minister (which comes only at the very end of this volume), there is something a little maddening about Mike's humility throughout -- plus a few eye-raising moments where I think he's being fully disingenuous about the role his connections to the Toronto elite played in his early career -- but on the whole you're left admiring a very able, smart, and witty man.

[Vheissu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful introduction to the life of a Canadian PM who has been all but forgotten by Americans, I mean U.S. citizens!