Reviews

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

verdunbeach's review

4.0

Trudeau is a fascinating character, and English does a good job in portraying why he was so polarizing throughout his life. I can relate to Trudeau's youth in many ways growing up in a bilingual Montreal family and with extensive international experience in my 20's, but even then I'm not sure I'd get along with him at all were I to meet him in his late 20's today. However, I respect a man who is able to reflect on his own opinions and have the strength of mind to change positions on significant issues. It is also interesting to read Trudeau's vision of Quebec and Canada's place in the world which resonates strongly with my own view, considering the influences in his youth and early adulthood were heavily religious and from the francophone sphere vs. my own coming from the opposite spectrum. Looking forward to learning in more detail how he puts it all together in practice as prime minister in Volume Two.