Mitchell:The Life Of W.O. Mitchell: The Years Of Fame, 1948-1998

For the millions who remember him with head-shaking affection, this is a fine biography of Canada’s wildest — and best-loved — literary figure. After the publication of Who Has Seen the Wind in 1947, W.O. Mitchell was a national figure, living his life in the limelight and loving it. He knew everyone: He worked alongside Pierre Berton at Maclean’s , mentored Ernest Buckler, Farley Mowat, Hugh Garner, and Frances Itani, taught alongside Alistair MacLeod at the University of Windsor and at the Banff Centre, and Brian Mulroney made him an honorary member of the Privy Council. His life as an inspiring teacher, playwright, writer for radio and TV ( Jake and the Kid ), and author of many bestsellers, including How I Spent My Summer Holidays , is fully detailed here — along with accounts of his unforgettable dramatic exploits, both on- and offstage. An inspiration to generations of Western writers, he was an unforgettable figure, whose life was perhaps his greatest achievement. This book reminds us of what we have lost, and why Peter Gzowski once wrote that when he grew up he wanted to be W.O. Mitchell.