June Callwood: A Life of Action

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

June Callwood, “Saint Joan” to many, is one of the most notable
Canadians in recent history. This entertaining and inspiring biography
chronicles her long life and many accomplishments.

Born on June 2, 1924, Callwood began her writing career as a reporter
for The Brantford Expositor and then The Globe and Mail. Later, as a
freelance writer, she produced more than 1,500 articles for magazines
such as Maclean’s and Chatelaine and authored more than 30 books. She
hosted her own television program in the 1990s, Callwood’s National
Treasures. Her reputation as a tireless worker and advocate for the
disenfranchised is legendary. Callwood was instrumental in establishing
more than 50 organizations, which included Casey House for people with
AIDS, Nellie’s House for Women, and Jessie’s Centre for teenagers.
The book also details her rather tumultuous childhood, her long and
happy marriage to fellow writer Trent Frayne, and her incredible courage
in the face of personal tragedy: her daughter Jill’s crippling
accident, her son Casey’s tragic death, and her own diagnosis of
inoperable cancer.

For her work, June received numerous awards and honorary degrees from
Canadian universities. She was named a Companion of the Order of Canada,
the country’s highest honour. She even had a street in Toronto named
after her (June Callwood Way).

Author Anne Dublin provides useful cultural and historical background
information and explains terms that may be unfamiliar to young readers.
Numerous black-and-white photos are interspersed throughout the text. A
timeline of significant events in Callwood’s life, partial lists of
organizations with which she was affiliated and of honours bestowed upon
her, sources of quotations, and a bibliography are included.

This fascinating glimpse of the life and work of such a remarkable
woman is highly recommended.