J. Wendell Macleod: Saskatchewan's Red Dean.

J. Wendell Macleod: Saskatchewan’s Red Dean is the biography of a Canadian pioneer in modern medical education in Canada. This is a highly informative book that not only covers the development of the University of Saskatchewan’s medical school but is also about medical education and health care policy over the past 50+ years in Canada from the perspective of an insider.

The book is divided into two parts: the text and a substantial collection of appendices. These include a list of all of Dr. Macleod’s publications and excerpts from various documents that he authored related to health care policy and medical curriculum. The main text is divided up chronologically, for example: “The Early Years 1905–1934,” “The Saskatoon Years 1952–1962, “The ACMC Years 1962–1970,” and “The Last Years 1972–2001.” As well there is a section entitled “The Bethune Legacy” and three chapters that focus on Dr. Macleod’s personal life.

The Bethune connection is important as they met early in Dr. Macleod’s career, and from his own account Dr. Bethune had a lasting impact on his professional life. In his later years Dr. Macleod was instrumental in having the Bethune legacy recognized in Canada. The importance of this connection is a theme that reappears throughout the book. Today’s reader might find Dr. Macleod’s beliefs regarding China naive, but the book does an excellent job of simply presenting his thoughts, without judgment, letting readers form their own impressions.

This book seeks to chart not only what Dr. Macleod accomplished and believed in, but also where those convictions came from and why he held them. It succeeds marvellously at this. The picture that emerges of Dr. J. Wendell Macleod is of a man committed to his belief in the importance of the social context of illness and of medical care, and also committed to integrating this knowledge into medical education. The text is most alive when the author is quoting Dr. Macleod. His clarity in expressing his ideas and thoughts makes this a must-read for anyone interested in the history of medical education and health care in Canada.