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J.L. Granatstein, distinguished research professor emeritus of history
at York University, is the author of Who Killed Canadian History? and
co-author of The Canadian 100: The 100 Most Influential Canadians of the
20th Century and Prime Ministers: Ranking

Allan Fotheringham is an acquired taste. Many enjoy drinking at the
well, turning at once to the last page of Maclean’s to see the latest
outrageous self-puffery and sometimes almost bilious denunciations of
the good and great who dominate our political and public life. Others
are like reformed alcoholics who have taken the pledge never to read
Fotheringham again. More have never heard of the man, and blessed are
the ignorant.

This book, a collection of recycled columns with a brief introduction
and notes to explain some of the context some of the time, will appeal
to the first category of readers. Fotheringham states bluntly that he is
difficult, a man who causes his publishers problems and who insists that
every word in his column be his—or, if changed by editors, be agreed
to by him. Fair enough, and since Maclean’s pays him well, they
presumably are prepared to take the abuse. At least we know where the
blame should be put. But the publisher of this book also deserves a
share of the blame: why on earth did anyone believe that 20-year-old
columns would still be amusing, relevant, or read? Ah well, there is no
accounting for taste. Never was, never will be.