Reinventing Myself

David E. Kemp is chair of the Drama Department at Queen’s University
and the author of The Pleasures and Treasures of the United Kingdom.

Mavor Moore has been intimately involved in the culture of Canada as
playwright, actor, producer, director, composer, poet, critic, teacher,
or public servant for nearly 40 years. This autobiography covers the
period 1919 to 1969, and although Mavor Moore says in his preface that
there will not be another book on the later period, one can only hope
that he can be persuaded to change his mind. This eminently readable
book is a warm and witty journey written with immense charm and a great
sense of élan.

Moore is frank and fearless in analyzing the evolution of Canadian
culture. He is self-depreciating, self-critical, and totally engaging.
He has a wonderful sense of humor and a keen sense of the absurd as he
describes the early days of such Canadian icons as CBS radio and
television, the National Theatre School, the Stratford Festival, the St.
Lawrence Centre, and the Canada Council. The book is not merely a
historical recitation of great deeds; what really captivates is its rich
and colorful dramatis personae—as fascinating a cast of characters as
you are likely to find anywhere.

Mavor Moore’s mother, Dora Mavor Moore, is examined with deep respect
and affection. The portrait of this remarkable, talented, and spirited
woman reminds us of how great a debt this country’s intellectual
community owes her. We also meet such diverse figures as Orson Welles,
Robert Oppenheimer, Lorne Greene, Nathan Cohen, and even James
Bridie—each described with wit and candor and springing vividly to
life from the pages of this wonderful book.

This is not just a story of one man’s life. It is also a panorama of
a nation coming to age artistically and moving from a dependence on
other cultures to gloriously establishing its own. At the centre of it
all is Mavor Moore, which is why this book will remain required reading
for anyone remotely interested in the development of Canadian arts and
letters for many years to come.