Against the Tide recounts the journey of a frail young boy who found his strength in running, sparking his dream of becoming an Olympic athlete.
His adventures included lumberjacking in British Columbia and working on a tramp steamer to the Arctic. Running led him to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, where he set a Commonwealth record in the Decathlon.
Eschewing the family investment business he pursued a writing career, earning a Ph.D. from Stanford in English Literature and Creative Writing. He returned to save The Fitness Institute, one of the finest health and medical clubs of its time from bankruptcy, he eventually sold it to focus on writing. His political and moral instincts awakened, he wrote against Canada’s rush toward socialism, starting with his #1 bestseller, The Trouble with Canada. This book established him as a favourite among libertarians and conservatives, and a target for the left. Subsequent books, like The War Against the Family and The Book of Absolutes, cemented his reputation.
Through it all, he built a rich family life with five children and sixteen grandchildren, leaving a legacy of resilience and conviction. Against the Tide is the captivating story of a man who chose ‘the road less travelled, ‘ defending the core political and moral traditions of his country and Western civilization.
Mục lục
PART 1
Early Years of Adventures and Misadventures
PART 2
Facing The Maturation Music
PART 3
A Time of Turmoil
PART 4
The Path Found: Fame, Infamy, Outrage
Endnotes
Publications by William D. Gairdner
Giới thiệu về tác giả
About the Author As a young athlete, Bill competed for Canada in the decathlon at the Pan-Am Games in Brazil (1963) and at the Olympic Games in Tokyo (1964), and then in two Commonwealth Games (Jamaica, 1966 and Scotland, 1970) in the 400 metre hurdles event. After earning a number of higher degrees, including a Doctorate in Literature and Philosophy from Stanford University, he taught at York University in Toronto, and then decided to pursue a career in business, from which he retired in 1988 to devote his time to writing. Beginning in 1990 and in quick succession, he produced a string of bestselling books, including The Trouble With Canada, and The War Against The Family. He was then the managing editor of Canada’s Founding Debates – now an historical landmark. On the heels of that he published The Trouble With Democracy and also The Book of Absolutes. And now, looking back over twenty years, we have The Trouble With Canada … Still! His most recent political work is The Great Divide: Why Liberals and Conservatives Will Never, Ever Agree (2015), a timely analysis of the underlying ideological stresses and strains that are presently producing so much political disagreement and policy conflict on the surface of everyday life. At this crucial time in our history, William Gairdner presents fresh and bold insights helping readers understand the successes and strains in their midst and in Western civilization as a whole. William Gairdner.ca.