Nancy Southam, the author of Pierre: Colleagues and Friends Talk about the Trudeau They Knew (McClelland and Stewart, 2005), talked with Joseph Planta about the new memoir she’s edited about the personal and private side of Pierre Trudeau.

Pierre: Colleagues and Friends Talk about the Trudeau They Knew Edited by Nancy Southam. (McClelland and Stewart, 2005) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Pierre: Colleagues and Friends Talk about the Trudeau They Knew

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

21 years after he left 24 Sussex Drive, four and a half years after his death, and after countless books on his politics and life, Pierre Elliott Trudeau remains a fascinating figure in the Canadian consciousness. A new book attempts to reveal just a little bit more about the man, culling together some wonderful heartfelt and enlightening reminiscences from a variety of people who viewed the man up close, and from a far.

Pierre: Colleagues and Friends Talk about the Trudeau They Knew is edited by Nancy Southam, who was born to some fairly prominent people in this province-she’s the granddaughter of H.R. MacMillan, and her parents are Gordon and Jean Southam of newspaper fame. Though her roots are British Columbian, she resides in Montreal, where for many years her neighbour was the former prime minister, Pierre Trudeau. They became close friends and frequent travelling companions. Ms. Southam has edited this wonderful new book, that includes a foreword by Justin Trudeau, and contributions from a remarkable list of people: John Kenneth Galbraith, Jimmy Carter, Barbra Streisand, Conrad Black, Margot Kidder, Jacques Hébert, Jean Chrétien, and many, many more. Pierre: Colleagues and Friends Talk about the Trudeau They Knew is $37.99 CDN ($28.95 USD), and is published by McClelland and Stewart.

Please welcome to THECOMMENTARY.CA, Nancy Southam; Good morning, Ms. Southam.

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