There’s a famous line regarding cynicism about seeing things as they are, rather than as they should be. Along those lines comes a Devil’s Dictionary of sorts, for Canada. Taking things a step further than Bierce’s book on commonly used words, Allan Fotheringham alternately skewers, praises and riffs on uniquely Canadian individuals and institutions.
The result? Essentially a picture of Canada as Fotheringham sees it, which truly is unique. Few individuals in Canada have followed the same path as Fotheringham: from editing the Ubyssey, UBC’s student paper, to reporting for the Vancouver Sun and writing for MacLean’s, the length and breadth of his experience observing political events in Canada is hard to match.
This kind of work is intensely personal. Each entry, no matter how short or long, is peppered with personal details and observations. Indeed, at times, the Fictionary reads like a hybrid annotated Rolodex/enemies list. However, this personal touch also gives the work the same flavour that permeates his newspaper columns, so fans will get a chance to read Fotheringham at greater length than usual.
Of course, this also means his detractors will find more of him to dislike.
Because of the humorous nature of this book, it reads more like fun reference than epic document. It’s the kind of thing you’d scour in the bathroom. Similarly, because it does read like a dictionary, the reader can take it in five- or ten-minute increments, as opposed to hacking through chapter after chapter. Short, quip-laden fun. What tales and little histories are contained in Allan’s book are fascinating.
This book excels as an uneven but informal introduction to Canadian politics over the last fifty or so years. Little by little, the patient reader will uncover a word-of-mouth kind of history that is rarely reported on the front page, or even in the editorials.
