I only read the intro and the chapter on the Bentivoglioes losing Bologna, but very well written and might come back and read more, later, should timeI only read the intro and the chapter on the Bentivoglioes losing Bologna, but very well written and might come back and read more, later, should time allow...more
Kenney, I contend, is an emblematic figure in modern right-wing politics who manipulated populist sentiment to implement policies that strengthened elKenney, I contend, is an emblematic figure in modern right-wing politics who manipulated populist sentiment to implement policies that strengthened elite rule, exclusively benefiting those in positions of authority. That is a consistent thread throughout Kenney’s political career. He was by no means the first political leader to pursue this project, but in the Canadian context he was one of the most successful figures to do so.
A book on a Canadian politician is admittedly a tough sell. Good luck finding any high drama, and once they're out of office the public's goldfish memory resets––people don't care about yesterday's news.
But what author Jeremy Appel does here is special. He drives home the horror and cruelty of Kenney's lifetime mission, provoking a visceral reaction that the media often overlooked while Kenney was in office. And in fact, Appel has this great way of demonstrating how it works. Kenney is a man who craved mainstream respectability, and Appel starts most chapters and policy discussions with Kenney's stated aims--always something that sounds vaguely reasonable, boring, the stuff of CBC hourly reports. But then Appel dive in to assess the damage: the AIDS patients separated from their loved ones, the immigrant workers unable to make a home in this country, the Cargill workers dead of Covid.
The book also does a great job of building the case for why Kenney had to step down from the Alberta premiership, why he couldn't parlay that into the prime minister's office. In short, Kenney wanted two irreconcilable things: populist appeal and elite respectability. When push came to shove during the covid crisis, he made the wrong bet and his voters turned on him.
One hopes that this is more than just a book, that it's the nail in the coffin of a vampire....more
A lot of the material was already familiar to me as I've been on my own Pepys obsession recently. However it was still worthwhile because Tomalin is sA lot of the material was already familiar to me as I've been on my own Pepys obsession recently. However it was still worthwhile because Tomalin is such an astute reader of Pepys. For one thing she's great at establishing all the family connections and helping you figure out who is who in the diary. She's also great at establishing the context of his times, and providing a look at his life outside the diaries. A vital read for anyone with an interest in Pepys.
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