Diefenbaker for the defence

by Garrett Wilson

Diefenbaker for the Defence is an engrossing portrait of an insecure, ambitious and not always scrupulous young man who invented a personality, and a myth, to make it to the top.

In Diefenbaker for the Defence, GARRETT and KEVIN WILSON examine Diefenbaker's legal career from 1919 until his winning of the Conservative Party leadership in 1956.  Using Diefenbaker's personal papers and records of his most famous trials, they capture the personality of the man himself - aggressive and single-minded-while also painting a vivid picture of the rural communities where Diefenbaker was a leading and somewhat unusual figure.  In taut and colourful prose, the book describes many of Diefenbaker's trials and offers a fascinating glimpse into the seamier side of life in these decades.  Several of his clients - the ones who were acquitted and the ones who were convicted - are as memorable as their lawyer.

About the Author

GARRETT WILSON is the co-author of the best-seller Deny, Deny, Deny: The Rise and Fall of Colin Thatcher.  Senior partner in a Regina law firm, he has first-hand knowledge of the cut-and-thrust of Saskatchewan politics during the latter part of the Diefenbaker era. 

KEVIN WILSON is a recent graduate of the University of Saskatchewan law school.

Subjects (BISAC)

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