Jack Layton

When Jack Layton died unexpectedly in the summer of 2011, millions of people mourned the loss of a man who had emerged as a much-loved political leader. They saw him as someone who combined values they shared with a personal style they admired. In this book, one of Jack's close friends, James Turk, and co-editor Charis Wahl have gathered accounts of Jack's life from a range of people who came across him at different stages of his life and career. These contributions offer an engaging and informal biographical portrait of Jack as a young man, as a lecturer at Ryerson University, as a Toronto city councillor and as the leader of the NDP. There are stories from family members such as Sara Layton and Michael Layton, comedian Luba Goy, author Tim Flannery, and politicians Ed Broadbent, Briant Topp, Peggy Nash, Svend Robinson, Joe Mihevc, Libby Davies, Brad Lavigne and Jean Charest.

With the blessing of Jack's family, James Turk and Charis Wahl have put together a portrait of Jack which is by turns warm and funny as well as honest and illuminating.

Royalties from the sale of this book will go to the Broadbent Institute.