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PAPER BOY: MEMOIRS

Stuart Keate.

Toronto, Clarke, Irwin, c1980, 1982.
238pp, paper, $7.95.
ISBN 0-7702-1339-X.


Grades 10 and up.
Reviewed by Mary Fallis.

Volume 10 Number 4.
1982 November.


For five decades, the author was part of the Canadian newspaper establishment, his experience beginning with Vancouver's News Herald, continuing with stints with the Vancouver Province, the Toronto Star, Time International in New York, and then Time's Montreal Office. He joined F. P. Publications in 1950, spent from 1950-64 as publisher of the Victoria Times, and from 1964-1980 as publisher of the Vancouver Sun.

He is a raconteur of the first order, and the account is full of humorous and kindly reminiscences of legendary people in the Canadian newspaper world from Gordon Sinclair to Bruce Hutchinson, Max Bell, Allan Fotheringham, Ken Thomson, John Bassett.

There is a chapter on the Canadian Press and how it works. There is a most interesting discussion of what constitutes a good newspaper and what was involved during his regime in transforming the Vancouver Sun into one of Canada's best papers. There are reflections on the state of freedom of the press, on libel suits, on the period of strikes. Eventually the account reaches a climax with events that led to the sale of F. P. to Ken Thomson, and the deal that saw the Sun sold to Southam Press and the Winnipeg Tribune and Ottawa Journal closed.

Highly recommended for all adult libraries and for Canadian studies and journalism shelves in high schools and colleges.


Mary Fallis, Prince George, BC.
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