cover image Toronto: Biography of a City

Toronto: Biography of a City

Allan Levine. Douglas & McIntyre (PGW, U.S. dist..; HarperCollinsCanada, Canadian dist.), $36.95 (452p) ISBN 978-1-77100-022-2

This highly informative and easy-to-read account accumulates four centuries of history that have transformed %E2%80%9Ca quiet and family-friendly green space on the rolling land alongside the Humber River%E2%80%9D into one of the biggest urban centers in North America. Award-winning author and historian Levine (King) has produced a popular-styled %E2%80%9Cbiography%E2%80%9D of Toronto, the biggest, the richest, the most multicultural, and the most hated city in Canada. The chronicle of Toronto is composed from numerous life stories of its inhabitants, and every reader will find his favorite character, whether it is a prominent politician, a notorious criminal, a successful entrepreneur, or a celebrity who once paid a visit to the city. Some names are easily recognizable, such as Charles Dickens, Ernest Hemingway, department store magnate Timothy Eaton, or former mayor Rob Ford, others are less known, but together they form a composite picture of Toronto, a city that lacks world-class landmarks and attractions but continues to attract people from all over the globe as a comfortable place to live and raise their families. Agent: Hilary McMahon, Westwood Creative Artists (Mar.)