Scott McIntyre’s memoir is the story of building Douglas & McIntyre from a standing start into one of Canada’s largest and most successful independent publishing houses. Working at McClelland & Stewart in Toronto in the 1960s, McIntyre embraced the idealistic energy of the time. That enthusiasm brought him back to Vancouver, establishing with Jim Douglas the eponymous company. McIntyre’s vision for the firm reflected his pride in the arts and culture of British Columbia, particularly that of its Indigenous inheritance, and a conviction that it warranted a place on national and international stages.

McIntyre published some 2000 Canadian books, working closely with Richard Wagamese, Wayson Choy, Bill Reid, Anna Porter, and Farley Mowat, among others. His stories of personal relationships balance the business angst the company endured. His memoir offers insight into the evolution of Canadian writing and publishing with a perspective on how the dynamics of the age fuelled its significant development as the country was forming its own voice.

Scott McIntyre is the co-founder of Douglas & McIntyre Publishers. A member of the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia, he has served on numerous cultural boards, including those of the BC Achievement Foundation, PEN Canada, and OCADU’s Aboriginal Advisory Council. He was the inaugural recipient of the Ivy Award, which recognizes substantial contributions to Canadian publishing. McIntyre played a leading role in the development of Canadian cultural policy, including during negotiations for the FTA, NAFTA, and the ultimately successful UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity. He lives in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

Scott McIntyre's profile page

“Over a career of nearly half a century, Scott McIntyre has not only been an eye witness to the modern history of publishing in Canada, as a leading figure in the industry he helped craft that history, both as a publisher and advocate for the voices of Canadian authors. Douglas & McIntyre played a historic role in amplifying and celebrating the artistic and cultural achievements of First Nations, in particular, notably the Indigenous communities of British Columbia and the Arctic. As an advocate, he worked at the highest levels of government, serving as a champion of Canadian literature- both fiction and literary nonfiction- in conversations upon which the fate of that literature depended. What is more he has nurtured talent and supported a who's who of Canadian writers and surely possesses sufficient anecdotes and insights for multiple volumes of a memoir. Canada will be lucky to have even one, for this man in many ways is the embodiment of Canadian literature, not to mention its vessel.”

Wade Davis, author and BC Leadership Chair in Cultures and Ecosystems at Risk