In the last decade of his life, Leacock turned to writing informal essays that blended humour with a conversational style and ripened wisdom to address the issues he cared about most - education, literature, economics, Canada and its place in the world - and to confront the joys and sorrows of his own life. With an introduction that sets them in the context of his life, thoughts and times, these essays reveal a passionate, intellegent, personal Leacock, against a backdrop of Depression and war, finding hope and conveying the timeless message that only the human spirit can bring social justice, peace, and progress.

Alan Bowker has a Ph.D. in Canadian history. He has served for over 30 years in Canada's foreign service, including a position as High Commissioner to Guyana. He is the editor of a collection of Leacock essays, On the Front Line of Life and Social Criticism: The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice and Other Essays. He lives in Ottawa.

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"A book to be welcomed by scholar and general reader alike"

W.J. Keith, Canadian Book Review Annual

"A fine selection enhanced by a thoughtful introduction."

OHS Bulletin

"Bowker's introduction is deftly crafted"

University of Toronto Quarterly, vol. 75, Number 1, Winter