Aberhart of Alberta

Edmonton: Co-op Press Ltd, 1970 Fascinating biography of the Alberta depression era religious and political leader and founder of the Alberta Social Credit party and the Prophetic Bible Institute. The authors are an agricultural genetics professor and admirer and Mr. Aberhart's daughter, Ola, who are surprisingly open about the life of Aberhart and the nuances of his government, describing for example, the purchase of the newspaper The Albertan by the newly elected government 'for propaganda purposes.' The book contains a picture section, forward by Ernest Manning, Mr. Aberhart's successor, and seven appendices, including a play, The Branding Irons of the Antichrist, written jointly with Manning. Ted Byfield, no wallflower himself, in his thirteen volume twentieth century history of alberta cites the then prime minister Mackenzie King, writing in his diary after Social Credit took power in Alberta, "A fortunate thing it is for Canada as a whole that this fanatical flame has thus far been kept within the bounds of a single province." This book provides a fairly different take than that commonly held on Manning's relationship with the British monetary theorist Major Douglas and his advisers. The volume on offer is a paperback. Copyright and printing details state "First Printing April 1970," but provide details of the dust jacket, and probably refer to the hard cover edition. The spine is cracked and the corners dogearred. The bottom rear spine is splitting and the covers are somewhat worn and soiled. The text is in good condition, with pencil underlining on a few pages. Although the relatively recent and apparently casual casting off of constitutional requirements and the normally expected trappings of democractic government are somewhat shocking, there is rarely a dull moment, absolutely a blockbuster of a movie hidden here, an important source of insight into Alberta's body politic, a warning to future generations and an absolutely collectible piece! Protected by Brodart cover.