Nick: A Montreal Life: Nick Auf Der Maur [Paperback]

Nick Auf Der Maur (Author), Melissa Auf Der Maur (Afterword), Mordecai Richler (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1998

Nick Auf der Maur led a uniquely Montreal life that he shared with readers of his column in The Gazette. "He wrote about Montreal the way Jimmy Breslin wrote about New York," a colleague commented. "It wouldn't work anywhere else, but there were universal moments of truth in it." Other cities existed, in Nick's mind, mostly to be compared with Montreal. And everyone who came through Montreal met Nick. From Rudolf Nureyev to Jack Kerouac. From Conrad Black to Courtney Love. He wrote about them all, as he wrote about politics, sports, food and life after dark. In the last year of his life, he also wrote, with courage that touched thousands, of his illness. In this posthumous collection, the first of Nick's columns, Vhicule Press brings you the best of Nick.

The introduction is by Nick's friend Mordecai Richler, with whom he shared many a working lunch in his office on Crescent Street. Illustrations of Nick over the years are by Aislin. The collection is edited by Dave Bist of The Gazette. Among Nick's friends who contributed to the book are: Warren Allmand, Hubert Bauch, Allan Fotheringham, Josh Freed, John Lynch-Staunton, L. Ian MacDonald, Margo MacGillivray, Brian McKenna, Terry Mosher, Brian Mulroney, Stephen Phizicky, Jake Richler, Mark Starowicz, Brian Stewart, Bernard St. Laurent and Anthony Wilson-Smith. His daughter Melissa adds a postcript.

The effect of Nick, and his work on his fellow Montrealers was apparent with his passing in April 1998, when nearly 3,000 people came to his funeral at St. Patrick's Basilica. All the net proceeds from Nick: A Montreal life, including author royalties and the publisher's profits, will be contributed to the Nick Auf der Maur Memorial Fund at the Montreal General Hospital.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Nick Auf der Maur was in journalism and politics. He thought there was honour in both. He also thought both should be fun. He was primarily a newspaper columnist, not a crusader, but a storyteller in love with his city, Montreal. -- L. Ian MacDonald, from the preface

Nick was a cherished friend. An original. -- Mordecai Richler

Some of his best friends were millionaires, some were complete nobodies who just happened to sit on a barstool next to his. Some were alcoholics, and some were teetotallers. Some were separatists and some were ferocious anti-separatists. This says a lot about the personality of Nick but even more about the real life of Montreal. -- Lysiane Gagnon, Globe & Mail

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Vehicule Press; First Thus edition (January 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550651145
• ISBN-13: 978-1550651140
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,705,037 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The good old days..., February 22, 2011

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Louis Tremblay (Miami, FL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nick: A Montreal Life: Nick Auf Der Maur (Paperback)

This is a best of Nick Auf Der Maur's Newspaper column with the Montreal Gazette.

I thought it was great to reread my favorite Montreal columnist and hear some hommages about him.

This book was enjoyable to read and brought back some great memories of Montreal.