A Precarious Enterprise

“Scott McIntyre’s memoir tells of a remarkable creative life, even while addressing in an engaging and deeply moving way the entire saga and struggle of Canadian publishing over the last half-century. It’s a story of astonishing grit, determination, risk, courage, and, above all, love of country, and faith in the integrity, uniqueness, and importance of its literary voice. This book, and especially at this time, is perhaps a moment for all Canadians to acknowledge with gratitude someone who is truly a national hero. Scott McIntyre gave us his all, mortgaged his life both literally and metaphorically, so that we might all come to see the glory of what it means to be born in such a place, to be children of such a land.” — Wade Davis, CM, author and anthropologist“It’s a trenchant tale, wonderfully told: invigorating, enlightening, hilarious, and heartbreaking. Every student of Canadian history and everyone who thinks they have anything to do with Canadian culture should read it.” — Robert Bringhurst, poet and author“Filled with fascinating figures, A Precarious Enterprise handles the world of publishing so well, and Scott tells his story courageously. A fine read!” — David Staines, University of Ottawa, scholar and writer“Of all the things that Scott accomplished with D&M, of all the authors he has fostered, all the talented staff members he has mentored, all the books he has brought to Canada and the world, the contribution that I value most is this: he did more than any other person to transform Canadian publishing from a local to a national industry.” — Carolyn Wood, former executive director, Association of Canadian Publishers“A Precarious Enterprise has all of the DNA necessary for future historians to fully understand the joyous and unexpected rodeo that was CanLit 1.0. It was a cherished window in time, and Scott tells of it with love and the ultimate insider’s POV.” — Douglas Coupland, author and artist“What unfolds in A Precarious Enterprise is a mixture of the vagaries and cautionary tales of the business of book publishing, along with a kind of rolling who’s who of authors and playmakers (and, sometimes but not often, moneymakers) and a quieter undercurrent of a determined, sometimes opportunistic, and indefatigable champion of the arts.” — Ian Gill, The Tyee“A Precarious Enterprise: Making a Life in Canadian Publishing is a valuable read for those mystified by the historic traditions of publishing and its many challenges, as well as just how lively and exhilarating publishing in Canada was during its literary golden age.” — The B.C. Review“If you’re interested in book publishing, you’ll find it absorbing and rewarding.” —Ken Whyte“McIntyre’s A Precarious Enterprise reminds us that the survival of Canadian publishing is not simply a business concern but a national one?—?more central to our future than ever before.” — Literary Review of Canada“McIntyre’s narrative is entertaining, propelled by reminiscences of working with authors as diverse as Haida sculptor Bill Reid, Justice Thomas Berger and Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie. He revels in telling stories of international deal-making at the Frankfurt Book Fair and takes justifiable pride in the publishing excellence of his staff and of associated imprints Groundwood and Greystone.” — Canada’s History Magazine

Scott McIntyre has been influential in Canada’s fight for a better and more supportive publishing policy for over 40 years, serving on numerous cultural boards and helping shape a groundbreaking UNESCO treaty that enshrines the principle of cultural diversity within international law. A member of both the Order of Canada and British Columbia, he also holds an honorary degree from Simon Fraser University. He and his wife, Corky, live in Vancouver, BC.

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