The Siren Years A Canadian Diplomat Abroad 1937-1945

McClelland & Stewart. Fine. 2001. Paperback. 077107526X . A FineTrade Paperback with a sound binding and a bright, unmarked text, an uncreased spine. "In wartime England, Ritchie, as Second Secretary at the Canadian High Commission, served as private secretary to Vincent Massey, whose second-in-command was Lester B. Pearson, future prime minister of Canada. In a perfect position to observe both statecraft and the London social whirl that continued even during the war, Ritchie provides a fascinating, perceptive, and (surprisingly) humorous picture of the London Blitz – the people in the parks, the shabby streets, the heightened love affairs – and the vagaries of the British at war. There are also glimpses of the great, and portraits of noted artists and writers that he knew well." ; 5.51 X 0.71 X 8.49 inches; 256 pages .