The Candidate

Finalist for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing
A Globe and Mail Best Book
A National Post Best Book

“A jaunty, well-written manual for how to fail in politics. . . . Mr. Richler paints a warm picture of his shambolic campaign.” —The Globe and Mail 

“[Richler’s] self-awareness is what makes his account, at times as chaotic as the campaign itself, so compelling. By the end, readers can’t help but conclude that every suspicion, hope and cliché about politics is both true and false.” —Maclean’s

“Richler takes readers through a humourous look at the ins and outs of a political campaign by combining his reminiscences with Facebook posts, Twitter conversations, a Shakespearean parody, daydreams, op-eds and even commentaries from volunteers. . . . The Candidate is a fascinating look at the election process, if somewhat dispiriting in its disclosure of how it works.” —Toronto Star

“[Richler] has penned an insightful, often scathing, always self-deprecating account of his brief foray into Canadian politics. . . . The Candidate is one of the more droll yet heartfelt accounts of the Canadian electoral process, and one that would have doubtless left his dad proud.” —Montreal Gazette 

“The Candidate is as engaging as any book written about Canadian politics in a long time. Unsurprisingly, the quality of Richler’s writing far surpasses that of the typical Canadian political memoir. . . . He doesn’t seem to be holding anything back.” —Quill & Quire

“The Candidate is a groundbreaking Canadian political memoir because of its honesty. . . . [Richler is] open and funny about what it’s like to door-knock, and he’s insecure, over-confident, sarcastic and very witty, sometimes all at the same time, about life on the campaign trail. This is a refreshingly funny, well-written account of what it’s like to run for federal office in this country, from the ground.” —The Hill Times