Reviews of June Callwood: A Life of Action

Quill and Quire, December 2006

June Callwood: A Life of Action is straight-ahead juvenile biography…. Toronto teacher-librarian Anne Dublin (author of an award-winning biography of Olympian Bobbie Rosenfeld) has a wonderful subject in Callwood, founder of some 50 organizations, including Toronto institutions such as Jessie's, a centre for teen parents; Casey House, a ground-breaking hospice for people with AIDS; and Nellie's, a shelter for women and children fleeing domestic abuse.

This is an admiring, enlightening portrait of the life and times of an exceptional woman who knows how to live, share, and survive with exemplary grace. -- Carlyn Zwarenstein

The Globe and Mail, January 6, 2007

Photographs of the subject, a timeline of her life and selective listings of organizations with which she has been involved and honours bestowed upon her, augment Anne Dublin's evenhanded, excellent biography of June Callwood, social activist nonpareil and a force for good in Canadian life.

Dublin is to be applauded for not beatifying her subject, who is still very much alive, for allowing the trajectory of Callwood's life, its involvements (which grew organically out of previous involvements), its successes and failures, its tragedies and joys, to give a rounded and engaging portrait of a remarkable woman.

CM Magazine, Vol. XIII #10, Jan 4, 2007

***/4

In clear, easy to read prose Anne Dublin describes the early life and career of Brantford's June Callwood. Dublin takes the reader through Callwood's career up to the present as a writer in her early eighties. As a woman, journalist, and author, Callwood's career and personal history mirrored the growth of feminism, broadcasting and the awareness of various social causes in Canada. The personal tragedies she experienced, as well as her commitment to social causes, led to Callwood's establishing support homes and hospices.

Dublin not only informs her readers about Callwood but places Callwood's life within the society and value of her times. Dublin also teaches the reader about some job aspects of being a working journalist.

As in many books that include both biography and social history, there are many names, dates, and events that are described. Dublin's book is an organized read with many black and white photographs, text in large font, a timeline at the back of the book, sections for honours and organizations Callwood was associated with, a selected bibliography, and appendix.

June Callwood: A Life of Action is useful for students of social and political history as well as those interested in the becoming writer's themselves

Recommended. . – J. Lynn Fraser

Canadian Childrens Book News, Winter 2007

Anne Dublin recounts June's story using personal details taken from interviews with her, her family and friends, and from June's body of writings. The book is thoroughly researched and includes many black and white photographs of Canadian society and events during June's lifetime.

This book would complement other resources in a Toronto local history collection, as well as enhance a Canadian biography collection. -- Liz Gilbert