George Grant: A Guide to His Thought

George Grant (1918-1988) is widely regarded as one of Canada’s most influential philosophers and political theorists. His best-known work, Lament for a Nation (1965), presented a radical reinterpretation of Canadian history and inspired a surge of nationalist sentiment across the country. Along with Grant’s other books, it addressed the major cultural shifts and dilemmas of our age, and introduced several generations of students to the basic questions of political philosophy.

This study aims to guide the reader toward a clearer understanding of Grant’s thought. Focusing on his six short books and some of his most significant articles and speeches, Hugh Donald Forbes provides both an introduction to and an overview of Grant’s career and his many contributions to the fields of political science, philosophy, religion, and Canadian studies. Throughout Forbes sheds light on some of Grant’s more contradictory and complex ideas, and provides an assessment of his impact on the Canadian political and cultural landscape. Forbes also relates Grant’s work to that of three disparate and controversial European thinkers - Martin Heidegger, Leo Strauss, and Simone Weil - providing contexts and comparisons outside of the strictly Canadian framework in which he is normally situated. Comprehensive and lucidly written, George Grant: A Guide to His Thought is an invaluable resource for students, general readers, and academic specialists alike.