Searching for W.P.M. Kennedy: The Biography of an Enigma
© 2020
Born in Ireland in 1879, W.P.M. Kennedy was a distinguished Canadian academic and the leading Canadian constitutional law scholar for much of the twentieth century. Despite his trailblazing career and intriguing personal life, Kennedy’s story is largely a mystery. Weaving together a number of key events, Martin L. Friedland’s lively biography discusses Kennedy’s contributions as a legal and interdisciplinary scholar, his work at the University of Toronto where he founded the Faculty of Law, as well as his personal life, detailing stories about his family and important friends, such as Prime Minister Mackenzie King.
Kennedy earned a reputation in some circles for being something of a scoundrel, and Friedland does not shy away from addressing Kennedy’s exaggerated involvement in drafting the Irish constitution, his relationships with female students, and his quest for recognition. Throughout the biography, Friedland interjects with his own personal narratives surrounding his interactions with the Kennedy family, and how he came to acquire the private letters noted in the book. The result is a readable, accessible biography of an important figure in the history of Canadian intellectual life.
Product Details
- World Rights
- Page Count: 504 pages
- Illustrations: 136
- Dimensions: 5.9in x 1.3in x 9.0in
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Reviews
“With groundbreaking scholarship, Searching for W.P.M. Kennedy adds significantly to our knowledge of Kennedy himself and of the development of the University of Toronto Law School. Kennedy was a fascinating and perplexing person. He was a world-recognized scholar who did not have all of the degrees that he claimed. He was the first dean at the law school and yet he had no formal training in law whatsoever. Some might say he was a fraud, but Martin L. Friedland’s book helps us understand why he did what he did – and why we should be forgiving of him and appreciative of what he achieved.”
C. Ian Kyer, independent scholar, lawyer, and co-author of The Fiercest Debate: Cecil A. Wright, the Benchers, and Legal Education in Ontario, 1923–1957
“Martin L. Friedland’s biography of W.P.M. Kennedy is a fascinating account of how an Irish literary scholar became the University of Toronto’s first dean of law and an influential participant in Canada’s constitutional politics.”
Peter H. Russell, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Toronto
“An interesting figure and an engaging story.”
Peter W. Hogg, author of Constitutional Law of Canada
“This is a remarkable book about a remarkable man. Kennedy was a figure of historic importance not just for legal education at the University of Toronto, but also for Canada and the Canadian constitution. This book is a compelling read, revealing the enigma of W.P.M. Kennedy.”
J. Robert S. Prichard, President Emeritus, University of Toronto -
Author Information
Martin L. Friedland is a professor emeritus in the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto. -
Table of contents
W.P.M. Kennedy Timeline
Preface1. Coming to America
2. Earlier Years
3. After Trinity College Dublin
4. St. Michael’s College
5. Turning to the Canadian Constitution
6. Pauline Simpson
7. The Constitution of Canada and Beyond
8. Deeks v. Macmillan and H.G. Wells
9. The Irish Constitution
10. Productive Years
11. Lord Elgin and More
12. Starting a Law Program
13. Creating a Law School
14. More Projects
15. Running a Law School
16. Encouraging Scholarship
17. Rethinking the BNA Act
18. The War Years
19. The Changing Law School
20. The Cottage
21. The Family
22. Sidney Smith Arrives
23. Final Years as Dean
24. The Struggle Continues
25. Retirement
26. Final Days
27. Summing UpEndnotes
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Subjects and Courses
