The Siren Years: A Canadian Diplomat Abroad 1937-1945Charles Ritchie, one of Canada’s most distinguished diplomats, was a born diarist, a man whose daily record of his life is so well written that it leaps from the page. 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. A vivid document of a period and a wonderful piece of writing, The Siren Years has become a classic. |
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Ambassador American Anne-Marie Apéritif army Arromanches asked beautiful bomb boys British Canadian charm Claridge's Club colour coming Conference delegates diaries Dined dinner diplomatic Dorchester Hotel Elizabeth Elizabeth Bowen Embassy England English Europe everything eyes face feel felt flat Foreign Office France French friends garden George Ignatieff German girls Government grey Halifax hand Hitler Jean Désy jokes June Lady landing craft living London look Lord Lord Bessborough lunch Mackenzie King Margot Asquith Massey morning Navy Nazis never Nova Scotia Oxford Paris Park party pink political Prime Minister raid Ritz Romania Royal Royal Canadian Navy Royal Navy Russians says seems September 1940 sitting smell social soldiers sort speech Stephen Tennant street talking things thought told tonight trees Vincent Massey voice waiting walked wearing Weekend window Wolfville woman women young