A Precarious Enterprise

Making a Life in Canadian Publishing

De: Scott McIntyre

Narrado por: Peter Outerbridge

“A Precarious Enterprise has all of the DNA necessary for future historians to fully understand the joyous and unexpected rodeo that was CanLit 1.0. It was a cherished window in time, and Scott tells of it with love and the ultimate insider’s POV.”—Douglas Coupland, author and artist

Ever wondered how a publishing house works? Scott McIntyre tells all in this behind-the-scenes look at Canadian publishing

Scott McIntyre has lived the story of Canadian book publishing. Beginning his career at McClelland & Stewart in 1967, he went on to cofound his own publishing house, Douglas & McIntyre, in 1970 and made his mark on the industry amid the country’s exhilarating literary coming-of-age.

Becoming one of Canada’s largest and most respected publishing houses and among the first to embrace Indigenous issues, Douglas & McIntyre and its associated children’s publisher, Groundwood Books, published some 900 authors and 2,000 books in less than 50 years. For McIntyre, the authors always came first, and he worked closely with many important figures, including Doris Shadbolt, Wayson Choy, Richard Wagamese, Anna Porter, Will Ferguson, Douglas Coupland, Hugh Brody, Robert Bringhurst, Wade Davis, and Farley Mowat.

Telling stories featuring a colorful array of characters who rebuilt the publishing world following WWII and anecdotes about how book publishing works, McIntyre touches upon the guiding philosophy and historic traditions still animating the industry today. More than the story of one publisher and his company, this is a first-person account of the buoyant period when writers, their books, and the companies who published them changed the nation.

©2025 Scott McIntyre (P)2025 ECW Press

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Scott McIntyre’s memoir tells of a remarkable creative life, even while addressing in an engaging and deeply moving way the entire saga and struggle of Canadian publishing over the last half-century. It’s a story of astonishing grit, determination, risk, courage, and, above all, love of country, and faith in the integrity, uniqueness, and importance of its literary voice. This book, and especially at this time, is perhaps a moment for all Canadians to acknowledge with gratitude someone who is truly a national hero. Scott McIntyre gave us his all, mortgaged his life both literally and metaphorically, so that we might all come to see the glory of what it means to be born in such a place, to be children of such a land.”—Wade Davis, CM, author and anthropologist

“It’s a trenchant tale, wonderfully told: invigorating, enlightening, hilarious, and heartbreaking. Every student of Canadian history and everyone who thinks they have anything to do with Canadian culture should read it.”—Robert Bringhurst, poet and author

“Filled with fascinating figures, A Precarious Enterprise handles the world of publishing so well, and Scott tells his story courageously. A fine read!”—David Staines, University of Ottawa, scholar and writer