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Truth Be Told cover art

Truth Be Told

Written by: Beverley McLachlin
Narrated by: Beverley McLachlin
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Publisher's Summary

Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada Beverley McLachlin offers an intimate and revealing look at her life from her childhood in the Alberta foothills to her career on the Supreme Court, where she helped to shape the social and moral fabric of the country.

As a young girl, Beverley McLachlin’s world was often full of wonder - at the expansive prairie vistas around her, at the stories she discovered in the books at her local library, and at the diverse people who passed through her parents’ door. While her family was poor, their lives were rich in the ways that mattered most. Even at a young age, she had an innate sense of justice, which was reinforced by the lessons her parents taught her: Everyone deserves dignity. All people are equal. Those who work hard reap the rewards. Willful, spirited, and unusually intelligent, she discovered in Pincher Creek an extraordinary tapestry of people and perspectives that informed her worldview going forward.

Still, life in the rural Prairies was lonely, and gaining access to education - especially for girls - wasn’t always easy. As a young woman, McLachlin moved to Edmonton to pursue a degree in philosophy. There, she discovered her passion lay not in academia, but in the real world, solving problems directly related to the lives of the people around her. And in the law, she found the tools to do exactly that.

She soon realized, though, that the world was not always willing to accept her. In her early years as an articling student and lawyer, she encountered sexism, exclusion, and old boys’ clubs at every turn. And outside the courtroom, personal loss and tragedies struck close to home. Nonetheless, McLachlin was determined to prove her worth, and her love of the law and the pursuit of justice pulled her through the darkest moments.

McLachlin’s meteoric rise through the courts soon found her serving on the highest court in the country, becoming the first woman to be named Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. She rapidly distinguished herself as a judge of renown, one who was never afraid to take on morally complex or charged debates. Over the next 18 years, McLachlin presided over the most prominent cases in the country - involving Charter challenges, same-sex marriage, and euthanasia. One judgment at a time, she laid down a legal legacy that proved that fairness and justice were not luxuries of the powerful but rather obligations owed to each and every one of us.

With warmth, honesty, and deep wisdom, McLachlin invites us into her legal and personal life - into the hopes and doubts, the triumphs and losses on and off the bench. Through it all, her constant faith in justice remained her true north. In an age of division and uncertainty, McLachlin’s memoir is a reminder that justice and the rule of law remain our best hope for a progressive and bright future.

©2019 Beverley McLachlin (P)2019 Simon & Schuster Audio

What listeners say about Truth Be Told

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Thank you

Thank you for this invaluable book, Justice McLachlin. When I was in law school, reading your name next to the title Chief Justice, I never even paused to consider your gender. This is how far we've come. I owe so much to women like you.

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Interesting story

It is really the the integrity of the writer that attracted me to this book. Her intelligence, benevolence and her love of the Canadian judicial system is awe inspiring.

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Exceptionally written and read....

This book was exceptional. As a young lawyer, I read the decisions of her Honour, Chief Justice McLachlin admiringly. Balanced, understanding, and progressive, the empathy in her judgments was and remains awe inspiring to me. This book contextualizes those decisions and helps the reader to understand the source of McLachlin, J.'s empathic perspective by understanding her history and, somewhat unconventional path to the ultimate Canadian Bench.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Canadian law, the history of women in the law, and/or anyone who struggles with understanding and/or accepting some of the most seminal legal and political decisions of our time in areas such as Medical Assistance in Dying (Assisted Suicide), LGBTQ+ rights, Indigenous rights and relations, and others.

Thank you, Justice McLachlin!

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A great story

I enjoyed the story, but I did struggle at times with the narration. However, it is well worth a listen.

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Loved it!

I am a lawyer and normally hate reading books about judges or lawyers for fun. This one was excellent and I truly enjoyed it!! Definitely recommend. It provides an excellent behind-the-scenes look into the world of judges and her own thoughts and insecurities.

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Fabulous book!

This is an inspiring and well written book about Beverly McLaughlin’s life from a small farm girl in pincher creek Alberta, to the first woman supreme court justice of Canada

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Wonderful book

This was a most interesting autobiography of Chief Justice McLachlin and how she came from a tiny Town to become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

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Incredible Women in High Places

Beverley McLachlin is a wonderful story teller, a great narrator, and makes one proud to be Canadian. Her story is captivating, from her upbringing on the Prairies to Chief Justice in Canada’s highest court. She paints a vivid picture from start to finish! This autobiography needs to be required reading for young people to help stimulate their desire to dream of future full of possibility. Humble beginnings can lead to great places!

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LOVED IT!

Full disclosure: I am biased because I have been a big fan of Justice McLachnlin, and her writing style since law school. I admired how she presented her ideas so clearly and concisely, while at the same time telling a story in the form of a legal narrative.
I was looking forward to the release of her memoir, and it did not disappoint. I admired the candour and profound wisdom with which she described steps of her career, and, being the nerd I am, I was very curious to hear her take on the making of the famous decisions that we studied at law school as the “law of the land”. I have a feeling that I will re-listen to this book at different stages of my career, seeking advice and inspiration in its pages.

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Brilliant, Captivating, Moving in Every Way

I have been listening to audiobooks for over 30 years, and I would rank this among the greatest and most captivating. It is beautifully written, deeply thought, and simply but elegantly read by the author. She is a true Canadian hero, and this book should be lauded as a literary milestone. Don't only get it for yourself, give it to everyone you know. You will be doing them a favour.

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