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This is the story of a city and how it grew from an unknown and unpeopled place to the sprawling, lively, colorful metropolis that more than three million Canadians call home.

With a warm, engaging style, Claire Mackay brings to life the various people and events that shaped the city. We meet William Lyon Mackenzie and his desperate band of followers in the farmers' Rebell... More

This is the story of a city and how it grew from an unknown and unpeopled place to the sprawling, lively, colorful metropolis that more than three million Canadians call home.

With a warm, engaging style, Claire Mackay brings to life the various people and events that shaped the city. We meet William Lyon Mackenzie and his desperate band of followers in the farmers' Rebellion of 1837, and Elizabeth McMaster, who, with several friends, founded the forerunner of the renowned Hospital for Sick Children in 1875. Key episodes in the city's history are described in vivid detail, such as the two fires that devastated the downtown, and life during World War II. A new chapter ends the book with a clear-eyed look at the city today and an epilogue takes a peek at the future. Throughout, the author's lively text is sprinkled with her charming humor, drawing readers in to this very colorful and personable account of Toronto's past.

Each chapter contains numerous sidebars, illustrated with color drawings, that highlight intriguing facts. Key events in the city's history can be easily located in the detailed timeline at the end of the book. An extensive index is a useful tool for finding specific references within the text, and an annotated bibliography refers the reader to other sources of interest.

First published in 1990, The Toronto Story was a finalist for the City of Toronto Book Award and the Mr. Christie Book Award, and was named a Canadian Library Association "Notable Book."

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