November 9, 2015
In this engaging tell-all account, Towhey, a political adviser and former chief of staff for former Toronto mayor Rob Ford, pulls back the curtain to reveal his side of events during Ford's unlikely rise to power and scandal-ridden administration. Towhey, who was there from the start as Ford's campaign manager, spins out a narrative thread of high ambition, good intentions, and tragic shortcomings, while attempting to pinpoint just how Ford's tenure went off the rails. Covering the entirety of his association with Ford, from his initial hiring in 2010 to his dismissal in 2013, Towhey tries to balance the good with the bad, the accomplishments with the failures. In doing so, he paints a picture of a man afflicted by unstoppable addictions, and of a politician who broke all the rules and who refused to retreat or accept defeat. Given the circumstances, his account is remarkably objective, with Towhey finding some sympathy for Ford despite telling the unpleasant story as honestly as possible. This is the ultimate insider's look at this series of events, and an eye-opening look at the Canadian political process in general.