Pierre Berton
Pierre Berton was a prominent Canadian author, journalist, and television personality, known for his significant contributions to Canadian literature and culture. Born in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, in 1920, Berton was influenced by the Gold Rush era, which instilled in him a love for adventure and the natural beauty of the North. His mother, a member of the Canadian Authors Association, inspired his early writing endeavors. After attending the University of British Columbia, he became the youngest city editor at the Vancouver News-Herald at just 21 years old.
Berton served in the military during World War II and later worked for several prestigious Canadian publications, including Maclean's and the Toronto Star. He gained fame not only for his writing but also for hosting The Pierre Berton Show, which aired from 1962 to 1973. Throughout his career, Berton authored over fifty books, blending meticulous research with engaging storytelling that made history accessible and entertaining. His works earned him numerous accolades, including three Governor General's Awards and the title of Companion of the Order of Canada, reflecting his lasting impact on Canadian national identity and pride.
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Subject Terms
Pierre Berton
Nonfiction Writer
- Born: July 12, 1920
- Birthplace: Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
- Died: November 30, 2004
- Place of death: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Biography
Pierre Berton’s place of birth had a profound influence on his life and his writing. He was born in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, where his father, Francis George Berton, had joined the stampede of prospectors during the Gold Rush. Berton grew up in the midst of the debris left from that mad rush for riches. His childhood experience gave him a lifelong admiration for adventure and the pioneering spirit as well as a love for the wild beauty of northern Canada that inspired much of his writing. His mother, Laura Beatrice Thompson Berton, an early member of the Canadian Authors Association, passed on her writing gifts to him.
The writer in Berton was evident at a young age when he began inventing tales with which to entertain his sister. In his teens he worked in Klondike mining camps before heading off to the University of British Columbia, where he graduated with a B.A. in 1941. He became the youngest city editor at age 21 for the Vancouver News-Herald. In 1942, Berton joined the army for a four-year stint at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, where he rose to the rank of captain-instructor. In 1946, he married Janet Walker, with whom he had eight children, two of them adopted.
Berton became a feature writer for the Vancouver Sun in 1946, and the next year he moved to Toronto to become columnist and assistant editor of Maclean’s. magazine. He was the magazine’s managing editor from 1952 through 1958, when he left to become a columnist and associate editor for the Toronto Star. He returned to Maclean’s in 1962, and also hosted his own television program, The Pierre Berton Show, from 1962 until 1973. He quickly became a popular media personality and a household name, not only as writer and host of his own shows but also for his frequent appearances on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation public affairs programs and panel shows.
He found time to write newspaper and magazine articles, media scripts, songs, music revues, sketches, librettos—and books. His books include popular and scholarly historical studies, cultural and social critiques, sketches, biographies, children’s and adult fiction, and autobiography. Berton published his fiftieth book in 2004, not long before he died at age eighty-four.
It is not surprising that Berton received many honors and awards for this prolific output. In fact, he received more than a dozen honorary degrees and more than thirty literary awards. Among others, he received the McAree Memorial Award for best daily newspaper column in 1959, the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humor, the Canadian Booksellers Award, and the Gabrielle Leger National Heritage Award. He was a three-time recipient of the Governor General’s Award, and the honor of Companion of the Order of Canada was bestowed on him in 1986.
Berton leaves a large legacy of contributions to Canadian popular culture, especially to history. He is greatly valued for making history popular to the masses. Though his books were meticulously researched, he had the gift to make them read like novels; they educated even as they entertained. Through his books he passed on his ardent nationalism and raised Canadian readers’ perception of, and pride in, their identity.