Crazy Town, Robyn Doolittle
Crazy Town, Robyn Doolittle
List: $19.95 | Sale: $13.97
Club: $9.97

Crazy Town
The Rob Ford Story

Author: Robyn Doolittle

Narrator: Erin Bennett

Unabridged: 10 hr 54 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/12/2016


Synopsis

His drug- and alcohol-fueled antics made world headlines and engulfed a city in unprecedented controversy. Toronto mayor Rob Ford’s personal and political troubles have occupied center stage in North America’s fourth-largest city since news broke that drug dealers were selling a videotape of Ford appearing to smoke crack cocaine. Reporter Robyn Doolittle was one of three journalists to view the video and report on its contents in May 2013. Her dogged pursuit of the story has uncovered disturbing details about the mayor’s past and embroiled the Toronto police, city councillors, and ordinary citizens in a raucous debate about the future of the city.Even before those explosive events, Ford was a divisive figure. A populist and successful city councillor, he was an underdog to become mayor in 2010. His politics and mercurial nature have split the amalgamated city in two.But there is far more to the story. The Ford family has a long, unhappy history of substance abuse and criminal behavior. Despite their troubles, they are also one of the most ambitious families in Canada. Those close to the Fords say they often compare themselves to the Kennedys and believe they were born to lead. Fast paced and insightful, Crazy Town is a page-turning portrait of a troubled man, a formidable family, and a city caught in an astonishing scandal.

About Robyn Doolittle

Robyn Doolittle is a reporter with the Globe and Mail. She began her career covering crime and moved to the municipal politics beat during the 2010 mayoral elections. She is one of three reporters to have viewed a video of Toronto mayor Rob Ford smoking what appears to be crack cocaine. A graduate of Ryerson University’s journalism school, Doolittle lives in Toronto.

About Erin Bennett

Erin Bennett is an award-winning, Los Angeles-based voice actress whose passion for storytelling informs her love of narrating audiobooks. An AudioFile Earphones winner, she has recorded 130 titles for Penguin Random House, Hachette, Harper, Blackstone, Recorded Books, Tantor, Deyan, Dreamscape, and Audible, among others. Her genres vary widely, from literary fiction to mysteries to science fiction to memoir, as well as nonfiction, multicast recordings, and romance. Her recent on-camera work includes Grandfathered on FOX and Children's Hospital on Adult Swim, and her voice-over work spans animation, radio plays for the BBC, video games, and commercials for radio and television.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Ann on February 04, 2014

Crazy Town is many books in one. It's a political thriller (who was doing what when), a psychological study (as much of a city as an individual man), and a journalism guide (a behind-the-scenes account of what it's like to cover a story as explosive as this one for a major national newspaper). The b......more

Goodreads review by Anissa on September 04, 2024

Read on vacation. Quite a read about an unforgettable politician.......more

Goodreads review by Stuart on February 11, 2014

It says something about my Rob Ford addiction that I am the first person on Goodreads to mark this as "Currently Reading"! So far, very well-written, very thorough. * * * So, if you've been following the Ford story obsessively, there will be little new information in this book, except perhaps about th......more


Quotes

“If you liked All the President’s Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, you’ll love Crazy Town.” CBC Radio

“The first in-depth examination of Toronto’s controversial mayor…Doolittle writes from both a critical and sympathetic standpoint…Detailed and engaging…A solid volume of work.” Washington Times

“Doolittle chronicles the investigations into Ford’s misconducts with admirable journalistic rigor and fairmindedness.” Zoomer

“Dramatic…compelling.” Toronto Life

Crazy Town is a fascinating read, offering an analysis of how someone like Ford could get elected and retain public favor. It’s also an apologia for how journalists today do their work…an extremely useful read.” Waterloo Region Record