Douglas How
Encyclopedia
Douglas George How was a Canadian journalist, magazine editor, and author. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba but after his father's death the family returned to Dorchester, New Brunswick
where his mother was born and where Douglas grew up. At the age of 18, he became a reporter for the Moncton Daily Times
and in 1940 he joined the Canadian Press
service in Halifax, sending dispatches across the country with the dateline "from an East Coast Canadian Port" to suit the censors at the start of World War II. He enlisted with the Cape Breton Highlanders
and was posted to Surrey, England in 1942. In 1943, he was reposted to London to work in public relations for the army. Finding this work unrewarding, he rejoined CP as a war correspondent and for the rest of the war, he reported on Canadian troops in England and Europe, following the Canadian push through Italy and Greece.
He moved to Ottawa when the war ended and served as a reporter in the Parliamentary Press Gallery for CP between 1945 and 1953. He then worked briefly as a freelance writer in Nova Scotia, and between 1955 and 1957, he was the executive assistant to the Nova Scotia Member of Parliament Robert Winters
while Winters was federal Minister of Public Works. He then joined the staff of Time magazine, working on assignments in Toronto, Ottawa and New York. In 1959, he accepted a position as managing editor for the Canadian edition of Reader's Digest
, which he held for the next decade.
How is the author of several books, including the regimental history of the 8th Canadian Hussars (1964), Canada's Mystery Man of High Finance, about Izaak Walton Killam
, and KC (co-authored with Ralph Costello), a biography of New Brunswick industrialist K. C. Irving
.
Late in his life, he obtained a long-coveted degree in arts from Mount Allison University
. He served as the director of the university extension services for some time before moving to St. Andrews, New Brunswick
, where he completed several books. At age 83, he succumbed to heart failure in July 2001.
Dorchester, New Brunswick
Dorchester is a Canadian village and shire town in Westmorland County, New Brunswick.It is located on the eastern side of the mouth of the lush Memramcook River valley near the river's discharge point into Shepody Bay...
where his mother was born and where Douglas grew up. At the age of 18, he became a reporter for the Moncton Daily Times
Times & Transcript
The “Times & Transcript” is New Brunswick's largest newspaper circulation daily newspaper with an average paid daily circulation of approximately 40,000, and readership of approximately 110,000. It serves Metro Moncton and eastern New Brunswick. Its offices and printing facilities are located on...
and in 1940 he joined the Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. is the entity which "will take over the operations of the Canadian Press" according to a November 26, 2010 article in the Toronto Star...
service in Halifax, sending dispatches across the country with the dateline "from an East Coast Canadian Port" to suit the censors at the start of World War II. He enlisted with the Cape Breton Highlanders
Cape Breton Highlanders
The Cape Breton Highlanders is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It was established in 1871, merged into The Nova Scotia Highlanders in 1954, and re-established as a distinct regiment in 2011....
and was posted to Surrey, England in 1942. In 1943, he was reposted to London to work in public relations for the army. Finding this work unrewarding, he rejoined CP as a war correspondent and for the rest of the war, he reported on Canadian troops in England and Europe, following the Canadian push through Italy and Greece.
He moved to Ottawa when the war ended and served as a reporter in the Parliamentary Press Gallery for CP between 1945 and 1953. He then worked briefly as a freelance writer in Nova Scotia, and between 1955 and 1957, he was the executive assistant to the Nova Scotia Member of Parliament Robert Winters
Robert Winters
Robert Henry Winters, PC was a Canadian politician and businessman.Born in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, the son of a fishing captain, Winters went to Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, and then to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to complete his degree in electrical engineering...
while Winters was federal Minister of Public Works. He then joined the staff of Time magazine, working on assignments in Toronto, Ottawa and New York. In 1959, he accepted a position as managing editor for the Canadian edition of Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
, which he held for the next decade.
How is the author of several books, including the regimental history of the 8th Canadian Hussars (1964), Canada's Mystery Man of High Finance, about Izaak Walton Killam
Izaak Walton Killam
Izaak Walton Killam was one of Canada's most eminent financiers.-Early life:Born in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Killam rose from paper boy in Yarmouth to become one of Canada's wealthiest individuals.-Business ventures:...
, and KC (co-authored with Ralph Costello), a biography of New Brunswick industrialist K. C. Irving
K. C. Irving
Kenneth Colin Irving, OC also known as K. C. Irving was one of Canada's foremost entrepreneurs of the 20th century and ranked as one of the world's leading industrialists...
.
Late in his life, he obtained a long-coveted degree in arts from Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University is a primarily undergraduate Canadian liberal arts and science university situated in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is located about a half hour from the regional city of Moncton and 20 minutes from the Greater Moncton International Airport...
. He served as the director of the university extension services for some time before moving to St. Andrews, New Brunswick
St. Andrews, New Brunswick
St. Andrews is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick.It is sometimes referred to in tourism marketing by its unofficial nickname "St. Andrews-by-the-sea".-Geography:St...
, where he completed several books. At age 83, he succumbed to heart failure in July 2001.
Publications
- The 8th Hussars: A History of the Regiment (1964) Maritime Publishing
- The Canadians at War 1939-45 (3 volumes), (1969, editor-in-chief) Montreal: Reader’s Digest
- Canada's Mystery Man of High Finance: the story of Izaak Walton Killam and his glittering wife Dorothy (1986) Hantsport: Lancelot PressLancelot PressLancelot Press was a Canadian publishing company which operated between 1966 and 1997. It specialized in non-fiction titles, many of which were of a regional nature centered on Maritime Canada, in the fields of local history, spirituality and personal memoirs...
. - Night of the Caribou (1988) Hantsport: Lancelot Press
- K.C. : the biography of K.C. Irving (1993, with Ralph Costello) Toronto: Key Porter Books
- Blow Up the Trumpet in the New Moon (1993) Toronto: Oberon Press
- One Village One War (1995) Hantsport: Lancelot Press