Sondra Gotlieb
Encyclopedia
Sondra Gotlieb is a Canadian
journalist
and novelist who lives in Toronto
, Ontario
.
She is married to Allan Gotlieb
, former Canadian ambassador to the United States during the presidency of Ronald Reagan
. Her book Washington Rollercoaster recounted the Gotliebs' years as glamorous hosts in Washington during the Reagan Era
, when she wrote a much-read column for the Washington Post. Vanity Fair
magazine called her a "sparkling hostess", and in Washington she quickly became known for her irreverent attitude and sharp tongue. She often attracted attention with remarks considered out-of-character for diplomatic wives. Referring to Canada's image in America as a dull northern neighbour, she remarked: "Maybe we should invade South Dakota".
In 1986, she attracted a blaze of international publicity when reporter Juliet O'Neill
caught her slapping her social secretary Connie Gibson Connors at an official dinner she and her husband were hosting in honour of the Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney
and U.S. Vice-President George H. Bush. The incident, while embarrassing, instantly made her one of the most talked-about women in Washington and invitations to the Gotliebs' parties became highly coveted.
After she and her husband returned to Canada in the early 1990s, they moved to Toronto
's exclusive Rosedale
neighbourhood and became the centre of establishment society in that city. Allan joined numerous corporate boards, including Conrad Black
's Hollinger Inc.
, while Sondra began writing columns for the Globe and Mail and later the National Post
, which was owned by Conrad Black.
She won the Stephen Leacock humour prize for her 1978 novel, True Confections, which was subtitled, Or How My Family Arranged My Marriage.
In 2001, she alluded to the infamous "Slap Flap" incident in a series of articles about her recent facelift, published in the National Post. Gotlieb recounted how the idea for cosmetic surgery first came to her after a visit with friends in Washington D.C. "One of them said to me, 'It must be nice living in Toronto. You can slop around without having to bother too much about your appearance. Canadians have such old-fashioned values.' For the second time in my life I felt like slapping someone's face."
She currently writes a regular weekly column for the National Post
and resides in the Toronto neighbourhood of Rosedale
with her husband, Allan Gotlieb
.
Rebecca, a lawyer, was married to Keith Ham, also a lawyer, but they separated and divorced a few years after the adoption of son David in 1992. She subsequently married journalist Matthew Fraser
, former Editor-in-Chief of the National Post
and television host. In early 2003, she died suddenly of cancer and David moved with his father in England
.
Marc, an art historian and former University of Toronto
professor, is married to Lauren Freeman. They have three children.
Rachel is married to lawyer Rob Dickson and they have two children. They live in the Toronto neighbourhood of Rosedale
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and novelist who lives in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
She is married to Allan Gotlieb
Allan Gotlieb
Allan Ezra Gotlieb, is a Canadian public servant and author.-Life and career:Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Gotlieb received his BA from the University of California at Berkeley, his MA from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and his LL.B degree from Harvard University, where he was editor of...
, former Canadian ambassador to the United States during the presidency of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. Her book Washington Rollercoaster recounted the Gotliebs' years as glamorous hosts in Washington during the Reagan Era
Reagan Era
The Reagan Era or Age of Reagan is a periodization of recent American history used by historians and political observers to emphasize that the conservative "Reagan Revolution" led by President Ronald Reagan in domestic and foreign policy had a permanent impact...
, when she wrote a much-read column for the Washington Post. Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
magazine called her a "sparkling hostess", and in Washington she quickly became known for her irreverent attitude and sharp tongue. She often attracted attention with remarks considered out-of-character for diplomatic wives. Referring to Canada's image in America as a dull northern neighbour, she remarked: "Maybe we should invade South Dakota".
In 1986, she attracted a blaze of international publicity when reporter Juliet O'Neill
Juliet O'Neill
Juliet O'Neill is a Canadian journalist who was the subject of controversy when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police raided her house, in an attempt to find the source of an alleged internal leak giving her access to privileged documents related to the Maher Arar case.In 1996 O'Neill was awarded a...
caught her slapping her social secretary Connie Gibson Connors at an official dinner she and her husband were hosting in honour of the Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
and U.S. Vice-President George H. Bush. The incident, while embarrassing, instantly made her one of the most talked-about women in Washington and invitations to the Gotliebs' parties became highly coveted.
After she and her husband returned to Canada in the early 1990s, they moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's exclusive Rosedale
Rosedale, Toronto
Rosedale is an affluent neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which was formerly the estate of William Botsford Jarvis, and so named by his wife, granddaughter of William Dummer Powell, for the wild roses that grew there in abundance....
neighbourhood and became the centre of establishment society in that city. Allan joined numerous corporate boards, including Conrad Black
Conrad Black
Conrad Moffat Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour, OC, KCSG, PC is a Canadian-born member of the British House of Lords, and a historian, columnist and publisher, who was for a time the third largest newspaper magnate in the world. Lord Black controlled Hollinger International, Inc...
's Hollinger Inc.
Hollinger Inc.
Hollinger Inc. was a Canadian media company based in Toronto. It was created by the Canadian businessman Conrad Black as a holding company for his media interests after he acquired control of The Daily Telegraph in 1986. It was the parent company of Chicago-based Hollinger International, whose...
, while Sondra began writing columns for the Globe and Mail and later the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
, which was owned by Conrad Black.
She won the Stephen Leacock humour prize for her 1978 novel, True Confections, which was subtitled, Or How My Family Arranged My Marriage.
In 2001, she alluded to the infamous "Slap Flap" incident in a series of articles about her recent facelift, published in the National Post. Gotlieb recounted how the idea for cosmetic surgery first came to her after a visit with friends in Washington D.C. "One of them said to me, 'It must be nice living in Toronto. You can slop around without having to bother too much about your appearance. Canadians have such old-fashioned values.' For the second time in my life I felt like slapping someone's face."
She currently writes a regular weekly column for the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
and resides in the Toronto neighbourhood of Rosedale
Rosedale
- Australia :* Rosedale, New South Wales* Rosedale, Queensland* Rosedale, Victoria* Rosedale, South Australia. The former Rosenthal.- Canada :* Rosedale, British Columbia* Rosedale, Calgary* Rosedale, Manitoba, rural municipality in the province of Manitoba....
with her husband, Allan Gotlieb
Allan Gotlieb
Allan Ezra Gotlieb, is a Canadian public servant and author.-Life and career:Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Gotlieb received his BA from the University of California at Berkeley, his MA from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and his LL.B degree from Harvard University, where he was editor of...
.
Family
Gotlieb (née Kaufman) and husband Allan were married in 1955. They had three children: Rebecca (born in 1958), Marc (born in 1959), and Rachel (born in 1962).Rebecca, a lawyer, was married to Keith Ham, also a lawyer, but they separated and divorced a few years after the adoption of son David in 1992. She subsequently married journalist Matthew Fraser
Matthew Fraser (journalist)
Matthew William Fraser is a British-Canadian journalist, academic, and author known for his writing about the media industries...
, former Editor-in-Chief of the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
and television host. In early 2003, she died suddenly of cancer and David moved with his father in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Marc, an art historian and former University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
professor, is married to Lauren Freeman. They have three children.
Rachel is married to lawyer Rob Dickson and they have two children. They live in the Toronto neighbourhood of Rosedale
Rosedale
- Australia :* Rosedale, New South Wales* Rosedale, Queensland* Rosedale, Victoria* Rosedale, South Australia. The former Rosenthal.- Canada :* Rosedale, British Columbia* Rosedale, Calgary* Rosedale, Manitoba, rural municipality in the province of Manitoba....
.
Works
- The Gourmet's Canada - 1972
- True Confections - 1978
- First Lady, Last Lady - 1981
- Wife Of... - 1985
- Washington Rollercoaster - 1990
- Dogs, Houses, Gardens, Food & Other Addictions - 2002
- When I Rises Up, I Gets Confused: The Best of Sondra Gotlieb - 2004