Bio, Books, Reviews

Winner of the Top 10 Very Canadian Writing Awards

canushumorous@gmail.com
canushumorous@gmail.com

Dick Bourgeois-Doyle is an award-wanting writer, multiple Leacock-Medal-reading author, skilled daydreamer, and aging jogger living in Ottawa, Canada.  He has worked as an administrator in a government agency for a long time and previously served as Chief of Staff and Director of Communications to the Minister of Science and Technology and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. He was a founder and start-up manager of successful technology and public relations firms. A former broadcaster and journalist, Bourgeois-Doyle has contributed to many books, articles, TV features, and radio programs on the history of Canadian science and creativity.  He authored the Canadian Science Publishing (CSP) Biographies – George J. Klein: The Great Inventor and Her Daughter the Engineer: The Life of Elsie Gregory MacGill and edited and co-wrote CSP’s Renaissance II: Canadian Creativity and Innovation in the New Millennium. His other works include the story of survival and Northern Ontario firefighting Stubborn: Big Ed Caswell and the Line from the Valley to the Northland, the satirical novel The Most Integrated, Strategic and Aligned Servant of the Public Don Quincy de la Mangement, and Il Principio, a parody of Machivelli's The Prince (the first two installments in the Capital City Trilogy - watch for the final one - Governing Travails - in the spring of 2018 or sooner if he retires early).


Bourgeois-Doyle is one of several people sometimes referred to as "The 6th Beatle."         


Books and Reviews (scroll down)



Click Here to Buy Book

Her Daughter the Engineer: The Life of
Elsie Gregory MacGill

“fascinating and inspiring … thorough and engaging.”
Ottawa Citizen
June 1, 2008

“… what a story this is.”
Airforce Magazine
Summer 2008

"... takes readers on a journey through MacGill's extraordinary life... By grasping MacGill's own golden thread, Bourgeois-Doyle weaves this remarkable woman's personal story with an exploration of Canadian aviation history."
SWE - The Magazine of U.S. Society of Women Engineers, Chicago, Illinois 2008.

"This book is multidimensional, making it an interesting read that can capture a variety of audiences... Bourgeois-Doyle is meticulous in his description of the people in Elsie's world — her family, her classmates, her professors — providing the reader with a depth of understanding of... the events and thoughts that influenced her."
Canadian Aeronautics and Space Journal, Vol. 56, No. 1, 2010

"Elsie MacGill('s)... story represents the kind of inspiring experiences we are privileged to witness on a regular basis in this great profession. Her story... remind(s) me that opportunity is in the challenge, hope is in the desire, and value is in the effort."
Physical Therapy, Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association,October 2008, Vol. 11, No. 10

"An engrossing book that captures both the life and times of one of Canada's most fascinating figures... a must-read for anyone interested in WWII aviation or the history of gender equality in Canada."
Alex Brett, Author of the Morgan O'Brien science-mystery series

"A refreshingly different perspective of Canadian aviation history. For example, though I am familiar with the history of Can-Car and Canadian built Hurricanes, seeing how the 'atmosphere of urgency' and 'obligations vital to everyone's interests' helped 'clarify the value of both sexes' strikes me as a somewhat timeless lesson as applicable today as it was then. This is certainly a book I would recommend to my high school aged daughter."
Tim Leslie, (then) Vice President/Chief of Operations, Vintage Wings of Canada (2008)

"marvelous piece of work from beginning to end. it will be a very popular book and widely read and used"
Dr. Lorna Marsden, President and Vice-Chancellor,
York University (1997-2007),
former Senator

and 3rd President of the National Action Committee
on the Status of Women

"'most important Canadian aviation book I have had the pleasure of reading this year."
Tim Dubé, National President, Canadian Aviation Historical Society (2009)

"This book is well worth reading... Recommended."
CHOICE Current Reviews – American Library Association (May 2009)

"...
tells the inspiring story of how this young woman prevailed... academic in style, but also engaging."
Vancouver Sun 2008

"Our Canadian sisters have great reason to be proud of this woman... "
The 99 News, Oklahoma
(Official Magazine of the International Association of Women Pilots)


"... also wanted to let you know that it was your book which inspired us to name the award after Elsie (Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Award)... you did a wonderful job outlining her challenges, her personality and her contributions to aviation and women in particular! Thanks for that!"
99s First Canadian Chapter, Toronto

"... a fine account of the life and times of a remarkable Canadian woman."
Fly North Newletter – Thunder Bay (January – March 2009)

"It's a little-known story, but a truly remarkable one."
Fresh Air, CBC Toronto, October 2009
For - George J. Klein: the Great Inventor
Click here to Buy the Book
“ … illustrates how effective it can be to create an environment in which knowledgeable innovators can contribute to team projects … In fact, this book well illustrates how NRC achieved success … an interesting biography of a person who was a key contributor to the mechanical design of hundreds of applications ... also ... a biography of the first half century of NRC’s history.”
30th-anniversary
CANADIAN BOOK REVIEW ANNUAL (2005)

“Few books have traced and documented a life story of invention as comprehensively as Dick Bourgeois-Doyle’s biography of George J. Klein ... engaging and eminently readable ...”
Dr. Arthur J. Carty, National Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada (2004)

“... not only rich in information and technical facts, but also conveys a sense of occasion ...”
Lorne Gold, Past President of the International Glaciological Society
and Author of “the Canadian Habbakuk Project”


"an admirable job in taking the world of George Klein … invention ... and making it accessible ..."
The Community Press, Western Edition, February 4, 2005

"... this is a work that deserves a place in every school, university and public library in the country and on the bookshelf of anyone interested in Canadian scientific achievements."
New Edinburgh News, April 2005

“the Unsung Hero of science … Canada’s Edison”
CanWest News Service June 2004

Buy Book Click Here
For - Renaissance II: Canadian Creativity and Innovation in the New Millennium

“… a very valuable initiative for which everybody concerned should be justly proud …”

Her Excellency Adrienne Clarkson
(then) Governor General of Canada
September 8, 2001

“Dear Dick … Very interesting … much appreciated …
I was particularly pleased to read the Mandelbrot contribution … on fractals.”

Sir Arthur C. Clarke
24 July 2001
For - Stubborn
Click to Buy Book
"Northerners are marked by their determination, brit, and downright stubborness. These traits can be traced back to the scrappy pioneers, and author Dick Bourgeois-Doyle has given us a wonderful portrait of such a man - Big Ed Caswell !"
Charlie Angus, Member of Parliament
(Timmins-James Bay)

“a story of stubbornness to see things to completion”
The Cobden Sun – December 1, 2010


“A compelling story – what motivated people to keep on rebuilding after losing everything not once or twice but four times in a half dozen years …”
The Daily Observer, Pembroke, December 22, 2010


“defines Caswell as one of the determined, gritty, downright stubborn and scrappy pioneers who settled Northern Ontario in the early 20th century”
The Canadian Gazette, December 30, 2010

“The book is surrounded by legends from ancient times and Canadian history, but focuses on pioneer fire chief Ed Caswell … a metaphor for the community’s personality.”
The Timmins Daily, August 14, 2010


“An Ottawa historian and writer whose biographies of little known Canadians have been consistently fascinating and inspiring…”


Cochrane-Times Post April 1, 2010
Times-Post April 1, 2010

Other
“It was his strong initiative in approaching the Academy (of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, California) and in submitting nomination papers that revived this work which was done nearly 30 years earlier. Once we were nominated … Dick (Bourgeois-) Doyle again showed the initiative and imagination to approach the various media and to write material for press and television.”
Dr. Marceli Wein
Winner a 1997 Academy Award™ (Technical Achievement)
and a “Father of Canadian Computer Animation Technology”
December 1998

“Thanks to Dick (Bourgeois-) Doyle … (his) two stories celebrating the internationally recognized achievements of George Klein and Elsie MacGill have … greatly assisted in making “ Visionaries: Canadian Triumphs” … a proud production generating unprecedented heritage awareness.”
Charles J. Humber
Publisher - Heirloom Publishing
March 25, 1998


“Mr. (Bourgeois-) Doyle is perhaps the “World’s Best Daydreamer” because he not only comes up with many great ideas, he makes them reality … (his) enthusiasm and encouragement to promote scientific and engineering innovation … have been, without doubt, essential to the realization of these projects(the books Inventing Canada and Scientific Canadian) ... his book (George J. Klein) makes you proud to be a Canadian."
Roy Mayer
Author (Inventing Canada and Scientific Canadian)
Inventor of Eureka! The Game
and Winner of Success Magazine’s (New York)
1993 Breakthrough Ideas Contest