"In 1968, Canadians took a chance on a new kind of politician. Pierre Trudeau became the leader of the Liberal Party and within two months was prime minister of Canada. His meteoric rise to power was driven by Trudeaumania, a phenomenon that generated the same media hype, sexual sizzle, and adoring crowds as Beatlemania. This book examines the origins, dynamics, and enduring significance of Trudeaumania, attributing it to the rise 1960s radicalism, nationalist aspirations, and modern mass media. Far from being a sixties crazy moment, it was an exercise in national identity formation that would define the values of Canadians for decades to come."--