(Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1972 dj with rare inscription by McLuhan; jacket design: Ken Braren)
(left: the popular 1967 Bantam pb, co-ordinated by Jerome Agel; right: the 1967 Columbia LP version, co-ordinated by Agel, produced by John Simon; cover: Sandy Speiser, Columbia Records Photo Studio–both recommended for McLuhan fans)
(recommended for anyone trying to understand McLuhan’s ideas; 2003 NFB DVD Collector’s Ed.; design: Trace Pictures; very well-done)
Prominent internationally-renowned media expert (Herbert) Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980) was born in Edmonton and his childhood home has been recently restored and reopened to the public. McLuhan was educated at U of MB and Cambridge, going on to teach at U of T. where he became Director of the U of T Centre for Culture and Technology in 1963.
Author of the GG-winning Gutenberg Galaxy, he early on established himself as a popular and significant guru, oft-quoted on such sixties TV shows as Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In and memorably featured in a literal walk-on in Woody Allen’s comedy classic Annie Hall. He also wrote Understanding Media and in 1970 was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.
McLuhan was ahead of his time predicting such phenomena as the Global Village and leaving us with many famous quotes such as “The medium is the message” and “The medium is the massage”. He and Northrop Frye were Canada’s two outstanding superstar critics.