In praise of Weintraub

Re: A shrewd eye for unconscious comedy; the life and times of William Weintraub, Robert Fulford, Nov. 14

Willian Weintraub was a good humorist, but unlike so many humorists who are cantankerous and curmudgeonly when off- duty, Weintraub was also a man of good humour. He was a happy warrior who put a smile on the face of the angriest angryphone while mercilessly documenting the plight of the English- speaking community at the close of the past century. His gift to us was the humour that allows hope to flourish long after the case for optimism is closed.

I remember him saying years ago in conversation that he hoped to live as long as his father, who died at 93. He almost succeeded, and he probably exceeded his own expectations for the longevity of his work. An understanding of English Quebec is necessarily incomplete if it neglects the books and films of William Weintraub.

Howard Greenfield, Montreal