Miracle at the Forks: The Museum That Dares Make a Difference

On July 18, 2000, Israel "Izzy" Asper, the renowned Canadian businessman and philanthropist, first discussed his idea of building a human rights center in Winnipeg. He wanted to educate visitors about human rights issues and make the world a more humane place. Filled with full-color photography and exquisitely designed, Miracle at the Forks recounts the 14-year ordeal of making Izzy Asper’s dream a reality. It recounts the financial and political challenges of building a world class museum in Winnipeg, an objective that was made all the more difficult by Asper’s death six months after the public unveiling of museum's plans. It is a story of passion and sheer will, about Moe Levy’s determination to see Asper’s grand idea come true, of Gail Asper’s fortitude and unflagging drive to make sure her father’s most cherished project became real, and of the countless others who lobbied, donated money, volunteered time, and fought to make the museum happen.

Acclaimed writers Peter C. Newman and Allan Levine also tell the story of the international competition to find an architect to design the building, and of Antoine Predock, one of the finest architects in the world who dared build an audacious museum.

Peter C. Newman is one of Canada’s most successful and honored writers. He has been editor in chief of the country’s largest newspaper, The Toronto Star, and most influential magazine, Maclean’s. The recipient of a dozen of North America’s most coveted literary and journalism prizes, his twenty-six books have sold more than two-and-a-half million copies. His chronicle of the Diefenbaker years, Renegade in Power, was hailed as a breakthrough in Canadian political reportage, as was his monumental, four-volume The Canadian Establishment, which became the country’s all-time nonfiction bestseller. Newman is a Companion of the Order of Canada, and has co-authored television documentaries which have won the CBC’s Wilderness Medal, several ACTRA prizes, and the prestigious Michener Award for Journalism.

Allan Levine is an award-winning author and historian who has written eleven books, including King, the critically acclaimed biography of Mackenzie King that won the Alexander Kennedy Isbister Award for Non-Fiction. A diverse author who moves easily between popular nonfiction and fiction, he has written four historical mysteries. His first mystery, The Blood Libel, won the Margaret McWilliams Medal for Best Historical Fiction and was nominated for the Chapters/Books in Canada First Novel Award and the Arthur Ellis First Mystery Novel Award. His next book, Toronto: A Life and Times, will be published in the fall of 2014. He lives in Winnipeg.