Alexander Herman, Paul Matthews, and Andrew Feindel had recently graduated from university and weren’t sure what to do with their lives. Then they had an idea. Over the next two years, they interviewed over 70 well-known Canadians in a variety of fields and asked how each had kickstarted their own careers. The stories they heard were not always what they expected. But each one proved insightful - and inspiring.

Kickstart presents these stories in the participants' own words – everyone from visionary entrepreneur Jim Pattison and groundbreaking astronaut Roberta Bondar to ballerina Karen Kain and cartoonist Lynn Johnston; from Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin and former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to heroic humanitarian James Orbinski and adventure journalist Patrick Morrow.

Peruse the chapter excerpts, pick up the book, and continue the discussion on our blog, or by checking out our Resources section. There, teachers can see how to bring Kickstart into their classrooms. It's our hope that the Kickstart Project will inspire greater debate about what it will take for a new generation to push Canada to the forefront of the 21st century.