In High Places

"In High Places" is a 1960 novel written by Arthur Hailey, who is better known through his other books like "The Evening News" and "Airport". The novel plot revolves around the Prime Minister of Canada, James McCullum Howden and essentially discusses in detail the life at the top of the government.

Plot summary

The novel is set at the time of peak of the Cold war. Though no specific year is mentioned throughout the novel, a tentative year can be formulated since reference to a nuclear war 'within a year' is made throughout the novel.

Prime Minister of Canada, James McCullum Howden and his wife Elizabeth Howden have a good relationship in spite of the former being unable to allocate enough time for his wife. Mr. Howden is a highly workaholic man, a man who believes he needs to be there at the helm to carry Canada through the nuclear war into a better future. He is aided ably by his ministers, Arthur Lexington and Stuart Carsson, all of whom realise his importance and take his side at crucial times. The party director Brian Richardson also likes the Prime Minister and they share a good mutual relationship.