F T Flahiff first met Sheila Watson when they were both graduate students in Marshall McLuhan's graduate seminar at the University of Toronto. Toronto became Flahiff's permanent home where he taught at St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto until his retirement in 1999.

"Sheila Watson entrusted Fred Flahiff with her 'life,' and he proves worthy of the trust. We have a double treat here: at last we get to read Watson's Paris journal of 1955, and Flahiff's responsible account of her time on earth. She made the right choice when she sent him her letters and journals and manuscripts. Sheila Watson's writing is immeasurably important to our culture, and a challenge to anyone who would try to place it in that context. This is a book we have needed on our shelves." -- George Bowering. "