Lawrence Martin

Geographer, born in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, USA. He specialized in physiography prior to World War 1, teaching at the University of Wisconsin (1906–19), then turned his attention to political and historical geography. In 1924–46 he was chief of the division of maps in the Library of Congress. His knowledge of the history of cartography and Antarctic exploration was remarkable for its thoroughness.

Lawrence Martin is a Canadian journalist and author best known for his two volume biography of Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien.

Martin has spent many years at the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail where he began as a sports reporter in 1974.

Now living in Ottawa and a columnist for Globe and Mail, Martin also writes an occasional column for the Quebec daily La Presse and appears frequently on Canadian television and radio as a political commentator.

Much of Martin's efforts in recent years have focused on writing biographies about leading contemporary political Canadian figures. Martin has written ten books during his career including a biography of Canadian hockey player Mario Lemieux.

He wrote a controversial biography of Quebec sovereignist leader Lucien Bouchard which was followed by his books on the life and career of Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien.