About the Author

André John Haddad was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1948. His great-grandparents immigrated to Canada from Lebanon in the late 1800s, fleeing the terror and violence plaguing their homeland, and adopting Quebec as their new home. The stories he heard throughout his childhood about “the Old Country” stayed with him and, not surprisingly, informed his desire to learn about the Middle East.

His parents, both second-generation Canadians, made their living in the garment industry. In the late 1950s, that segment of the economy was vibrant and usually appealed to ambitious young men and women willing to work long and hard. 

As a third-generation Canadian, and like many boomers of his age, he chose not to follow in his parents’ footsteps; instead, he dreamed of becoming a professional, of making a living with his mind.

In college, he was introduced to Psychology, and that inspired him to continue his studies, despite his dyslexia. In 1973, he graduated from university as an industrial psychologist. His career led him to become a management consultant and in 2002 he began to write professional papers exclusively for his clients. It was while on assignment abroad that he started to write his first novel, The Jerusalem Cycle.

After more than forty years of experience, André John is now a senior consultant, helping organizations change fundamental aspects of their business. His client base spans the Americas, Europe and Asia. And while he has travelled extensively for his work, he has yet to visit Lebanon. 

If you ask how he got the idea for the book, he will reply that he woke up one morning with the complete storyline in his mind. When the idea had evolved into a partially completed manuscript, as part of his research into the Middle East, he interviewed a former ambassador to Israel. He asked him if he thought he would see peace in the Middle East in his lifetime. Although the ambassador couldn’t or wouldn’t answer his question at first, in the end he did, albeit reluctantly. The answer was staggering. The ambassador was surprised and terrified at his own response. Right then and there, André John knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he had a story worth telling. 

André John Haddad shares his life with his wife of many years and divides his time between homes in Montréal and Ste-Adèle.