It's big news that Doug Ford and his late brother Rob have a book - Ford Nation: Two Brothers, One Vision—The True Story of the People’s Mayor -- hitting the shelves in November.

HarperCollins, a major publisher, is promoting it as the real story behind the Fords' “tumultuous” years at Toronto city hall.

“Following his death on March 22, 2016, it became apparent just how many lives Rob Ford had touched," said Jim Gifford, HarperCollins editorial director of non-fiction, in a news release. "The outpouring of support, when people lined up for hours at city hall to pay their respects to a man they admired, was touching and illuminating. Unfortunately Rob became gravely ill while we were working on the book, and he insisted we finish what we started, drawing on a number of sources. We are looking forward to bringing this remarkable story to the legions of Ford supporters.”

Doug Ford warned at a news conference that the Gifford-helmed account will scorch the Fords' critics. “There’s no one that’s going to be untouched,” he told reporters Tuesday, singling out targets including the “lying Toronto Star."

Gifford might be a Ford fan now but, according to his Twitter feed, he was, not so long ago, a Ford critic. A recent scrollback revealed almost a dozen posts referencing one or both Fords in unflattering, sometimes caustic terms, including a demand that Rob Ford quit as mayor.



"Why are the idiot Ford brothers trending again," he tweeted on June 25, 2014. "Just shut up already."

That day a poll showed Rob Ford gaining on Olivia Chow in his comeback bid for the mayoral campaign. Months later, cancer forced him to bow out and his brother took his place, eventually finishing second to John Tory.

On May 30, 2013, near the start of the crack scandal, Rob Ford tweeted: "The important work of my office carries on. Calls are being returned and emails are being responded to. #RespectForTaxpayers #TOpoli"

Gifford tweeted back to him: "@TOMayorFord: I am a taxpayer. Please resign."

In November 2012 as Rob Ford faced possible removal of office over an alleged conflict of interest, Gifford tweeted: "Anyone else hoping Rob Ford gets booted out of office tomorrow? Would be happy if he couldn't be at the Argos victory parade."

His postings about the Fords started before Rob was elected mayor. On Sept. 11, 2010, six weeks before Ford's big win, Gifford tweeted: "This would be the best time to go to Rob Ford's house. With a bullhorn." Ford had just released his transportation platform, vowing to cancel the Transit City light-rail plan in favour of subways and to tear out streetcar lines.

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Another tweet appeared to call Rob Ford "useless" and his mayoralty an "embarrassment."

Gifford replied to the Star's request for comment: "The comments were made years before I met the Fords. They have a complex and compelling story to tell."

A short time after the Star reached out many of the Ford-related tweets, including the "idiot Ford brothers" one, began disappearing.