Book ~ "The Cold Hard Truth On Men, Women and Money" (2012) Kevin O'Leary

From Goodreads ~ Getting a handle on finances can be challenging at any age. Whether you're a parent struggling to explain savings to your children, a newly engaged couple considering joint bank accounts, or a baby boomer entering retirement, Kevin O'Leary has advice to help you make and keep more money. 

As a lead Dragon of CBC's Dragons' Den and ABC's Shark Tank, Kevin's success with money management and in business is legendary. But he's made mistakes along the way, too, and he's writing this book so others - like his son and daughter - can benefit from his experiences. Each chapter is geared to a specific age or stage in life. You'll find real-life examples of common money mistakes (and strategies for avoiding them), "Cold Hard Truth" quizzes and charts aimed at boosting your Wallet Wisdom, and tips and tricks for making more money and growing it faster to achieve financial freedom. 

I work in the retirement planning industry plus I'm a fan of Dragons' Den and Shark Tank ... so I thought it would be interesting to get O'Leary's thoughts on financial planning.  I conduct one-on-ones in addition to seminars and it's amazing the amount of people I talk with who don't have a clue how they should be planning for their retirement or assume that though they have very little savings, they will be able to retirement early and live well. This book would be a big help to them.

The chapters include:

• Spend less, save well, invest often - money lessons he learned from his mother; figuring out your 90-day number; save your money, save your life; invest right, invest now; debt-free first
• Youth and money learning & earning, dating & mating - Kids and cash; the high cost of higher eduction; boomers and boomerangs:  when generations financially collide; young love and money
• Marriage, mortgage and children - marriage and money; house poor, house rich; cash in the cradle; avoiding money pits
• Midlife money matters & your financial legacy - midlife and money karma divorce, remarriage and gold diggers; debt, divesting and downsizing

Throughout the book, there are quizzes and tips (like ten ways for getting your adult kid out of your basement and five ways to minimize baby-spending madness).

I enjoyed this book and thought the author did an excellent job covering the different stages in life to make the reader more aware of the importance of saving early and investing appropriately, having the money conversation with someone when you start dating, renting versus buying a house, buying a new car versus leasing one, ensuring you have enough for your retirement before you start helping others financially, etc. 

I liked the writing style and thought it flowed well.  Since I watched the author on Dragons' Den and Shark Tank, I would hear "Uncle Kevin's" voice in his writing ... at times it was funny and sarcastic yet intolerant.  There were a few pictures throughout the book of him and his family throughout the years.

I'd recommend this book.  It is informative yet entertaining.

Book ~ "Expressive Photography: The Shutter Sisters' Guide to Shooting from the Heart" (2010) Karen Walrond, Jen Lemen, Sarah-Ji, Kate Inglis, Andrea Scher, Tracey Clark, Paige Balcer, Stephanie Roberts, Irene Nam and Maile Wilson

From Goodreads ~ For most photographers, the perfect shot is not the one which has the sharpest focus, the cleanest composition or the most balanced exposure. The perfect shot is the one that captures the personality of the subject, the character of a scene or the dynamic of the moment and this is the first book that explores different approaches to shooting with that aim in mind. 

The Shutter Sisters, an innovative partnership of ten photographers, have been sharing their expertise for years on a successful blog; this is their first book. 

Valuing the evocative and emotional, they show how to balance the technical craft of photography with the demands of the moment and the avoidance of cliché. With thematic chapters including Childhood, Togetherness and Solitude, Expressive Photography offers a wealth of ideas for the shooter who wants to move beyond dry technique. 

I have three cameras ... a Canon point-and-shoot that is usually in my purse, a Nikon D5100 DSLR along with some lenses, and a Nikon CoolPix (that's in between the two) that I use often. Needless to say, I take a lot of pictures.

I'm still an amateur and like reading photography books to see what professionals take pictures of and how they do it.

Shutter Sisters began in January 2008 as a collaborative photo blog - written for women, by women - which quickly grew into a trusted source of photographic inspiration. Shutter Sisters has, over the years, been cultivated by a handful of extraordinary women; storytellers who through images and words have helped build a warm, welcoming, and inclusive global community. Through this collaborative spirit, Shutter Sisters has gathered and connected women with a passion for photography, creating an authentic and true sisterhood that transcends even the expansive borders of the web.

This book had ten chapters with different focuses:

• Horizons
• Portraiture
• Nature
• Spaces
• Childhood
• Stillness
• Documentary
• Creatures
• Table
• Togetherness

In each chapter, there is an introduction, blog posts by a couple of the authors, approach, perspective, composition, lighting, details and processing.

The pictures for the most part were inspiring and helped me look at different ways to take photographs (angles, content, etc). Some of the pictures, though, looked like ones I've taken and trashed (not my style, I guess). I'm a fan of playing around with aperture and there were a lot of pictures with a shallow depth of field which I like. Though some photos had the details (shutter speed, aperture, ISO, etc.), it would have been nice if more did. So it's not a book if you are looking to learn how to technically take photos ... more to give you some creative ideas.

Book ~ "Secret Rage" (2012) Brent Pilkey

From Goodreads ~ A predator is stalking the streets of downtown Toronto. Haunted by a tortured past, he preys upon sex workers, leaving carnage in his wake. 

Officer Jack Warren and his partner, Jenny Alton, join with the Major Crime division to hunt down this dangerous madman. But when Jenny is targeted as the next victim, the chase becomes personal for Jack. A violent confrontation reveals horrifying secrets and Jack’s own bloody link to the monster.

Jack is a cop working in 51 Division in Toronto.  It's a rough area to work in because of the drugs and the prostitutes but he loves it.

Someone is brutally beating prostitutes and Jack, Jenny (his partner) and the rest of 51 Division are trying to find out who that is.  Plus to clean up the area and send out a message, Jenny poses as a prostitute so they can arrest the johns.

In the meantime, tension at home is increasing as Karen, Jack's wife, and her parents are pressuring Jack to quit 51 Division and the police force.  The only thing welcoming for Jack at home is his newly adopted dog, Justice.

This is the third book I've read by this author (it's the third in a series) and I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style ... it's written in third person perspective with the focus on wherever the action is taking place, not just from Jack's perspective.  As a head's up, there is violence, adult activity and a lot of swearing.

The author is a cop and had spent many years in 51 Division so writes from experience.  Even though the story is fiction, it was interesting to get the insight into the life of a cop, both on the job and at home. 

Jack could take the easy way out and quit his job to make his wife and in-laws happy but he doesn't because he's good at what he does and he wants to make the city a better place.  Karen seems totally unreasonable but I can see it from her perspective.  Yes, Jack was a cop when she married him but she doesn't want to get a call that he's been killed in the line of action.  Too bad she hadn't thought of that before she married him ... or too bad she thought she could change him once they were married.  Jack met Jenny when he transferred to 51 Division last year.  There has always been a spark between them but they've never acted on it because he's married, though unhappily.  It was nice to to know the supporting characters more in this book which made them more human ... like Jack's father-in-law's experience driving through 51 Division so he could see for himself the area that Jack takes care of every day. 

I'd recommend this book and look forward to reading others by this author.  

Book ~ "Savage Rage" (2011) Brent Pilkey

From Goodreads ~ Transferred to 53 Division - known as the “Sleepy Hollow of Toronto” - after the murder of his partner, officer Jack Warren yearns to return to 51 Division, where his former colleagues are busy pursuing a criminal mastermind. 

Randall Kayne has been committing violent, bloody crimes that are hitting close to home in 51 Division, yet he manages to stay just one step ahead of the police. 

Although Jack’s wife wants him to leave the force entirely, an old enemy soon drags him into the Kayne case against his will, forcing a confrontation with Kayne that only one of them can survive. 

Masterfully entering into the hearts and minds of the cops of 51 Division, the second book in this exciting series propels Jack Warren deeper into the dangers of underground Toronto. 

Jack is a young police officer in Toronto.  His wife didn't like him working in 51 Division so she pressured him to transfer to a less dangerous one.  He finds 53 Division extremely boring and jumps at the chance to return to 51 Division.  There's been a change there, though ... there is a new staff sergeant who is a huge pain for everyone.

Kayne is an ex-con who has been brutally beating up drug dealers to build up his reputation ... his signature is carving a "K" in his victims' foreheads.  He is convinced by a weaselly small-time thug that the ultimate would be to do the same to a cop ... and he has his eye on Jack.

Things are still tense at home between Jack and his wife, Karen.  She doesn't want him to be a cop anymore and is plotting with her mom, who is being unusually civil to Jack, to make that happen.

This is the second book I've read by this author (it's the second in a series) and I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style ... it's written in third person perspective with the focus on wherever the action is taking place (on Jack or on Jesse and Kayne).  I thought the pace moved along well.  The author is a cop and had spent many years in 51 Division so writes from experience.  Even though the story is fiction, it was interesting to get the insight into the life of a cop, both on the job and at home.  As a head's up, there is violence, adult activity and a lot of swearing.

I liked Jack.  He is driven to make the city a better place, especially if it involves protecting the rights of children and animals.  Some of his colleagues from the first book are back like his good friends, Manny, Paul and Jenny.

I'd recommend this book and look forward to reading others by this author. 

Book ~ "Lethal Rage" (2010) Brent Pilkey

From Goodreads ~ When an organized drug gang starts selling crack dyed black, Division 51 of the Toronto Police gets the brunt of the action and street cop Jack Warren and his partner face the ugly realities of crime in their city.

To gain experience, Jack, a young Toronto police officer, has recently transferred downtown to 51 Division, known for its drugs and prostitution.  A new crack (Black Crack) has been introduced by a drug dealer who is trying to take over the area.  It becomes the mission of the officers of 51 Division to find and stop him.

51 Division is a lot different than what Jack is used to but he's loving it!  His wife, Karen, and her parents, though, aren't.  Karen thinks 51 Division is too dangerous and wants Jack to transfer out of it.  Her parents have never made it a secret that they don't think Jack is good enough for their daughter.  Needless to say, this causes tension at home.

What attracted me to this book is that it's set in Toronto and makes no secret that it is.  As Jack and his fellow officers were racing around the east end of the downtown core, I knew exactly where they were.  Plus I like mysteries.

This is the first book I've read by this author (it's the first in a series) and I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style ... it's written in third person perspective with the focus on Jack.  I thought the pace moved along well.  The author is a cop and had spent many years in 51 Division so writes from experience.  Even though the story is fiction, it was interesting to get the insight into the life of a cop, both on the job and at home.  As a head's up, there is violence, adult activity and a lot of swearing.

I liked Jack.  Despite what his in-laws may think, he is intelligent and driven.  He enjoys being a cop and making the city a better place.  It was interesting to watch him evolve to become more hardened the longer he was in 51 Division.  There are officers who are supporting characters and despite their different personalities and quirks, most were hardworking and loyal to each other.

I'd recommend this book and look forward to reading others by this author.

Book ~ "Vengeance Road" (2009) Rick Mofina

From Goodreads ~ The murder of a broken-hearted woman and the chilling disappearance of her friend raise questions about their ties to a respected detective and lead to one journalist’s obsession to find the truth! 

The body of Bernice Hogan, a troubled young ex-nursing student with a tragic past, is found in a shallow grave near a forest creek. 

Jolene Peller, a single mom struggling to build a new life with her little boy, vanishes the night she tried to find Bernice. 

Hero cop, Karl Styebeck, is beloved by his community but privately police are uneasy with the answers he gives to protect the life - and the lie - he’s lived. 

The case haunts Jack Gannon, a gritty, blue-collar reporter whose sister ran away from their family years ago. Gannon risks more than his job to pursue the story behind Styebeck's dark secret, his link to the women and the mysterious big rig roaming America's loneliest highways on its descent into eternal darkness.

Jolene is a former hooker who has turned her life around and is moving to Florida to start a new life with her young son.  She tries one last time to convince her friend, Bernice, also a hooker to do the same.  But then Bernice is found dead and Jolene disappears, her bus ticket unused.

Jack Gannon is a reporter who had once had bright future.  He put his dreams on hold when his parents were killed in a car accident.  He missed his opportunity and is still a reporter for a newspaper in Buffalo.  He is investigating the murder of Bernice when he gets inside information that a hero cop named Styebeck is the killer and prints his story.  Refusing to reveal his sources or retract the story, Jack is fired.  Determined to find out what happened, Jack continues to investigate and uncovers some shocking information about Styebeck's past (which is interesting yet sordid).

This is the third book I've read by this author and I liked it.  I liked the writing style ... it was written in third person perspective with the focus bouncing around depending on what was going on.  Plus it goes back in time to give you some background (it's in italics so you know you've stepped into a different time period).  As a head's up, there are some F-bombs.

I liked Jack.  Despite being threatened with the loss of his job, he is honourable and trustworthy and doesn't give up his sources.   Jolene's mom trust hims and looks to him to find the truth when no one else would help her.  He seems to lead a lonely existence, though, because he has no friends, family, romantic interest or pets.

It is the first in the Jack Gannon series and I look forward to reading the others.

Book ~ "Six Seconds" (2009) Rick Mofina

From Goodreads ~ A vengeful woman who aches for her place in paradise ... 

In Iraq, an aid worker who lost her husband and child in a brutal attack saves the life of an American contractor. Believing he can help her avenge her family's deaths, she follows him back home to the United States. 

An anguished mother desperate to find her child ...

In California a soccer mom arrives to pick up her son from school, only to discover that her husband has taken their child and vanished without a trace.

A detective who needs to redeem himself ...

In the Rocky Mountains, an off-duty cop rescues a little girl from a raging river moments before she utters her final words in his arms. Haunted by failure, he launches an investigation that leads him to a Montana school where time is ticking down on an event that will rewrite history.

Three strangers entangled in a plot to change the world in only six seconds.

Samara is an aid worker in Iraq whose husband and son were killed in a brutal attack.  Brutalized and lost, she is taken in and shown how she can be with her family again in paradise.  Jake is a truck driver who takes a job in Iraq because he and his family need the money.  Samara saves him after his he has been kidnapped.  When Jake returns home to the States, he isn't the same.  Convinced his wife, Maggie, is cheating on him, he takes their son, Logan, and takes off to make a life with Samara who has followed Jake to the States.

Dan is a Canadian Mountie whose wife has just died.  While in the mountains grieving, he rescues a young girl in a river.  When she dies, he sets out to find out how her family died in an accident.  His investigation leads Dan to Maggie.

During all this, the Pope is planning on visiting a small town in Montana and the Secret Service are determined to do all they can to protect him.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I thought it was okay.  The terrorist plot was far-fetched but I just went with it.  I liked the writing style.  It was written in third person perspective with the focus bouncing around depending on what was going on.

I liked the characters. Dan is grieving over the death of his wife and solving the deaths of the family in the mountain gave him focus and a chance to redeem himself.  I felt for Maggie.  She was dealing with a husband who had a terrible experience in Iraq (though he never talked about it) while assuring her young son that everything was going to be okay ... until her husband kidnapped her son.  Despite the fact that no one would help her, she never gave up and kept looking.

I'd recommend this book if you are into stories about terrorists.

Book ~ "Falling Backwards" (2011) Jann Arden

From Goodreads ~ This long-time darling of the music industry and singer-songwriter of international renown will capture your heart - and keep you in stitches - with her powerful stories about coming of age as an artist and as a human being. 

 Jann's legions of fans are drawn to her sincerity, wit, humour and that infectious sparkle she brings to everything she does. Oh, and did we mention her sense of humour? Jann's natural comedic talents translate seamlessly into her writing, and her dedicated fans will delight in the details of this memoir--where there is no such thing as too much information. 

Readers will learn about how her brother used to steal her maxi pads to repurpose as GI Joe bunk beds and how she once got gum stuck in her hair so badly that when she woke up her head was glued to the pillow. But with the good times come the bad and Jann opens up about the darker side of her so-called prairie-perfect nuclear family and the first signs that her brother was a uniquely troubled young man. Jann's readable prose keeps the reader tuned in as she reminds us of the inestimable value of having a teacher who believes in you, wide-open spaces to play and be a child and a good mother. 

Though I like Jann Arden's music, I was drawn to read her book because of her appearances on the Rick Mercer Report.  I liked her interactions with Rick Mercer and she's seemed like a hoot.  I enjoyed this book and her personality comes through.

Jann tells her story of the family's beginnings in Calgary and her early years there.  The family moved outside Calgary to the country when she was young.  While initially devastated, she quickly adapted by becoming friends with Leonard and Dale who taught her how to shoot a gun and a bow and arrow and they would take rides around the countryside on Snoopy, their big horse.

She tells of trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life.  She realized that she wanted to be a singer and moved to Vancouver to make that happen.  Except it didn't and she ended up working a variety of jobs including busking in a touristy part of Vancouver and on a salmon fishing boat.  Miserable she moved back home a couple years later and eventually made the right connections and became the recording artist she is today.

I liked the writing style ... it was funny and sarcastic.  But it was also honest as she talks about her older brother's problems with the law, her father's alcoholism, the abuse she put herself through as she was trying to find herself, etc.

Jann and I were born the same year so I could relate to a lot of what she talked about.  Like Jann, we thought nothing of riding our bikes wherever we wanted and be gone all day, walking to school on our own, etc.  She tells the story of her mom making lunches for school.  She opened her thermos one day and there was a cooked wiener inside.  Because it had sat in hot water all morning, it was huge.  I can dig it as my mother did that when I was a kid too ... I thought I was the only one!  My mother would also wrap up a bun or a piece of bread with ketchup and mustard to make it a hot dog ... except the ketchup and mustard became glue and I wouldn't be able to pry it apart so I'd eat them separately.

Book ~ "Canada's Slow Cooker Winners: 300 Easy and Satisfying Recipes" (2010) Donna-Marie Pye

From Goodreads ~ Slow cooking is the perfect mealtime solution for anyone who wants to enjoy delicious food with a minimum of effort. The premise is simple: 

• Assemble and prepare the ingredients at your convenience, either the night before or earlier in the day 
• Place the ingredients in the slow cooker 
• Turn on the appliance and let the food cook unattended 

All of the recipes are easy and convenient to prepare yet provide incredibly satisfying results. 

"Canada's Slow Cooker Winners" includes dozens and dozens of tips and techniques for slow-cooker success, as well as general kitchen counseling and serving suggestions. The "make ahead" advice helps make these easy recipes even more convenient. Each of these dishes will tantalize and inspire the busy home chef. 

We have a slow cooker and I like checking out different recipes for it.  I tend to use it more when the weather gets cooler for some reason.

The author starts with slow cooker know-how explaining the different parts of the slow cooker and essential tips (preparing what you can ahead of time, the cuts of meat to choose, using whole herbs and spices, etc.).  Then she helps you adapt conventional recipes and provides a list of ingredient essentials (canned diced tomatoes rather than whole, using large eggs, crumbled dried herbs rather than ground, etc.)

The recipes in this book sound delicious and include:

• Breakfast, breads and beverages
• Appetizers, dips and spreads
• Soups
• Stews
• Chilis and beans
• Vegetarian mains
• Seafood
• Poultry
• Beef and veal
• Pork and lamb
• Sides and grains
• Big-batch dinners for a crowd
• Meals for two
• Double-duty dinners
• Desserts

The instructions are easy to follow and I like that there are tips listed for all the recipes ... like putting onions in the freezer for a few minutes before you cut them so you won't cry or to get the most juice from a lime, let it warm to room temperature, then roll it on the counter, pressing down withe the palm of your hand, before squeezing it.  Plus there are lots of full-colour pictures ... here are a couple examples:

I received a copy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Book ~ "The Juicing Bible" (2011) Pat Crocker

From Goodreads ~ The first edition of "The Juicing Bible" won the 2000 International Cookbook Revue Award and has over 500,00 copies in print. It continues to be one of the bestselling juicing books in the marketplace. 

In response to consumer demand, we've decided to add more value to this comprehensive book with an additional 16 color photographs, which takes the total photographs up to 32. All the outstanding elements in this essential guide for anyone who wants to explore the wide-ranging nutritional and health benefits of juicing are still here: A market-leading 350 recipes - delicious fruit and vegetable juices, tonics, cleansers, digestives, teas, roughies, smoothies, milk and coffee substitutes and frozen treats. Information on the seven body systems, including their importance to good health along with diet and lifestyle changes that will keep each system working as well as it can. Details on 80 common health concerns, with recommendations on how to use natural foods to combat each condition. 128 illustrations of fruits, vegetables and herbs, plus information on their uses and healing properties, and advice on purchasing and storage.

Gord and I have a Nutribullet and we use it every day.  It also does a great job in pulverizing things and I've used it as a juicer so that's why this book caught my eye.

The chapters are:

• Introduction - benefits of juicing, benefits of pulping and juicing machines
• Healthy body systems - information on the seven major body systems as well as diet and lifestyle changes that will help keep these systems working as well as they can
• Health conditions - what to maximize and eliminate, healing foods and healing juices for a variety of conditions
• Healthy foods - fruits, veggies, herbs and other ingredients
• Recipes - juices with fruit and veggies, for healthy bodies, roughies and smoothies, specialty drinks and frozen treats

• Appendices which include food allergies, an elimination diet and herbs to avoid in pregnancy along with a glossary, a bibliography and sources.

There are many delicious recipes that I'd like to try.  There are lots of colourful pictures that make them irresistible!

If you have a juicer and you want some ideas, you'll want to get this book.

I received a copy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Book ~ "The Smoothies Bible" (2010) Pat Crocker

From Goodreads ~ Smoothies are a fast, easy and great-tasting way to achieve good health.

Home cooks can now introduce even more antioxidant fruits and vegetables into their daily routine. "The Smoothies Bible" makes it easy. More than 400 healthy smoothie recipes that include fruit smoothies like flu fighter #1 and berry bonanza to mango madness and nectar of the gods. Get a daily dose of vegetables with peppered beet, squash special, zippy tomato or gazpacho smoothies. More than 100 fully illustrated profiles of fruits, vegetables and herbs. 80 common health concerns matched with healing smoothies.

Gord and I have a Nutribullet and we use it every day for our morning smoothies ... I put almond milk, frozen berries, powdered greens, baby spinach, fish oil and protein powder in mine.

The chapters are:

• Introduction - types of smoothies, smoothies as part of a healthy diet, tips for making smoothies, benefits of smoothies and equipment
• Healthy body systems - features information on the seven major body systems as well as diet and lifestyle changes that will help keep these systems working as well as they can
• Health conditions - what to maximize and eliminate, healing foods and healing smoothies for a variety of conditions
• Healthy foods - fruits, veggies, herbs and other ingredients
• Recipes - smoothies with fruit, veggies, healing herbs, dairy, dairy alternatives, hot and frozen, and dessert and cocktails

• Endnotes - includes a glossary, bibliography, sources and appendices (food allergies and food combining)

There are a lot of delicious recipes that I'm going to try and the pictures make them even more tempting!

If you have a blender and you want some ideas for some healthy smoothies, you'll want to get this book.

I received a copy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review. 

Book ~ "Toronto Sketches 11: The Way We Were" (2012) Mike Filey

From Goodreads ~ Mike Filey's column "The Way We Were" first appeared in the Toronto Sunday Sun not long after the first edition of the paper hit the newsstands on September 16, 1973. 

Now, almost four decades later, Filey's column has enjoyed an uninterrupted stretch as one of the newspaper’s most widely read features.

Mike Filey had a column in the Toronto Sun for about 30 years and I read it for many years (I like learning about the history of Toronto) ... this book is a compilation of some of his columns.

In this book, we learn about Elmer the Safety Elephant, the birth of Toronto Island, Titanic survivor Arthur Peuchen, Sunnybrook, how Yonge Street and Royal York Road got their names, transit, Little Norway, origins of Canadian Tire, E.J. Lennox's battle with city hall, the fire on the Noronic, why there is a weird jog between College Street and Carlton Street and more.

In addition, he talks about Maple Leaf Gardens, which was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1931–1999. The Leafs won 11 Stanley Cups from 1932–1967 while playing there. It also hosted the Beatles, The Who and Elvis Presley in concert, wrestling, boxing, basketball and more before laying dormant for about ten years.

Loblaws bought the Gardens in 2004. They converted the arena into a Loblaws grocery store and Ryerson University built an athletic centre upstairs.  Gord and I visited it in 2012.


The end of aisle 25 is where centre ice was ... they've marked it with a red circle.
 

Me

Book ~ "Toronto Sketches 10: The Way We Were" (2010) Mike Filey

From Goodreads ~ Mike Filey's column "The Way We Were" first appeared in the Toronto Sunday Sun not long after the first edition of the paper hit the newsstands on September 16, 1973. 

Now, almost four decades later, Filey's column has enjoyed an uninterrupted stretch as one of the newspaper's most popular features.

Mike Filey had a column in the Toronto Sun for about 30 years and I read it for many years (I like learning about the history of Toronto) ... this book is a compilation of some of his columns.

In this book, we learn about motel alley on Lakeshore Blvd., how Teraulay Street became Bay Street, where Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run, ferries, Gibraltar Point Lighthouse (I've been in it!), Gooderham and Worts, Toronto's changing skyline and lots more.

He also talked about the Toronto Central Prison, which is in my 'hood.  It opened in 1873, when the area was still well away from any residential development. The prison was intended as an industrial facility and began with the manufacturing of railway cars for the Canada Car Company. Hard work and discipline were considered the best forms of rehabilitation and active industry would raise money for the prison. The prison should have flourished as an example of modern penal facility of its time but by the 1880s it had a well-deserved reputation for brutality.

Its first warden, William Stratton Prince, was an alcoholic ex-military officer who resigned as chief of the Toronto Police to take the position. During his tenure, he would be accused of ordering extreme beatings, denying medical treatment and supporting clandestine nighttime burials. Wardens that followed tried to adopt a less disciplinarian approach but the guards continued to brutalize the inmates.

In 1915, the prison was abandoned as changing attitudes toward crime and punishment led to a revamping of the province’s correctional system and replaced by the Ontario Reformatory in Guelph. For the next five years, the facility was used as an army base and a processing centre for new immigrants. In 1920, the main prison building was demolished and much of the land sold for use by the railroads. Remaining buildings ended up being used by Hobb's, Dr. Ballard's and finally by John Inglis and Company Limited until 1981. All that remains today is the Central Prison's Roman Catholic chapel (added to the main building in 1877) and the Paint Shop, which became part of the city’s inventory of heritage properties in 1985.

This chapel is one of only two buildings
remaining of the Toronto Central Prison

Even though the book was published in 2010, it was still an interesting book because it dealt with many historical events in Toronto. If you live in Toronto or are from Toronto, you should check it out.

Book ~ "Toronto Sketches 9: The Way We Were" (2006) Mike Filey

From Goodreads ~ Mike Filey's column "The Way We Were" first appeared in the Toronto Sunday Sun not long after the first edition of the paper hit the newsstands and front porches on September 16, 1973. Since that day more than three decades ago, Mike's column has enjoyed an uninterrupted stretch as one of the paper's most popular features. 

In 1992, a number of his columns were reprinted in "Toronto Sketches: The Way We Were" by Dundurn Press. Since then another seven volumes of Toronto Sketches have been published, each of which has attained great success both with Toronto book buyers and with former Torontonians wishing to relive an earlier, gentler time in the city's past.

Mike Filey had a column in the Toronto Sun for about 30 years and I read it for many years (I like learning about the history of Toronto) ... this book is a compilation of some of his columns.

In this book, we learn about the plans to connect the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to the city (tunnels, bridge, landfill and even a cable car), Summerhill train station (now a liquor store), subways and streetcars, fires, Maple Leaf Gardens (now a grocery store), gas stations and more.

He also talked about the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health, in our 'hood, which has changed since the book was written.

Throughout the years there have been numerous name changes - the Toronto Lunatic Asylum, the Provincial Lunatic Asylum, "999 Queen Street" and the Queen Street Mental Health Centre. The site was a Provincial Psychiatric Hospital operated by the Government of Ontario until 1998 when the Provincial Psychiatric Hospitals began to be transformed into public hospitals. In the last few years, there has been a redevelopment of the site, an integrated and mixed-use urban village.

John Howard's "Provincial Lunatic Asylum" in the 19th century

Late 1950s

June 2012

June 2012

June 2012

Even though the book was published in 2006, it was still an interesting book because it dealt with many historical events in Toronto. If you live in Toronto or are from Toronto, you should check it out.

Book ~ "Lady Parts" (2014) Andrea Martin

From Goodreads ~ Whether lighting up the small screen, stealing scenes on the big screen or starring on the stage, Andrea Martin has long entertained Canadians with her hilarious characterizations and heartwarming performances. An important player in SCTV, the funniest show ever to come out of Canada, Martin helped change the face of television by introducing us to a host of characters, including the indomitable Edith Prickley. Martin has worked stages, sets and even trapezes across North America, playing to houses packed with adoring fans, all of whom instantly recognize the star who has entertained us for nearly forty years. 

In Lady Parts, Martin, for the first time, shares her fondest remembrances of a life in show business, motherhood, relationships, no relationships, family, chimps in tutus, squirrels, and why she flies to Atlanta to get her hair cut. Martin opens up her heart in a series of eclectic, human, always entertaining and often moving essays. Lady Parts will make you giggle and may make you cry-a powerful collection of stories by a woman with a truly storied life.

Andrea Martin is a star of TV, movies and stage.  Though she was born in Maine, she has lived in Canada and now divides her time between the U.S. and Toronto.

She is the oldest of three of Armenian parents, who split up when she was young.  These are her stories ... of being married (and divorced) and a mom of two sons, dating, her mustang convertible (that was stolen at gun point!), her friends, getting haircuts by Pascal Besimon in Atlanta, her battles with bulimia, SCTV and more.

This was a fun book.  I found it interesting and I liked the writing style.  It was funny and honest.  Though she sounds a bit neurotic, I bet she'd be fun to hang with ... she sounds very caring.

Book ~ "Toronto: Biography of a City" (2014) Allan Levine

From Goodreads ~ With the same eye for character, anecdote and circumstance that made Peter Ackroyd’s "London" and Colin Jones’ "Paris" so successful, Levine’s captivating prose integrates the sights, sounds and feel of Toronto with a broad historical perspective, linking the city’s present with its past through themes such as politics, transportation, public health, ethnic diversity and sports. 

"Toronto" invites readers to discover the city’s lively spirit over four centuries and to wander purposefully through the city’s many unique neighborhoods, where they can encounter the striking and peculiar characters who have inhabited them: the powerful and powerless, the entrepreneurs and the entertainers, and the moral and the corrupt, all of whom have contributed to Toronto’s collective identity.

I've been living in Toronto almost 30 years and never tire of reading books about its history.

This book starts us off in the early 1600s with Étienne Brûlé, who may have been the first European to explore the Toronto area in 1615.  He had arrived in Quebec with Samuel de Champlain when he was about 16 as an indentured servant.  The book ends with the embarrassment that is our current (but thankfully soon-to-be-ex) mayor, Rob Ford.

The chapters are:

1. The Carrying Place
2. British Muddy York
3. The Rebellion
4. A City of Courage and Green
5. Hogtown the Good
6. The Ward
7. Toronto the Dull
8. Subways, Suburbia and Paesani
9. The Fastest-Growing City in North America
10. Jane's Disciples
11. This is Where it's at
12. Multiculturalism, Merger and Mel
13. Megacity Machinations (or Madness)

The book provides a lot of information about the people and happenings over the centuries.  I liked that the information was provided a high level yet there was just enough info provided.  With some things, I found that I was interested enough to Google to learn more. 

I liked the writing style.  I find that some historical books can be boring because they read like a text book ... this one didn't.  Sometimes the author seemed to get gossipy about whoever he was talking about and that was fun.

Some of the information was amusing.  For example, back in July 1855, an American circus was in town. Some clowns got liquored up and went to a brothel. Members of the volunteer fire brigade were also there. Nasty words were exchanged and the two groups started brawling. Drunk clowns and firemen fighting ... that would have been something to see!

It was appalling how racist Toronto was (I imagine most places were and unfortunately still are), especially against Jews, Blacks and Chinese.  Back in the 1930s, Velma, a white woman, was dating Harry, a Chinese guy. Because of that, she was sentenced to one year in a reformatory with thieves, prostitutes and vagrants. 


It's a substantial book (almost 500 pages) but I didn't find it dragged.  There is a section at the end of the book with a lot of pictures, plus another section with an extensive bibliography if you want to read more about a person or event.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it if you live in Toronto or if you want to learn more about our city.

Book ~ "Where I Belong" (2014) Alan Doyle

From Goodreads ~ Singer-songwriter and front man of the great Canadian band Great Big Sea, Alan Doyle is also a lyrical storyteller and a creative force. In "Where I Belong", Alan paints a vivid, raucous and heartwarming portrait of a curious young lad born into the small coastal fishing community of Petty Harbour, Newfoundland, and destined to become a renowned musician who carried the musical tradition of generations before him and brought his signature sound to the world. He tells of a childhood surrounded by larger-than-life characters who made an indelible impression on his music and work; of his first job on the wharf cutting out cod tongues for fishermen; of growing up in a family of five in a two-bedroom house with a beef-bucket as a toilet, yet lacking nothing; of learning at his father's knee how to sing the story of a song and learning from his mother how to simply "be good"; and finally, of how everything he ever learned as a kid prepared him for that pivotal moment when he became part of Great Big Sea and sailed away on what would be the greatest musical adventure of his life.

Filled with the lore and traditions of the East Coast and told in a voice that is at once captivating and refreshingly candid, this is a narrative journey about small-town life, curiosity and creative fulfillment, and finally, about leaving everything you know behind only to learn that no matter where you go, home will always be with you. 

I've been a fan of Great Big Sea over the years and have seen them many times in concerts.

I first discovered them in the mid 1990s when they were just starting out.  Sister Sarah, my friend, Leanne, and I had gone to the Exhibition Grounds here in Toronto for an east coast show (Sister Sarah and I are originally from Nova Scotia) and Leanne is from Vancouver (she moved back there in 1997).  Cape Breton fiddler Sandy McIntyre played in the beer garden before the show at the bandshell.

Leanne (with Sandy McIntyre fiddling on stage behind her) - mid 1990s

Leanne and I - mid 1990s

The Irish Descendants were headlining and Great Big Sea was opening for them.  We'd never heard of Great Big Sea and they were good!  And cute!  And yes, the Irish Descendants were good too.  Alas, I didn't take pictures of Sister Sarah or the show.

Alan Doyle was one of the members in Great Big Sea.  He seems like a nice guy and I was interested in reading his story.  I figured it would be a good one and it was.

Doyle tells of growing up in a small fishing village just outside of St. John's, NF.  His family (dad, mom and four kids) didn't have much but they didn't realize that because they had what everyone else had (or didn't have what others didn't have) ... they didn't even have a bathroom for many years.  Most of Petty Harbour is related to them somehow ... kinda cramps your style when you're looking for a girlfriend because most of the girls are either your cousin or Protestant.

We hear what it's like working on the wharfs when the fisherman would come in and his job was to cut the tongues from the codfish and try to sell them for pocket money.  Things improved when he got a job when he was 16 in St. John's in a museum as an interpreter.  Plus he started picking up gigs in bands, which eventually led to him meeting Séan McCann and forming Great Big Sea.

I liked the writing style ... I thought it was honest and humorous.  I bet Doyle would be a fun guy to sit and have a beer with.  The dialogue is great because it's written phonetically and I could hear Newfie accents when I read it.  At times, there is a bit of swearing.  Throughout the book there are pictures of when he was younger ... with his oversized glasses and peach fuzz moustache, he was stylin' (NOT!).  Ha!  His mom's bread sounds and looks amazing ... I haven't seen "double" bread since I left Nova Scotia.

This was a fun yet interesting book about an east coast Canadian who started with not a lot financially and has done well for himself.  I'd recommend this book.

Update:  The author was recently at the reference library talking about his book and Gord and I went.  Nice guy!

Book ~ "You Have the Keys, Now Drive: 10 Essential Steps to Get Unstuck and Live a Happier Life" (2014) Danny Stone

From Goodreads ~ Danny Stone, an experienced Life Coach, shows you how to take control of your life by providing you with a 10 step program to help you get unstuck and live a happier, more fulfilling life. Whether you are feeling stuck in your job, your relationship, want more financial success, or desire more happiness and fulfillment, this book will help you achieve what you want. 

In this book you will discover: 

• How to identify where you are stuck and how to move forward 
• The importance of taking time for self-reflection to provide clarity and space to make major life decisions 
• How to shift your perspective to help you get unstuck and create lasting change 
• How to replace negative self-talk with positive mantras.

This book helps you take control of your life and get yourself out of the "mud".  Regardless of how awesome you think your life is, we could all be happier.  That's why I like reading books like this.

"You were born to be great.  You were born to live your passion, live your dreams, have success and develop strong relationships."   Danny Stone

I liked the writing style.  I found it conversational ... it was as if the author was sitting and talking with me.  I liked that he told stories from his own life ... such as growing up in a low-income neighbourhood in eastern Canada, the impact his grandmother had on him, moving to Toronto, etc.  For me, it demonstrated his honesty and sincerity ... that he has written this book to share his experience and knowledge to help others, rather than just writing to make money.

At the end of every chapter, there is a "Try It Out" ... an exercise to put into practice what the chapter had discussed.  In the appendix, there are worksheets to support the chapters ... such as the Wheel of Life Worksheet, which let you know which area(s) of your life you need to focus on (career, money, health, family and friends, etc.), the Life Decisions Worksheet, which helps you when you are struggling to make an important decision, and more.

Click here to check out the first chapter.

I received a copy of this ebook at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Book ~ "Montreal: Street Photography" (2014) Debra Schoenberger

From Goodreads ~ Montreal as seen through the eyes of a street photographer. 

These unusual images show Montreal and Montrealers from an entirely different perspective. Debra Schoenberger aka "girl with camera" has lived in Montreal since 1979.

The company I work for has its head office in Montreal so I go there a couple times a year.  Plus I like taking pictures.  So I was curious to see what Montreal looked like through the eyes of a photographer.

The pictures are not your usual touristy shots ... here are some samples of the author's work:

mirror, mirror on the bus

passenger on bus 165 one wintery evening

park extension at night - laundramat

You should check out this book if you want to see Montreal through different eyes.

Book ~ "Toronto Sketches 7: The Way We Were" (2003) Mike Filey

From Goodreads ~ Mike Filey is back again with another installment in the popular Toronto Sketches series. Mike's nostalgic look at the city's past combines legend, personal anecdotes, and photographs to chronicle the life of an ever-changing city.

Among the stories in this volume, Mike looks back to the introduction of the "horseless carriage." He laments the loss of great movie houses of the past - the University, Shea's Hippodrome, the Tivoli - and applauds those looking to save the Eglinton Theatre, and he tells the history of the King Edward Hotel as it enters its 100th year.

"Toronto Sketches 7" is a valuable addition to the collection of any fan of Toronto history.

Mike Filey had a column in the Toronto Sun for about 30 years and I read it for many years (I like learning about the history of Toronto) ... this book is a compilation of some of his columns.

In this book, we learn about the roundhouse (Steam Whistle Brewing is there now is), the Pier (once a museum, now Amsterdam Brewhouse), Hotel Spadina (a backpackers hostel which recently was closed down and sold), Mount Pleasant Cemetery, old City Hall, how Harvey's got its name, and more.

There was an interesting story about the smallest house in Toronto.  It's at 128 Day Avenue (in the Rogers Road/Dufferin Street area).  It was built in 1912 by contractor Arthur Weeden and is only about 7′ wide, 47′ deep, with a total of less than 300 square feet of living space inside.

During the street's development, Lot 128 was conceived as a laneway for the neighbouring home. The curb was never cut by the City to allow vehicular passage from the street. Observing this, Arthur decided that "in order to use the land, I would build on it" (Weeden, Toronto Sun Telegram, 1939). After completing the laneway house, he and his wife lived in it for 20 years. After his wife passed away, Mr. Weeden, 77 years of age at the time of the Sun Telegram article, lived in the house for 6 more years, during which time he tended to the vegetable garden in the rear of the house, growing tomatoes, cabbages, Swiss chard, rhubarb and some flowers.

Here it is with Weeden sitting on the porch in 1939:

Here it is today.

In 2010, it was on the market and the owners asked $180,000.

Even though the book was published in 2003, it was still an interesting book because it dealt with many historical events in Toronto. If you live in Toronto or are from Toronto, you should check it out.