Book ~ "Massey Hall" (2021) David McPherson

From Goodreads ~ Known for its intimacy and sense of occasion, a night at Toronto’s Massey Hall is magical for both audiences and performers. For many musicians, playing the hall is the surest sign that they have made it. Looking out over the crowd, performers often comment that they feel they have joined history as they stand on the stage where Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, and so many other legends have stood.

Based on scores of interviews and meticulous research, "Massey Hall" chronicles not only the historical and musical moments of the past 127 years but also the community of artists and supporters that has built up around the hall. Covering both emerging artists such as Shakura S’Aida and William Prince and musical giants from Herbie Hancock to the Tragically Hip, this full-colour book is a celebration of music, community, and our shared cultural heritage.

Massey Hall is a performing arts theatre in downtown Toronto ... I've been to many concerts there so was interested to learn more about it.  Plus I like to learn about history.

Opening in 1894, Hart Massey wanted to build a music hall in order to fill the need for a meeting place where people from the Toronto area could meet and enjoy choral music not of a religious theme. He also wanted to construct the building in memory of his son, Charles, who loved music.  Massey also did not want the music hall to make large profits ... he wanted both rich and poor to attend events.  It closed in July 2018 for a two-year-long renovation including a new seven-storey addition and two smaller concert rooms and recently reopened.

The book covers a lot of information:

1. The House that Hart Built
2. The Early Years:  Opening Night to the Great Depression
3. The Jazz Age and Beyond
4. For Folk's Sake:  The 1960s
5. Let There Be Rock:  The 1970s
6. The 1980s
7. Canadians Take Centre Stage:  The 1990s
8. The New Millennium
9. The House of Gord - focusing on Gordon Lightfoot
10. Last Call at the Hall
11. Revitalization
12. Artist Development and Outreach
13. Legendary Leaders
14. A Beacon of Hope

There were many pictures and it was interesting to see how styles and tastes had changed over the years.  It was entertaining to hear stories about Massey Hall, especially from performers.

Book ~ "Missing from the Village: The Story of Serial Killer Bruce McArthur, the Search for Justice, and the System That Failed Toronto's Queer Community" (2020) Justin Ling

From Goodreads ~ The tragic and resonant story of the disappearance of eight men - the victims of serial killer Bruce McArthur - from Toronto's queer community and the failures of the social and political systems which allowed the cases to go unsolved for so long.

In 2013, the Toronto Police Service announced that the disappearances of three missing men - Skandaraj Navaratnam, Abdulbasir Faizi, and Majeed Kayhan - from Toronto's gay village were, perhaps, linked. On paper, an investigation continued for a year but remained "open but suspended." By 2015, investigative journalist Justin Ling had begun to put in multiple requests to speak to the investigators on the case. Meanwhile, more men would go missing and police would continue to deny that there might be a serial killer. On January 18, 2018, Bruce McArthur, a landscaper, would be charged with three counts of first-degree murder. In February 2019, he was convicted of eight counts of first-degree murder. 

This extraordinary book tells the complete story of the McArthur murders. Based on more than five years of in-depth reporting, this is also a story of police failure, of how the gay community failed its own, and the story of the eight men who went missing and the lives they left behind. In telling that story, Justin Ling uncovers the latent homophobia and racism that kept this case unsolved and unseen. This gripping book reveals how police agencies across the country fail to treat missing persons cases seriously, and how policies and laws, written at every level of government, pushed McArthur's victims out of the light and into the shadows. 

I like reading true stories and this one was especially interesting to me since it happened in Toronto not that long ago.  

Starting in 2013, men who frequented Toronto's gay village started disappearing ... some of the men were openly gay while others had families in the suburbs leading double lives.  At first the police didn't think the disappearances were connected.  As soon as Bruce McArthur landed on their radar around the beginning of 2018, the pieces started to fall into place.  McArthur was a 66-year-old landscaper who had been married and had two children before separating from his wife in 1997.  He knew the men, meeting them in gay bars or online.  The police found remnants of his victims in planters at his clients' sites.  He was sentenced to life imprisonment with no parole eligibility for 25 years.

It was interesting to get the scoop on this story.  I liked the writing style ... I found it was written at a high level and there was enough information given.  The author also provided information on what else was going on at the time (other murders, missing people, crimes, etc.).  I found the author went on rants at times expressing his own opinion rather than being unbiased but it's his book and he can write what he wants, right?  But it was obvious he had put a lot of time and effort into researching this book and it was near and dear to his heart since he was a journalist and a gay man.

Book ~ "Talking to Canadians: A Memoir" (2021) Rick Mercer

From Goodreads ~ Canada’s beloved comic genius tells his own story for the first time.

What is Rick Mercer going to do now? That was the question on everyone’s lips when the beloved comedian retired his hugely successful TV show after 15 seasons - and at the peak of its popularity. The answer came not long after, when he roared back in a new role as stand-up-comedian, playing to sold-out houses wherever he appeared.

And then Covid-19 struck. And his legions of fans began asking again: What is Rick Mercer going to do now? Well, for one thing, he’s been writing a comic masterpiece. For the first time, this most private of public figures has turned the spotlight on himself, in a memoir that’s as revealing as it is hilarious. In riveting anecdotal style, Rick charts his rise from highly unpromising schoolboy (in his reports “the word ‘disappointment’ appeared a fair bit”) to the heights of TV fame. Along the way came an amazing break when, not long out of his teens, his one-man show "Show Me the Button, I’ll Push It. Or, Charles Lynch Must Die", became an overnight sensation - thanks in part to a bizarre ambush by its target, Charles Lynch himself. That’s one story you won’t soon forget, and this book is full of them.

There’s a tale of how little Rick helped himself to a tree from the neighbours’ garden that’s set to become a new Christmas classic. There’s Rick the aspiring actor, braving “the scariest thing I have ever done in my life” by performing with the Newfoundland Shakespeare Company; unforgettable scenes with politicians of every variety, from Jean Chretien to George W. Bush to Stockwell Day; and a wealth of behind-the-scenes revelations about the origins and making of "This Hour Has 22 Minutes", "Made in Canada", and "Talking to Americans". All leading of course to the greenlighting of that mega-hit, "Rick Mercer Report".

It’s a life so packed with incident (did we mention Bosnia and Kabul?) and laughter we can only hope that a future answer to “What is Rick Mercer going to do now?” is: “Write volume two.”

I like reading bios/autobios and I like Rick Mercer and that's why I read this book.

Rick Mercer was born 50+ years ago in St. John's, Newfoundland and these are his stories of his family, friends, career and spouse.  

School wasn't his thing but once he discovered entertaining, he knew it was what he wanted to do.  After being part of some groups, he hit it big with a one-man show with the name of a journalist in the title ... and it caught the attention of the journalist who staged mock confrontations, which publicized it even more.  From there he went on to create and be a part of This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Made in Canada.  He tells of heading to the U.S. for Talking to Americans segments and was amazed at how much the Americans really don't know much about Canada.  It was interesting to read about his experiences with the members of our Armed Forces.  The book ends just before The Rick Mercer Report.

I liked the writing style.  It was honest and amusing at times ... I could "hear" Rick's voice in the writing.

Book ~ "Peace by Chocolate" (2020) Jon Tattrie

From Goodreads ~ Tareq Hadhad was worried about his father: Isam did not know what to do with his life. Before the war began in Syria, Isam had run a chocolate company for over twenty years. But that life was gone now. The factory was destroyed and he and his family had spent three years in limbo as refugees before coming to Canada. So, in an unfamiliar kitchen in a small town, Isam began to make chocolate again.

This remarkable book tells the extraordinary story of the Hadhad family - Isam, his wife Shahnaz, and their sons and daughters - and the founding of the chocolatier, Peace by Chocolate. From the devastation of the Syrian civil war, through their life as refugees in Lebanon, to their arrival in a small town in Atlantic Canada, Peace by Chocolate is the story of one family. It is also the story of the people of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and so many towns across Canada, who welcomed strangers and helped them face the challenges of settling in an unfamiliar land. 

The Hadhad family lived in war torn Syria.  Patriarch Isam had started a chocolate factory when he was a young man and grew it into a beloved business for over 20 years.  The building was bombed as was their home so the family fled to Lebanon to be safe.  From there, for the next three years they tried to figure out what to do next.  An opportunity arose to head to Canada.

In the meantime, the residents of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, wanted to help the refugees of Syria and started raising money so they could bring families to Antigonish and help them get a fresh start.  The Hadhad family was one of the families that benefited from their help.  In 2016, Tareq was the first of the Hadhad children to arrive in Antigonish.  The rest of his family eventually got permission to join him and start a new life.

Isam had lost so much and it took a while to get his groove back.  He started making chocolates in their kitchen and giving them out to show his appreciation.  This led to him selling chocolates at farmers' markets and eventually he started and Tareq his business again, which they called Peace by Chocolate.  The business is now one of the larger employers in the area and Tareq has become an international spokesperson of peace.

I went to university in Antigonish and lived there for four years afterwards (I moved to Toronto in 1987) so this story was a bit more near and dear to my heart.  I loved that the residents of Antigonish banded to together to help families that were so different from them but needed help.

I liked the writing style ... the author kept it high level but the heartfelt emotions still came through.  It's so nice to see a family that had so much and then lost it has been able to get back on their feet again and help and be appreciative of their new community.

Book ~ "My Best Mistake: Epic Fails and Silver Linings (2021) Terry O'Reilly

From Goodreads ~ The Incredible Hulk was originally supposed to be grey but a printing glitch led to the superhero’s iconic green colour. NHL hall-of-famer Serge Savard’s hockey career nearly ended prematurely, not because of an injury, but because of an oversight. And the invention of a beloved treat, the Popsicle, began with a simple mistake.

In his fascinating and meticulously researched new book, Terry O’Reilly recounts how some of the biggest breakthroughs and best-loved products originated with a mistake. Some people’s “mistakes” led to dramatic life changes - losing their jobs, their companies and often their credibility - only for them to discover new opportunities on the other shore. Other people’s mistakes seemed minor, almost insignificant - until they led to a famous brand, a legendary band or a groundbreaking work of art. And in a few instances, a mistake actually saved lives.

The fear of failing often holds us back. "My Best Mistake" will change how you think about screwing up and will encourage you to accept mistakes and embrace the obstacles that may arise from these errors, leading you to unexpected breakthroughs and silver linings of your own.

I saw an interview on TV a couple weeks ago with Terry O'Reilly and he was talking about this book.  It sounded interesting so I thought I'd check it out ... and it was.

The stories were varied and included those about Billy Joel, Rob Lowe, Ellen DeGeneres, Seth MacFarlane, Steve Jobs, Swanson's TV Dinners, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Jaws, Scotty Bowman, Ski-Doos, Bill Maher, the Dixie Chicks, Popsicles and more.

I liked the writing style.  It was written at a high level and gave me just enough information.

Book ~ "Hana Khan Carries On" (2021) Uzma Jalaluddin

From Goodreads ~ Hana Khan's family-run halal restaurant is on its last legs. So when a flashy competitor gets ready to open nearby, bringing their inevitable closure even closer, she turns to her anonymously-hosted podcast, and her lively and long-lasting relationship with one of her listeners, for advice. 

But a hate-motivated attack on their neighbourhood complicates the situation further, as does Hana's growing attraction for Aydin, the young owner of the rival business. Who might not be a complete stranger after all.

Hana's mother has been running a halal restaurant in the close-knit Golden Crescent neighbourhood in Toronto's east end for 15 years.  Hana's sister and brother-in-law work there as does Hana.  What Hana wants to do, though, is be in radio and she has an internship with a radio station plus she has just started doing podcasts.  She has been exchanging comments with a listener named "StanleyP" and, though they have never met or provided details of their real life, they have become friends.

Hana's mother's restaurant is failing and it doesn't help when a rude aggressive businessman from Vancouver buys the restaurant nearby for his son, Aydin, to open and run.  His goal is to buy all the other property in the area and develop it for condos.  Hana will do all she can to keep her mother's restaurant in business and clashes with Aydin, despite being drawn to him.

I liked this story and the writing style.  It is written in first person perspective in Hana's voice. Though she is 24, she seems a lot younger.  There is a lot going on, however, with so many different storylines in so many different directions.  I found it interesting learning more about the Muslim beliefs and practices.  As a head's up, there is some swearing and violence.

Book ~ "The Perfect Family" (2021) Robyn Harding

From Goodreads ~ Thomas and Viv Adler are the envy of their neighbors: attractive, successful, with well-mannered children and a beautifully restored home.

Until one morning, when they wake up to find their porch has been pelted with eggs. It’s a prank, Thomas insists; the work of a few out-of-control kids. But when a smoke bomb is tossed on their front lawn and their car’s tires are punctured, the family begins to worry. Surveillance cameras show nothing but grainy images of shadowy figures in hoodies. And the police dismiss the attacks, insisting they’re just the work of bored teenagers. 

Unable to identify the perpetrators, the Adlers are helpless as the assaults escalate into violence, and worse. And each new violation brings with it a growing fear. Because everyone in the Adler family is keeping a secret - not just from the outside world but from each other. And secrets can be very dangerous.

Thomas is a real estate agent and Viv is a stager/designer.  They seem to have the perfect life and appearances are important to them.  When their son, Eli, returns home from his first year of university, he says he's not going back but doesn't say why.  Thomas and Viv figure they will be able to pressure him into going back but Eli knows that's not going to work.  Tarryn is their teenage daughter ... she's moody and friendless and spends most of her time in her bedroom in the basement.

The family begins being harassed ... it starts with eggs being tossed at the house and quickly escalates to tires being slashed and smoke bombs and more.  Thomas and Viv contact the police, who dismiss it as childish pranks.  But the family knows this isn't the case and all four have secrets that would be the cause of these attacks but they can't reveal them to each other.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I liked it.  I liked the writing style and it moved at a quick pace.  It is written in first person perspective alternating between Thomas, Viv, Eli and Tarryn (the chapters are labeled so you know whose voice it is).  I was buying the "whodunnit" but thought there were still some incidents not explained so those loops weren't closed enough for me.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Book ~ "Fishnets & Fantasies" (2021) Jane Doucet

From Goodreads ~ Wendy Hebb has been a fisherman’s wife for forty years. She has also been a mother, a yoga instructor and part-time soap maker. She loves her life in picturesque Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, but it’s just not enough anymore. With a burning entrepreneurial desire, she decides that when her husband, Paul, retires, it will finally be her turn to live out her dream. The catch: her dream is to open a sex shop. 

While Paul begrudgingly goes along with Wendy’s “half-cocked” idea, it’s out of a sense of guilt; a recently spilled secret has their marriage on the rocks. As soon as the townspeople get wind of Wendy’s plans, it opens up a whole other can of worms - and Paul finds himself bait for the local rumour mill. Her silent, “invisible” partner in the project, he secretly hopes her plan for the shop will fail.

Orbiting around Paul and Wendy’s story is a motley crew of characters including the Hebbs’ daughter, Ellen, a feminist academic who catches the eye of a lady-killer coworker while home for the summer; Wendy’s best friend, Betty, a chain-smoking seamstress with secrets of her own; the local minister and her husband, who secretly indulge in role play; and the wealthy Sonya and Booth, who will stop at nothing to make sure the shop never opens its doors - as long as they can avoid discussing their failing marriage.

Paul has been a fisherman for 40 years and though it's breaking his heart to sell his boat and license, he knows it's time to retire.  His wife, Wendy, has been waiting for this day as she plans on opening her own business when Paul retires.  Over the years, she has tried many things and now has her sights set on opening a sex shop in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, the small town where they live about an hour's drive from Halifax.  

Paul resists as he's concerned with what his friends and the other townsfolk will say and think.  But Wendy doesn't care and she has the support of their adult daughter, Ellen, and her friends.  Sonya and Booth had gone to high school with Wendy and Paul and had made it big in Toronto.  They recently moved "back home" and are opposed to Wendy's plans and try to rustle up enough people in town to sign a petition to stop it.

What initially caught my attention to this book was that it was set in Nova Scotia (and I'm originally from there).  I wasn't sure what to expect from the description and subject matter.  But it was a cute story and I liked it.  The writing is in third person perspective in the voices of various characters including Wendy, Paul, Ellen and more and they use lingo and sayings that a Nova Scotian would use (especially Wendy's friend, Betty).  I liked that the characters were "mature" ... they were my age, on the cusp of turning sixty.  Plus the author used actually places in Lunenburg ... for example, the bar that Ellen works at during the summer is an actual place (I was curious and Googled).  As a head's up, there is swearing and discussions of adult activity.

Book ~ "An Embarrassment of Critch's: Immature Stories from My Grown-Up Life" (2021) Mark Critch

From Goodreads ~ One of Mark Critch's earliest acting gigs was in a Newfoundland tourist production alongside a cast of displaced fishery workers. Since, he's found increasing opportunities to take his show on the road. In "An Embarrassment of Critch's", the star of CBC's "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" revisits some of his career's - and the country's - biggest moments, revealing all the things you might not know happened along the way: A wishful rumour spread by Mark's father results in his big break; two bottles of Scotch nearly get him kicked out of a secret Canadian airbase in the United Arab Emirates; and for anyone wondering how to get an interview with the Prime Minister and Bono (yes, that Bono) on the same evening, Critch might recommend a journey to the 2003 Liberal Convention.

Critch's top-secret access to all of the funniest behind-the-scenes moments involve many of the charismatic and notorious politicians we love to see blush, including fearless leaders Justin Trudeau, Stephen Harper, Paul Martin and Jean Chrétien, celebrities such as Pamela Anderson and Robin Williams, and other colourful figures he's met over years of pulling off daring skits at home and abroad. 

Remember when MP Carolyn Parrish took her boot to George W. Bush Jr.'s head in an interview? Or when Critch asked Justin Trudeau where the best place to smoke pot on Parliament Hill was before pulling out a joint for them to share? There's more to each of those stories than you know. Though Critch has spent years crisscrossing the country - and the globe - with the explicit aim of causing trouble everywhere he goes, like the best journeys, this one takes him right back home. 

Mark Critch is a Canadian comedian, actor and writer. He is best known for his work on the CBC comedy series, This Hour Has 22 Minutes.  I must admit that I've never watched This Hour Has 22 Minutes but I do know who Mark Critch is ... he was in The Grand Seduction, a fun movie I've seen quite a few times (in fact, I just watched it again a couple weeks ago).

I like reading bios/autobios, he's Canadian and I grew up in the Atlantic provinces so that's why it caught my eye.  Plus I'd read his first book, Son of a Critch: A Childish Newfoundland Memoir, and liked it

This book picks up when Critch was trying to figure out what to do with his life.  He knew he wanted to entertain and his first big job was with a theatre group in Trinity, a small town in Newfoundland.  His big break came when he got a two week gig writing for This Hour Has 22 Minutes in 2003 and he's still there!  Over the years, he has met many people, travelled to many places all over the world and have had many adventures, and it was interesting to read about it.  He has a lot of guts and this bodes him well when he has to charge up to get interviews from unsuspecting people.

I liked this book.  I liked the writing style and thought it was honest and amusing at times.

Book ~ "The Boy on the Bicycle" (2018) Nate Hendley

From Goodreads ~ On the night of September 15, 1956, seven-year-old Wayne Mallette, was brutally murdered on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The chief suspect was a “boy on a bicycle” seen pedalling away from the CNE.

Investigators zeroed on 14-year-old Ronald Moffatt, a former CNE employee who had the poor timing to run away from home shortly after the murder.

Moffatt was located, arrested and interrogated. He eventually confessed and was convicted.

The problem was, Moffatt couldn’t ride a bike and didn’t commit the crime. The real killer abused and murdered two more children, using his bike as a lure.

A shocking true story about a coerced confession, fumbled police investigation, a miscarriage of justice, and the star lawyer who fought to free Moffatt from custody.

"The Boy on the Bicycle" is based on police files, interviews, original newspaper coverage, reports, books and documentaries.

Seven-year-old Wayne Mallette and his family were visiting his grandmother in Toronto in September 1956.  He was bored and wandered towards the CNE grounds.  On the way he met a teenager on a bicycle, who beat him up and suffocated him with his face in the dirt there.  Moments later a teenager on a bicycle stopped a watchman at the CNE grounds and asked strange questions before pedalling off.

Ron Moffatt was 14 at the time and had spent that evening at a movie theatre.  He had a troubled home life and when he skipped school one day, he thought he would get in trouble so hid.  The police were looking for the "boy on the bicycle" so when they found Ron, who kind of fit the description, he assumed they were truant officers and went with them.  They were, in fact, Toronto police officers.   So sure were they that Ron was the teenager who had killed Wayne, they disregarded all the evidence and pressured Ron into admitting he did it.  He was sentence and sent to a juvenile facility.

In the meantime, teenager Peter Woodcock had a history of abusing young children and killed two while Ron was in custody.  He had no friends and his prize possession was his bicycle.  When he was caught, he admitted to killing Wayne and that's what got Ron released.  

At the end of the book, the author tells what happened to everyone, including the police officers, lawyers, etc.  Ron had depression issues and eventually sought help.  He got married a couple times and had children.  Peter spent the rest of his life in a psychiatric institution north of Toronto.

I thought this was an interesting story, especially since it happened not far from where I live.  It was obvious the author did a lot of research.  I liked the writing style ... there was just enough information provided without being too details.  The editing could have been better, though, as there were typos and grammatically errors.

Book ~ "Off the Record" (2021) Peter Mansbridge

From Goodreads ~ Peter Mansbridge invites us to walk the beat with him in this entertaining and revealing look into his life and career, from his early broadcasting days in the remote northern Manitoba community of Churchill to the fast-paced news desk of CBC’s flagship show, The National, where he reported on stories from around the world.

Today, Peter Mansbridge is often recognized for his distinctive deep voice, which calmly delivered the news for over fifty years. But ironically, he never considered becoming a broadcaster. In some ways, though, Peter was prepared for a life as a newscaster from an early age. Every night around the dinner table, his family would debate the news of the day, from Cold War scandals and Vietnam to Elvis Presley and the Beatles.

So in 1968, when by chance a CBC radio manager in Churchill, Manitoba, offered him a spot hosting the local late night music program, Peter embraced the opportunity. Without a teacher, he tuned into broadcasts from across Canada, the US, and the UK to learn the basic skills of a journalist and he eventually parlayed his position into his first news job. Less than twenty years later, he became the chief correspondent and anchor of The National.

With humour and heart, Peter shares never-before-told stories from his distinguished career, including reporting on the fall of the Berlin Wall and the horror of 9/11, walking the beaches of Normandy with Tom Brokaw, and talking with Canadian prime ministers from John Diefenbaker to Justin Trudeau. But it’s far from all serious. Peter also writes about finding the “cure” for baldness in China and landing the role of Peter Moosebridge in Disney’s Zootopia. From the first (and only) time he was late to broadcast to his poignant interview with the late Gord Downie, these are the moments that have stuck with him.

After years of interviewing others, Peter turns the lens on himself and takes us behind the scenes of his life on the frontlines of journalism as he reflects on the toll of being in the spotlight, the importance of diversity in the newsroom, the role of the media then and now, and the responsibilities we all bear as citizens in an increasingly global world.

Peter Mansbridge was born in England and moved to Ottawa, ON, with his family when he was young.  He didn't graduated from high school and instead joined the Royal Canadian for a couple years.  Looking for a job, he ended up as a ticket agent/baggage handler in at the small Churchill Airport in Churchill, MB.  The manager of a local CBC radio station liked his voice when he was doing announcements and hired him part time as a night time host.  From there, he moved up and eventually became news anchor of CBC’s The National (from which he retired in 2017).

This book is full of his random stories, starting with his family and childhood, moving from England to Malaya and finally Ottawa.  He then tells us how he ended up with a broadcasting career, which no education or formal training.  From there he tells of the wide variety of stories he has covered over the years, including the wars in the Middle East, being on an icebreaker in the Northern Passage, covering Princess Diana's death and 9/11, meeting world leaders and even telling of the Friendly Giant's death.

I liked this book and the writing style.  It is written at a high level and with honesty and at times humor.

Book ~ "Inside Comedy: The Soul, Wit, and Bite of Comedy and Comedians of the Last Five Decades" (2021) David Steinberg

From Goodreads ~ From David Steinberg, a rabbi's son from Winnipeg, Canada, who at age fifteen enrolled at Hebrew Theological College in Chicago (the rabbinate wasn't for him) and four years later, entered the master's program in English literature at the University of Chicago, until he saw Lenny Bruce, the Blue Boy of Comedy, the coolest guy Steinberg had ever seen, and joined Chicago's Second City improvisational group, becoming, instead the comedian's comedian, director, actor, working with, inspired by, teaching, and learning from the most celebrated, admired, complicated comedians, then and now - a funny, moving, provocative, insightful look into the soul, wit, and bite of comedy and comedians - a universe unto itself - of the last half-century.

From the greats: George Burns, Lenny Bruce, Sid Caesar, Lucille Ball, Mel Brooks, and Carl Reiner, et al., to the newer greats: Carol Burnett, Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, Billy Crystal, Bob Newhart, and the man for all comedy, Martin (Marty) Short; to the greats of right now: Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Wanda Sykes; and more.

Steinberg, through stories, reminiscences, tales of directing, touring, performing, and through the comedians themselves talking (from more than 75 interviews), makes clear why he loves comedy and comedians who have been by his side in his work, and in his life, for more than sixty years.

Here are: Will Ferrell, Eric Idle, Whoopi Goldberg, Mike Myers, Groucho himself and the greatest of them all (at least of the last half century), Jonathan Winters.

David Steinberg is a Canadian comedian, actor, writer and director ... I remember watching The David Steinberg Show when I was a kid and catching it in reruns over the years.  I like reading bios/autobios to learn more about people and get the inside scoop so this book caught my eye.

Steinberg started off doing stand-up.  He ended up on The Smothers Brothers in the late 1960s and his act was one of the reasons it was cancelled.  His career has included acting and directing shows like Friends, Newhart, Curb Your Enthusiasm and lots more.

I thought this book was okay.  He tells stories about the comedians and actors he knows and counts as friends ... from Groucho Marx, Jonathan Winters and George Burns to John Candy, Billy Crystal and Robin Williams to Will Ferrell, Chris Rock and Jimmy Fallon.

For the most part, I found it interesting hearing about people from someone who knew them.  I thought at times he rambled and was repetitive ... the writing could have been tighter.  As I was reading, I would come across a name from the past I'd forgotten about so I'd stop and Google them (so I got sidetracked often).  Steinberg is Jewish and there were lots of Jewish references ... I'm not so didn't know what he was talking about.

Book ~ "Driven: The Secret Lives of Taxi Drivers" (2020) Marcello Di Cintio

From Goodreads ~ "A taxi," writes Marcello Di Cintio, "is a border." 

Under the familiar roof light of every cab is a space both private and public: accessible to all and yet, once the doors close, strangely intimate - a space in which two strangers who might otherwise never have met share a five or fifty minute trip. 

Quotidian themselves, taxis transcend everyday barriers between the wealthy and the working class, white people and people of colour, those who give direction and those who follow, those who speak and those who listen - and yet, though driver and fare are close enough to reach out and touch one another, most trips are characterized by complete silence. 

In a series of interviews with North American taxi drivers, Di Cintio seeks out those missed conversations, revealing the untold lives of the people who take us where we want to go.

In 2018, the author spent a year travelling across Canada to seek out the stories of our taxi drivers.  He wanted to hear their back stories, where they came from and how/why they became taxi drivers.  He wasn't interested in meeting the "overeducated" ... those who had degrees from other countries who were forced to drive a taxi because their education wasn't recognized here.  Most drivers didn't want to meet with him or were too busy.  

The drivers he did talk who lived across Canada ... from St. John's, NF, to Yellowknife, YT.  Most came from somewhere else, some from war-torn countries.  He spoke with men and women, some with families and some were single.  

There are fourteen chapters and everyone had a story to tell, including a man who was estranged from his very religious and famous father, an organization in Winnipeg that just drives women so they will be safe, the fight against Uber, a Russian who was stranded in St. John's and longs to go home and more, and I found them interesting.  As a head's up, there are stories of violence and there is swearing.

At the end, there is a postscript to give updates on how the drivers are doing now.  Unfortunately, COVID has hurt the industry ... some drivers are barely getting by and some have left.

Book ~ "Recipe for a Perfect Wife" (2020) Karma Brown

From Goodreads ~ In this dual narrative novel, a modern-day woman finds inspiration in hidden notes left by her home’s previous owner, a quintessential 1950s housewife. As she discovers remarkable parallels between this woman’s life and her own, it causes her to question the foundation of her own relationship with her husband – and what it means to be a wife fighting for her place in a patriarchal society.

When Alice Hale leaves a career in publicity to become a writer and follows her husband to the New York suburbs, she is unaccustomed to filling her days alone in a big, empty house. But when she finds a vintage cookbook buried in a box in the old home’s basement, she becomes captivated by the cookbook’s previous owner – 1950s housewife Nellie Murdoch. As Alice cooks her way through the past, she realizes that within the cookbook’s pages Nellie left clues about her life – including a mysterious series of unsent letters penned to her mother.

Soon Alice learns that while Baked Alaska and meatloaf five ways may seem harmless, Nellie’s secrets may have been anything but. When Alice uncovers a more sinister – even dangerous – side to Nellie’s marriage, and has become increasingly dissatisfied with the mounting pressures in her own relationship, she begins to take control of her life and protect herself with a few secrets of her own.

This is the story of two women, both newlyweds and housewives, living in the same house ... Nellie was there in the mid-1950s and Alice lives there now.

Nellie is in her twenties.  She'd taken care of her mother for many years when she was a child and she thought she found the perfect husband when Richard swept her offer her feet.  He was older and he promised to take care of her.  But it turns out that Richard is controlling and abusive and expects Nellie to be the perfect wife and his goal is to get her pregnant.  Thankfully she has her garden to keep her happy and she's good friends with her older next door neighbour who she can confide in.

Alice is about 30 and was working in PR until she got fired.  She and her husband, Nate, recently moved to the city to the suburbs into Nellie's house, which had been empty since the year before.  Alice doesn't want to leave the city but Nate assures her that it will be a good opportunity to write the book she's always wanted to write plus get pregnant.  When Alice finds a box of Nellie's cookbooks and magazines in the basement, she starts making some of the recipes and getting to know Nellie.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I thought it was okay.  I liked the alternating narratives (the headings at the beginning of the chapters are labeled) as we got to know two women in similar situations who are living more than 50 years apart.  It is written in third person perspective in Nellie and Alice's voice.  As a head's up, there is some swearing and domestic violence.

I liked Nellie.  She had taken care of her depressed mother for years and just wanted to be taken care of.  She thought she had found the perfect man in Richard but he change as soon as they married.  She tried but he was never happy with her.  So she did what she had to do to survive.

I hated Alice and found her to be unbelievable.  She's a "modern" woman with a career married to a great supportive guy.  Yet she lied to Nate about everything ... why she wasn't working anymore, about getting pregnant, writing her book, smoking, etc.  And for no reason except to manipulate him ... it's not like he was going to leave her or anything.  And then she discovered that he did something towards the end and I went REALLY?!  There's no way Nate would do what he was trying to do ... very unrealistic.  I hated Alice's ending and there's no way I was buying into it.  I would have been happy with the book just being Nellie's story.

At the beginning of each chapter there were recipes from Nellie's cookbook from the 1950s that were crazy ... it's hard to believe people ate that kind of stuff back then.  Plus there were quotes from books from the early- to mid-1900s on how to be a good wife.  Whoa!

Book ~ "Not a Happy Family" (2021) Shari Lapena

From Goodreads ~ In this family, everyone is keeping secrets - especially the dead. Brecken Hill in upstate New York is an expensive place to live. You have to be rich to have a house there. And they don't come much richer than Fred and Sheila Mercer. But even all their money can't protect them when a killer comes to call. The Mercers are brutally murdered the night after an Easter Dinner with their three adult kids. Who, of course, are devastated.

Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their capricious father and neglectful mother but perhaps one of them is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did one of them snap after that dreadful evening? Or was it someone else that night who crept in with the worst of intentions? It must be. After all, if one of your siblings was a psychopath, you'd know.

Wouldn't you?

It's Easter Sunday at Fred and Sheila's.  They are very rich and have Catherine, Dan and Jenna (their adult children), their children's spouses and Irena, their former nanny/now cleaning lady, for supper.  Fred is not a nice man and has always pitted his Catherine, Dan and Jenna against each other and belittled them.  Sheila retreats into herself when things get too stressful.  Sunday dinner, as usual, isn't pleasant and the children leave before dessert is served.

A couple days later, Irena finds Fred and Sheila murdered in their house.  It looks like it could have been a robbery gone wrong.  But the police look at Catherine, Dan and Jenna because they had the most to gain financially from their parents' deaths.  They aren't sad that their parents are now dead and look forward to spending their inheritances.

I've read a few other books by this author and liked the writing style.  It's written in third person perspective with a focus on wherever the action is.  As a head's up, there is swearing.  I thought the story was intriguing because so anyone could have killed Fred and Sheila since Fred had given many people reason to.  And as the book progressed, more and more information is revealed as to why someone would murder Fred.  I thought the "whodunnit" was a bit of a letdown, though, and the ending would have been more exciting.  All of  sudden it was revealed and the book was done.

Book ~ "Letters Across the Sea" (2021) Genevieve Graham

From Goodreads ~ If you’re reading this letter, that means I’m dead. I had obviously hoped to see you again, to explain in person, but fate had other plans.

1933
At eighteen years old, Molly Ryan dreams of becoming a journalist but instead she spends her days working any job she can to help her family through the Depression crippling her city. The one bright spot in her life is watching baseball with her best friend, Hannah Dreyfus, and sneaking glances at Hannah’s handsome older brother, Max.

But as the summer unfolds, more and more of Hitler’s hateful ideas cross the sea and “Swastika Clubs” and “No Jews Allowed” signs spring up around Toronto, a city already simmering with mass unemployment, protests, and unrest. When tensions between the Irish and Jewish communities erupt in a riot one smouldering day in August, Molly and Max are caught in the middle, with devastating consequences for both their families.

1939
Six years later, the Depression has eased and Molly is a reporter at her local paper. But a new war is on the horizon, putting everyone she cares about most in peril. As letters trickle in from overseas, Molly is forced to confront what happened all those years ago, but is it too late to make things right?

Teenager Molly is best friends with Hannah, which in the early 1930s in Toronto was not encouraged as Molly is Christian and Hannah is Jewish.  Molly is attracted to Hannah's older brother, Max, and the feeling is mutual but they can't pursue a relationship because of their religions.  During a baseball game, there is a violent riot and Molly and Max have one kiss that neither can forget and something happens that drives a wedge between the families.

Max goes off to medical school.  Due to interference of Molly's parents, she thinks he doesn't care about her anymore and he thinks the same and they don't communicate again.  Max ends up becoming a soldier and along with Molly's brothers and friends, experience horrific things overseas.  Years later when Max comes home, Molly is now a reporter and engaged to Ian.  As she spends time with Max for a story she is working on, they realize they still care deeply about it each other.

I thought this was an interesting story as I didn't realize there was such discrimination of Jews here in Toronto so I learned something.  I thought the writing style was okay ... it's first person perspective when it focuses on Molly and third person perspective when it focuses on Max.  I found there was a lot of detail when Max was overseas in the war ... it's like the author was providing a history lesson, which is fine but it sometimes read like a history book.  Set in Toronto, I knew where the places the characters spent time ... like Kensington Market, Christie Pits, etc.

Book ~ "Yearbook" (2021) Seth Rogen

From Goodreads ~ Hi! I’m Seth! I was asked to describe my book, Yearbook, for the inside flap (which is a gross phrase) and for websites and shit like that, so … here it goes!!!

Yearbook is a collection of true stories that I desperately hope are just funny at worst and life-changingly amazing at best. (I understand that it’s likely the former, which is a fancy “book” way of saying “the first one.”)

I talk about my grandparents, doing stand-up comedy as a teenager, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish summer camp, and tell way more stories about doing drugs than my mother would like. I also talk about some of my adventures in Los Angeles and surely say things about other famous people that will create a wildly awkward conversation for me at a party one day.

I hope you enjoy the book should you buy it and if you don’t enjoy it, I’m sorry. If you ever see me on the street and explain the situation, I’ll do my best to make it up to you. 

Seth Rogen is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, writer and filmmaker.  I like the majority films he's been in and I thought this would be a fun and interesting book ... and it was.

Rogen was born in Vancouver, BC, to a Jewish family of Ukrainian and Russian origin.  He starts by telling us about his parents and grandparents growing up in the Depression and how he started out doing comedy as a young teenager in lesbian clubs.  The book is chunked up into chapters and each chapter is a story ... like how/why he started taking karate, the trip he and his buddy took to Amsterdam (and Paris), working with Snoop Dogg and his "muses", his views of Twitter, meeting his wife, Lauren, and more.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book.  I've read books like this in the past and they've let me down.  But Rogen's book is funny and interesting.  I like reading bios/autobios to find out about people's lives and Rogen's voice in this book seems honest as he's telling his stories.  He sounds like an enthusiastic guy who would be fun to spend time with.  As a head's up, there is A LOT of swearing and stories of drug use.

Book ~ "How to Examine a Wolverine: More Tales from the Accidental Veterinarian" (2021) Philipp Schott

From Goodreads ~ Crammed with useful info, funny recollections, heartfelt anecdotes, and lots of cute furry creatures, a collection for all animal lovers! 

This collection of over 60 stories and essays, drawn from Dr. Schott's 30 years in small animal practice, covers an astonishing breadth of experiences, emotions, and species. 

Schott has tales of creatures ranging from tiny honeybees to massive Burmese pythons, although the emphasis is on dogs and cats and the interesting, often quirky, people who love them. He also doles out advice on current topics such as CBD oil, raw diets, and COVID-19, as well as the mysteries of catnip, dog flatulence, and duck erectile dysfunction. 

Schott's candor gives the reader a behind-the-scenes look at a profession that is much admired but often misunderstood. What is it really like to be a veterinarian? More to the point, what is it really like to be a veterinarian when confused pet parents call at 2:00 a.m.? Or when your patient bolts for the road? Or when you're asked to spay a dog on a resort's kitchen table? Readers will also learn how to make a sheep sit on its bum and, yes, how to examine a wolverine. 

I like reading books about animals and that's why this one caught my eye.

Dr. Schott is a veterinarian in Winnipeg, MB.  He has advanced training in diagnostic ultrasound and for the last fifteen years has had the largest ultrasound referral practice in Manitoba.  His other special interests in practice are cardiology, oncology and internal medicine. He has also been the chair of the provincial Peer Review Committee (professional discipline) for a number of years.  Dr. Schott was named Manitoba Veterinarian of the Year in 2009 and was presented the Award of Merit by the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association in 2015.

After reading all his qualifications, you would think that the writing in this book would be stilted and super professional.  Actually it was quite the opposite ... I enjoyed his writing style as it was amusing and casual, sometimes a bit too sarcastic.  As a head's up, there are a couple swear words.  When he did get technical or not for the faint of heart, he gave a head's up and tried to make it as interesting and fun as possible.

The chapters are:

1. Dogs
2. Cats
3. Vets
4. Other beast

The book is full of stories of his experiences, some sad, most funny, of being a vet and treating cats and dogs and even a duck, a python and a wolverine.  He also describes the serious side of being a vet like euthanasia of pets, etc.  It was entertaining to read the stories about the animals he's helped but it was also interesting to get the scoop on what it's like to be a vet.

Book ~ "Bootleg Stardust" (2021) Glenn Dixon

From Goodreads ~ It’s 1974. The music world is rocking with bellbottoms, platform shoes and lots and lots of drugs. This year’s sensation is an American band called Downtown Exit and their latest album has just gone gold.

For high school dropout Levi Jaxon, things aren’t so great. After bouncing around foster homes for years, he’s living in his best friend’s basement. His dream is to someday be a rock star, but he has a problem - his own band has just broken up.

In an uncanny stroke of luck, Levi lands an audition for Downtown Exit, who are now recording their second album at Abbey Road Studios. He arrives in London and aces his audition, only to learn he’s not really in the band. No, Levi’s job is to sit in the wings and cover for the band’s real guitarist when he inevitably starts tripping on stage.

Levi sticks with it, hoping to step into the role he’s always dreamed of. But he must first navigate egos, jealousies, and deceptions. Frankie, the band’s front man, has it out for him. And Levi has fallen for Ariadne, the band’s photographer. All of them have their secrets, Levi included. And as the band tours through Europe and struggles to finish their new album, Levi comes face to face with unanswered questions from his past and the impossible price that fame demands.

It's 1974 and Levi is a broke 20-year-old living in Calgary, Alberta.  He's a high school drop-out and the band he is in has just broken up.  He spent his life in foster care and is now living in the basement of his best friend's mom's house.

After sending demo cassettes of his songs, he gets a call to try out for an American band called Downtown Exit, whose songs he covers in his band.  With very little money and lots of hope, he heads to London, England, where the band is recording their second album.  He gets the gig but realizes it's not actually in the band but playing in the background when the band's guitarist is too out of it ... the crowd thinks it's Pete playing and singing but it's actually Levi.  Levi eventually becomes a real part of the band but soon discovers it's not how he had envisioned fame would be.

I liked this book and the writing style.  It's written in first person perspective in Levi's voice and at times it's conversational as if Levi is talking to us.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

In an interesting twist, the author has recorded the Downtown Exit's songs and you can listen to them on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/artist/6YsMpKr2zj3BVdEIckeAZn) and other sources of music and it sounds pretty good.

Book ~ "Every Conversation Counts: The 5 Habits of Human Connection that Build Extraordinary Relationships" (2021) Riaz Meghji

From RiazMeghji.com ~ In "Every Conversation Counts", TV host and human connection keynote speaker, Riaz Meghji, tackles this uniquely modern question:

Why are we so connected and yet so alone - and how can we reconnect?

We all crave connection. We were never meant to live alone or communicate only in “likes” and retweets. Meghji digs deep into the dangers of isolation and loneliness, our social pandemic, that were brought into sharp relief by the coronavirus crisis. 

Sharing personal insights from powerful interviews and years of on-air experience, Meghji offers 5 simple habits for building extraordinary relationships. He explains how to spark authentic conversations, win trust, create new business, and collaborate effectively.

Meghji points a way forward to a better future - one in which we express genuine curiosity about others, listen with our whole hearts, show up as our authentic selves, and make every conversation count.

The company I work for recently hired Riaz to do some training with our team (about 100 of us) and it was done via Teams meetings (live webinars).  He's a nice fella and I liked our training and found it useful so I was interested in reading his book.

Riaz lives in Vancouver, BC, and to be honest, I'd never heard of him before our training.  He has hosted for Citytv’s Breakfast Television, MTV Canada, TEDxVancouver, CTV News and the Toronto International Film Festival.  In this book, he shares tips and tools, drawing from his years of interviewing, on-air experience and just generally talking with people.

There are three parts:

1. An experience in isolation
2. The 5 habits of human connection
3. The future of human connection

I enjoyed this book.  I liked the writing style ... it was comfortable and conversational.  Riaz often uses one of the things he had talked to us about which is storytelling.  The Covid pandemic has isolated us so much that reading this book is a nice reminder that we still need to connect with people even though most of us physically can't (Ontario has been in lockdown since November) and what it will be like once all this is over.