Book ~ "Brother" (2017) David Chariandy

From Goodreads ~ An intensely beautiful, searingly powerful, tightly constructed novel, "Brother" explores questions of masculinity, family, race and identity as they are played out in a Scarborough housing complex during the sweltering heat and simmering violence of the summer of 1991.

With shimmering prose and mesmerizing precision, David Chariandy takes us inside the lives of Michael and Francis. They are the sons of Trinidadian immigrants, their father has disappeared and their mother works double, sometimes triple shifts so her boys might fulfill the elusive promise of their adopted home.

Coming of age in The Park, a cluster of town houses and leaning concrete towers in the disparaged outskirts of a sprawling city, Michael and Francis battle against the careless prejudices and low expectations that confront them as young men of black and brown ancestry - teachers stream them into general classes; shopkeepers see them only as thieves; and strangers quicken their pace when the brothers are behind them. Always Michael and Francis escape into the cool air of the Rouge Valley, a scar of green wilderness that cuts through their neighbourhood, where they are free to imagine better lives for themselves.

Propelled by the pulsing beats and styles of hip hop, Francis, the older of the two brothers, dreams of a future in music. Michael's dreams are of Aisha, the smartest girl in their high school whose own eyes are firmly set on a life elsewhere. But the bright hopes of all three are violently, irrevocably thwarted by a tragic shooting, and the police crackdown and suffocating suspicion that follow.

With devastating emotional force David Chariandy, a unique and exciting voice in Canadian literature, crafts a heartbreaking and timely story about the profound love that exists between brothers and the senseless loss of lives cut short with the shot of a gun.

This is the story of Michael and his older brother, Francis, who are living in Scarborough, a suburb of Toronto in the early 1990s.  Their parents are of Trinidadian background.  Their father left the family when the boys were very young and their mother has to work a couple menial jobs to support them.  As they get older, Francis gets involved in a crowd that his mother doesn't approve of and that causes friction.  Michael's friend, Aisha, has come home for the funeral of her father who had lived in their neighbourhood.

I liked the writing style and the story.  It bounced from present day to the past.  It is written in first person perspective in Michael's voice.  As a head up, there is violence and swearing.

Tavern United, Winnipeg, MB (Fort Gary)

I had supper this evening at Tavern United.

Twist By Roger Mooking, Mississauga, ON

I had to fly to Winnipeg this afternoon and had lunch beforehand at Twist by Roger Mooking at Pearson Airport.

This is the second time I've eaten there.  As before, I ordered fried chicken and fries and the order came with a thigh and a breast.  The thigh had bones and the breast was boneless, which I found strange ... why not serve two boneless breasts?  The chicken was really tender and moist.  The creamy honey lime was a nice dipping sauce.  The fries were good.

It took a while for my meal to come so I didn't have a lot of time to eat it.

Book ~ "Nine Lessons I Learned from My Father" (2017) Murray Howe

From Goodreads ~ When Gordie Howe passed away, the world paused to acknowledge the legacy of the game's greatest player. For twelve straight hours - 9 to 9 - thousands of mourners passed through Joe Louis Arena in Detroit to pay their respects. The game's elder statesmen dropped what they were doing to gather for the funeral. Fans young and old flew in from around the world. Wayne Gretzky argued that Howe's number 9 should be retired league-wide. Barack Obama issued a statement recognizing what Gordie Howe meant to the game. 

As one after another dignitary spoke, it became clear that as staggering as Howe's achievements were on the ice, he was even greater as a person. In story after story, friends and rivals alike painted a portrait of a man the likes of which we may never see again. How could someone so revered also be so humble? How could someone who fought so hard also be so gentle? How could someone of whom so much was expected routinely astonish those around him by doing more? The man named Gordie Howe - not the hockey player, not the legend, but the living, breathing man - came into focus when his son, Murray, approached the podium to deliver the eulogy. The mourners in the packed cathedral, and those watching on television, got a glimpse of what a man who was a hero to generations looked like to his own children, and what his life looked like to those whose lives he shaped. 

The Gordie Howe his son introduced to the world was in many ways a teacher. Through his words and, more importantly, through his actions, he showed those around him what it means to live a life you can be proud of. Those lessons formed the backbone of the eulogy his son delivered, as it does the book that grew out of it. 

Unlike his two brothers, Murray Howe failed in his attempt to follow in his father's footsteps to become a professional athlete. Yet, his failure brought him to the realization that in truth, his dream wasn't to be a pro hockey player. His dream was to be his father, Gordie Howe. To be amazing at something, but humble and gracious. To be courageous, and stand up for the little guy. To be a hero. You don't need to be a hockey player to do that. What he learned was that it is a waste of time wishing you were like someone else. We need to identify and embrace our gifts. Gordie Howe may have been the greatest player in the history of hockey, but greatness was never defined by goals or assists in the Howe household. Greatness meant being the best person you could be, not the best player on the ice. 

This book will take the reader through the hours Murray spent writing the eulogy - the hours immediately after his father's death, as he gathers his thoughts and memories, and makes sense of what his remarkable father meant to him. The result is nine lessons, built out of hundreds of stories, that show us the man behind the legend and give us a glimpse of what we can learn from this incredible life. 

I'm not a hockey fan but this is the third book I've read about Gordie Howe ... I'd read one by him and one by his son, Mark, in June 2016 shortly after Gordie had passed away.  This book is by his youngest son, Murray, who was not a hockey player but a doctor.

This book came about right after Gordie had passed away and Murray was writing his eulogy.  It is less about Gordie that hockey player and more about Gordie the father and friend.  Gordie was living with Murray and his family when he died and Murray is honoured to have spent his father's last days with him.

There are nine lessons (which are chapters) that Murray and others had learned from Gordie:

1. Live honourably
2. Live generously
3. Play hard but have fun
4. Patience, patience, patience
5. Live selflessly
6. Be humble
7. Be tough
8. Stay positive
9. Friends and family are live gold - treasure them

Along with the lessons are lots of stories to support the lessons.

Gordie Howe was nicknamed "Mr. Hockey" and is considered the most complete player to ever play the game and one of the greatest hockey players of all time. A 23-time NHL All-Star, he held many of the sport's scoring records until they were broken in the 1980s by Wayne Gretzky.

Gordie was born in rural Saskatchewan as one of nine children born during the Depression to poor parents.  Though he eventually moved to the States and raised his family there, he never forgot his humble roots.  Though a tough guy on the ice, it sounds like Howe was a nice guy.  He was friendly and giving to everyone, even up to the end.

Whether you are a hockey fan or not, I think you would enjoy this book.

Book ~ "Right Where We Belong" (2017) Brenda Novak

From Goodreads ~ Savanna Gray needs a do-over. Her "perfect" life unraveled when, to her absolute shock, her husband was arrested for attacking three women. With her divorce settled, she takes her two children home to Silver Springs to seek refuge between the walls of the farmhouse where she was born. It needs a little TLC but she's eager to take control of something.

Gavin Turner understands the struggle of starting over. Abandoned at a gas station when he was five, it wasn't until he landed at New Horizons Boys Ranch as a teen that he finally found some peace. He steps up when Savanna needs help fixing things - even when those things go beyond the farmhouse.

Despite an escalating attraction to Gavin, Savanna resolves to keep her distance. She trusted her ex, who had a similarly tragic background, and is unwilling to repeat her past mistakes. But it's hard to resist a man whose heart is as capable as his hands.

When Gordon, Savanna's husband, was arrested as a serial rapist, she stood by him.until the evidence overwhelmingly proved otherwise.  Everyone in their small Utah town blamed her for her husband's actions so she moved with her two young children to a broken down house her father had left her in Silver Springs in rural California.

Gavin is Savanna's neighbour.  In addition to being a musician, he is works at New Horizons Boys Ranch, a place he spent a lot of his childhood after his father and stepmother had abandoned him.  As soon as Savanna and Gavin meet, there is an attraction.  But each is dealing with things going on in their lives so are determined to remain friends.

I liked the writing style and thought it was well-paced.  It is written in third person perspective with the focus alternating between the various characters including Savanna and Gavin.  The story was interesting with lots of twists and turns.  Though this is the fourth in the Silver Springs series, it works as a stand alone as there is enough information provided about the first one (I haven't read the first three).  As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

I look forward to reading the others in this series.

"Bat Out of Hell The Musical", Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto, ON

Gord and I saw Bat Out of Hell The Musical this evening.

The streets are heating up as young, rebellious leader Strat falls in love with Raven, the beautiful daughter of the most powerful man in post-apocalyptic Obsidian. 

Originally written as a musical, "Bat Out of Hell" went on to become one of the most iconic and successful albums of all time. Forty years later, Jim Steinman’s critically acclaimed love story for the ages 'brings the theatre and its audience thrillingly alive' (The Stage). 

The story is about Strat, who is the leader of The Lost, an underground group of kids who never grow older than 18.  He falls in love with Raven, who is the daughter of Falco and Sloane, who don't get along at all.  Falco is not a nice man and is very protective of Raven.

It is playing at the Ed Mirvish Theatre on Yonge Street (just south of Dundas Street E).

There were some photo ops.  There was a Harley in the lobby ... I thought it is in an odd spot as people were lining up to get their picture taken with it, which meant it was hard to get around them.   Here's Gord as a Bat out of Hell on the upper level!

Here is the stage before it started.

ihalo Krunch, Toronto, ON

Gord and I took a walk to Trinity Bellwoods Park this afternoon.  On the way, we stopped it at ihalo Krunch on Queen Street W (just east of Strachan Avenue).  When they first opened a couple months ago, there was always a line-up.  Today there were just a few people.  Gord hadn't been so it was time he checked it out.

He got a Bean There, Done That and I got a Vanilla Nut.

We took them across the street and ate them on a bench at the park.  The cones, which they make onsite, are black and are infused with activated charcoal.  There was a hole in the bottom of the cone, with a bit of Fluff.  It's a fun ice cream to try.

Pizza Di Nonna, Grimsby, ON

I was heading home from a conference in Niagara Falls, ON, and stopped at Pizza Di Nonna for lunch (a colleague had recommended it if I was ever in the area).

I ordered a small pizza with pepperoni, bacon and fresh tomatoes.  Though this is a take-out restaurant, there are three stools along a ledge that had a couple small dead flies on it.  I ate my pizza at a picnic table at a nearby park.  I took some home for later.  It was a good pizza.

I had also ordered a pop but there are no drinks.  Instead you have to go to the convenience store next door.

Hilton Fallsview Hotel, Niagara Falls, ON

I spent the last three days at the CPBI (Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute) conference.  It was held at the Hilton Fallsview Hotel.

Here was the view from my room when I arrived ...

The America Falls

Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, St. Davids, ON

The 2017 CPBI (Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute) is having its annual conference in Niagara Falls, ON, this week.  I'm the chair of the entertainment committee.  Our gala night was held nearby at Ravine Vineyards Estate Winery.

We started in the cellar with the tasting of three wines ... a bubbly, a white and a red.  All were delicious.

Pranzo Ristorante Italiano, Niagara Falls, ON

I had lunch today at Pranzo Ristorante Italiano.

Niagara Falls, ON

I am at a conference in Niagara Falls, ON, this week.  I had an hour or so to myself so I took a walk to see the Falls.

The Canadian side

The American side

A selfie!