Veteran sportscaster Jim Lang is back once again, this time without frequent collaborator Bob McKenzie, to present another volume of the Everyday HockVeteran sportscaster Jim Lang is back once again, this time without frequent collaborator Bob McKenzie, to present another volume of the Everyday Hockey Heroes series. Lang presents the story of fifteen men and women who’s selfless actions have helped to make the game more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
The stories here are uplifting and inspiring, particularly that of Graham McWaters and his drive to get equipment in the hands of indigenous youth struggling to find an entry point into the game. There’s also Kelly Serbu and his quest to make low-vision hockey more well known so visually challenged men and women could someday compete in the Paralympics. There is also Coach Kim McCullough, founder of Total Female Hockey, as she empowers women to compete and push themselves to their ultimate limit. I would be remiss not to mention the tragic story about Logan Broulet, one of the many Humbolt Broncos who passed away in a horrific bus crash a half dozen years ago as his donated organs helped save the lives of six individuals.
Everyday Hockey Heroes shows why it is so important for those both inside and outside the game of hockey to provide a helping hand to those who don’t - or can't’- always ask for help. Hopefully it inspires kindness and empathy, as that is I assume the ultimate goal with these books....more
Alex Easton, a retired soldier from the nation of Galicia, arrives at the home of their childhood friends Madeline and Roderick Usher, after they had Alex Easton, a retired soldier from the nation of Galicia, arrives at the home of their childhood friends Madeline and Roderick Usher, after they had received a letter from Madeline asking for help. Upon their arrival, Alex notices just how dire the situation is for the Usher family. And what’s up with the rabbits on the property?
WHAT MOVES THE DEAD is a reimagining or re-telling of Edgar Allan Poe’s THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER. Having not read the original story nor having seen the recent Netflix adaptation may have played a part in just how much I enjoyed this story as I didn’t have Poe’s story to compare it to.
In the afterword, author T. Kingfisher writes about how she wanted to dive deeper into what caused Madeline’s sickness in the original story and in doing so, produced a thorough deep dive into mushrooms and fungal infections. I found this endlessly fascinating. Kingfisher’s unsettling descriptions of Madeline’s transformation as well as the atmosphere of a property literally crumbling down around its inhabitants made this story damn near unputdownable. As far as the aforementioned rabbits go, there is just something decidedly disconcerting about naturally skittish animals that remain still and do not move in the face of danger.
Knowing it was a horror novel, one thing I was not expecting was just how funny this ended up being. As I said to my wife as I was reading the story, while the novel’s comedic moments are few and far between, when they’re used, they’re used to great effect. I was laughing out loud at Alex’s dry and razor-sharp wit. Their batman, Angus, was also a great character who helped ground the story when the seemingly supernatural events began to take Alex’s sanity off the rails.
It’s been about a week since I finished the book and I’m still thinking about it. It will most certainly be in my Top 10 come December, and as of now, it’s most likely the best thing I’ve read this year....more
DARK RIDE follows Hardy “Hardly” Reed, a perennial stoner living an easy life in California. That all changes when Reed spots two children who both shDARK RIDE follows Hardy “Hardly” Reed, a perennial stoner living an easy life in California. That all changes when Reed spots two children who both show signs of parental abuse. Feeling the urge to intervene, Reed quickly finds out that Children’s Aid is overwhelmed and stuck in bureaucratic muck. So it’s up to Hardy to investigate and potentially save the lives of these two kids; a task he is woefully unprepared for.
DARK RIDE is a breezy read that had me laughing out loud through its brisk length. I can’t stress enough how funny this is, which I definitely was not expecting. If you like comedies like The Big Lebowski, The Nice Guys, and Snatch, I think you’ll have a great time with this one. It’s a classic underdog story with colourful characters and settings.
Hardy gets put through the wringer running up against roadblock after roadblock while being forced to take his lumps along the way. Against all odds, he carries on even though a positive outcome proves increasingly less likely as the story moves along. The novel is gifted with a wide cast of characters who both assist Hardy and also implore him to back off. It’s hard to root against him even if you know this probably won’t end well for anyone involved.
If anything, Lou’s novel spotlights the flaws in our system that all too often fail our most vulnerable. Not everyone is like Hardy however, in fact, the vast majority of us are the opposite. How can we expect to make a difference when the world is an inherently shitty place? Reed may make a difference in these children’s lives, but there are stacks and stacks of case files on the desks of social workers that just cannot be actioned due to funding, time or staff. It’s disheartening to learn, but Reed at least proves that there is one of us looking to stand up and fight....more
Hollywood screenwriter Misha has just received his first Oscar nomination, but is unable to enjoy it. He’s just been asked by studio heads to kill offHollywood screenwriter Misha has just received his first Oscar nomination, but is unable to enjoy it. He’s just been asked by studio heads to kill off a gay character in his ultra-successful television series as “gay tragedy” sells more than triumph. When he refuses, his personal and professional lives begin to suffer. Can Misha continue to make a stand or will he buckle under the pressure?
This is my second Chuck Tingle experience (what a sentence), and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Re-entering the world of horror following the success of CAMP DAMASCUS, Tingle once again examines the struggle to remain true to oneself and all the obstacles you must overcome. Oh, and lots of gore thrown in to boot. There is one scene in particular that takes place in an airplane that’s both wildly original and deeply unsettling at the same time.
One of the book’s central themes is the proliferation of A.I. and the ongoing reduction of art to the lowest common denominator in an effort to maximise profit. This isn’t a spoiler, but one of the book’s biggest plot points involves a deceased actor reborn as an A.I. generated presence garnering an Oscar nomination. Is that really so far-fetched? I feel like we may head down that road sooner than we think. Very much like his previous novel, things take a turn in an unexpected direction that largely left me satisfied. While I haven’t read Tingle’s more infamous work, I’m surprised at how quickly he took to the horror genre. His descriptions and creativity around many of the novel’s more grotesque moments left me reeling.
BURY YOUR GAYS is a sharp, tightly written commentary on the perils of algorithms and profit-chasing art. Hopefully horror fans eat this one up as well....more
CUJO: THE UNTOLD STORY OF MY LIFE ON AND OFF THE ICE tells the story of former NHL goaltender Curtis Joseph. With the assistance of Kirstie McLellan DCUJO: THE UNTOLD STORY OF MY LIFE ON AND OFF THE ICE tells the story of former NHL goaltender Curtis Joseph. With the assistance of Kirstie McLellan Day, Joseph brings to light his tumultuous upbringing as well as his legendary career between the pipes.
For me, hockey memoirs can often be hit or miss. There are athletes who dazzle crowds on a nightly basis, but unfortunately do not carry enough personality to warrant a compelling memoir, so you’re often left with a book as dry as kindling. For the first three quarters of Joseph’s memoir, he manages to escape the trappings that often befall these books as they can devolve into play-by-play recountings of some of the subject’s more famous games. The advantage, or disadvantage, of Curtis’ life story is that he had one hell of an upbringing. It’s rife with neglect and hardship as Joseph had just about every obstacle thrown his way on his journey to the NHL. Not every hockey memoir is going to explore the craziness of the subject coming of age living inside of a mental institution run by their parents.
Once he gets there, things still struggle to go his way. For goaltenders, your performance is often scrutinized more than any other position on the ice. You’re responsible for holding leads, shutting down star players and giving your team the confidence that they can make mistakes and you have their backs. So, if you’re not perfect most nights, you are often hit with the most criticism. Joseph tackles the ups and downs of his career before turning his star status around as an Edmonton Oiler in the mid-90s and landing two back-to-back lucrative contracts with the Toronto Maple Leafs and then the Detroit Red Wings.
After his career winds down, the book more or less stutters to a stop. However, it’s hard for players and what they do post-career and how they can keep it interesting for the reader. One common complaint about the book is the writing on the part of McLellan Day, which for me wasn’t much of an issue. The tone strikes me as informal and conversational, which I think may be best for this type of story; not every memoir can or should be THE GAME by Ken Dryden....more
Author Garrett M. Graff has been churning out critically acclaimed releases the last few years. Back in 2020, I read and reviewed his oral history of Author Garrett M. Graff has been churning out critically acclaimed releases the last few years. Back in 2020, I read and reviewed his oral history of 9/11, THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY; a book I still think about often. Since then, he’s crafted a new and updated history of Watergate, an investigative look at UFOs and now, WHEN THE SEA CAME ALIVE, an oral history of D-Day just in time for that transformative day’s 80th Anniversary.
As nearly all those who had participated in the European land invasion are no longer with us, Graff had to comb through north of five thousand personal stories, memoirs and oral histories contained within established texts. The quotes contained within were lifted from – but not limited to – books, magazines, official reports, videos, and audio recordings. You get snapshots from the minds of combatants, generals and politicians alike. What really surprised me is that Graff made sure to include Axis voices whether it was from soldiers, commanders or speeches given by Hitler and his closest allies.
Despite having read so many books about the Second World War, I was not aware that the planning for D-Day began well over a year prior to its execution. It absolutely makes sense given how long it took to amass the sheer volume of humanity from across the Allied forces required to complete the task. Graff pulls from a treasure trove of material to lay out the logistics and hardships endured by the Allies throughout the process and the courage it took to take a run at the Third Reich as failure was not an option. Many of the stories told by those who ventured beyond enemy lines had my stomach in knots. It is simply unimaginable the courage it took to accomplish this, especially those in the “suicide wave” of Company A, the men first off the boats on Omaha beach.
There are moments in this book I will never forget.
I cannot speak highly enough of the work I’ve read to date from Graff. It’s one thing to collect all of this material for an oral history, but it is another entirely to assemble it as he has. I found this book nearly impossible to put down. For those who are fans of Graff’s earlier work as well as Erik Larson’s 2020 book, THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE, I cannot recommend this enough....more
Prior to 1995, NHL players had their only substantial moment with the Stanley Cup on the ice after they'd won it all and aside from a few events and tPrior to 1995, NHL players had their only substantial moment with the Stanley Cup on the ice after they'd won it all and aside from a few events and the championship parade, many did not get to spend time with hockey's ultimate prize; the physical manifestation of their hard work and sacrifice. However, that all changed with the development of a program that would allow players and staff to have one day to do as they wish with the iconic trophy.
Author Jim Lang sat down with several players and asked them to speak about their twenty-four hours with The Stanley Cup and how they chose to celebrate with family and friends.
This book is a lot of the same thing from start to finish. I loved the idea and the approach, but there isn't much in the way of originality with respect to how players spend their day with The Cup. Last summer, my wife and I attended an event where the athletic trainer for the Las Vegas Golden Knights had his day with the cup here in Ottawa. To celebrate, he filled the cup with Golden Palace Egg Rolls and also held an event to raise money for Ottawa West Little League. That's more or less the extent of many of these stories - a player either holds an event for charity, takes The Cup to a place that is special to him, drinks a lot of alcohol, or spends the day with family and friends while he looks over the names of his heroes etched in the rings.
There are a few fun stories (Vinnie Paul's legendary Dallas party is a standout), but after a while, it began to feel dull. No disrespect is intended to those who worked hard to win The Cup or Lang's effort to put together a history of championship celebrations, it's just that the stories weren't overly interesting. I'm not sure what I expected, but perhaps a bit more variety....more
Since childhood, Margaret and Charity have been inseparable. When Charity goes missing and no one seems to care, a mysterious package arrives on MargaSince childhood, Margaret and Charity have been inseparable. When Charity goes missing and no one seems to care, a mysterious package arrives on Margaret’s front step. Inside is an iPhone with a text that upends Margaret's world and provides insight into Charity’s whereabouts and perhaps who she’s been all along.
Set just outside Niagara Falls in author Nick Cutter’s hometown of St. Catherine’s Ontario, THE QUEEN is yet another unsettling, graphic, body-horror classic from the Canadian writer. Between the covers, this book goes to some truly wild places asking very little of the reader other than to sit back and marvel at the depravity of a horror writer at the top of his game. Cutter’s prose can sometimes feel like a gore-splattered car crash you just can’t turn your head from; you want to avert your eyes, but the true nature of human curiosity won’t let you. While I don’t think anything here is quite on the same level as the turtle scene in The Troop, it’s a different kind of horror that at times still left me reeling, audibly gasping “oh God”.
Although the book deals with some pretty intricate science surrounding gene manipulation, I never felt truly lost or overwhelmed by the amount of jargon (thanks to a few great analogies like you may find on the r/ELI5 subreddit). That said, it isn’t entirely four-hundred pages of carnage and sci-fi, there is also a tender coming-of-age novel in here about the power of friendship and young adults yearning for connection and understanding. People often dismiss genre-fiction, especially horror, believing that it doesn’t have anything important to say, but I would argue that those novels can be where authors can get the most introspective. Cutter does a wonderful job here digging into the awkwardness of youth, sex and the perils of personal growth.
I absolutely loved this book. Once I hit the halfway point, I powered through in a single afternoon to get to the end. If you’re a fan of Stephen King’s CARRIE, Cutter once again finds inspiration in King’s usage of mixed media much like he did with THE TROOP, expanding the scope of the novel’s true horror beyond Margaret's POV.
Nick Cutter (or Craig Davidson) rarely disappoints me and THE QUEEN is certainly no exception....more
In the opening pages of MACHO MAN: THE UNTAMED, UNBELIEVABLE LIFE OF RANDY SAVAGE, author Jon Finkel makes his case as to why he is the only man who sIn the opening pages of MACHO MAN: THE UNTAMED, UNBELIEVABLE LIFE OF RANDY SAVAGE, author Jon Finkel makes his case as to why he is the only man who should write the story of Randy Savage. Already holding an encyclopedic knowledge of Savage's career, when Finkel was finally able to connect with Savage's brother Lanny, Finkel was given the family's blessing thanks to acing a test from The Genius himself.
Like many wrestling biographies focused on a second generation performer, much time is spent on the early days of that first generation wrestler. In this case, it's Angelo Poffo, the father of Randy Savage. Opening with Poffo's attempt to break the world sit-up record, I was hooked right away. Finkel's description of the dogged determination on the part of Angelo, something he would pass down to his son Randy, and the adverse effects on his physical state sent me reeling. Poffo's success in the ring led to the creation of his own promotion, International Championship Wrestling (ICW), the very organization that would give his sons Randy and Lanny their starts between the ropes.
I think the true drawing power of this book is the amount of time and focus that is put on Savage's life and career before his arrival in Vince McMahon's WWF. Finkel went to great lengths to uncover as much as possible with respect to Savage's first passion, baseball, and the lengths Savage went to pursue his dream. To those who are fans of Savage's in-ring work, they undoubtedly are aware of his relentless quest to be perfect between the ropes. What many are not aware of is that Savage approached a career in baseball with the same single-minded obsession to be the best. The sad fact is that while no one would question his drive, he just didn't have the talent to earn a roster spot in the major leagues. One story in particular details Savage's quest to re-learn how to play ball left-handed after an injury to his right arm left him unable to throw.
Once Savage's baseball dreams came to an end, Finkel dove head-first into Savage's meteoric rise inside the squared circle. While it is often said that those who excel in the business are those who put their whole lives into it, I'm not sure I've ever read about anyone so deeply committed as Randy Savage. Could this be attributed to his drive to be the best or a level of insecurity about past failures and a self-imposed need to measure up to the larger-than-life physique and presence each of his peers exhibited? Certainly Finkel's writing about Randy's intense gym schedule and constant jealous tendencies support that.
I will say that I learned a lot about ICW, which has been sort of a blind-spot in my wrestling knowledge. Finkel breaks down its reputation as an outlaw promotion and Angelo's quest for legitimacy against the Jerry Lawler-led Continental Wrestling Association, which was promoting much more successful shows in the same territory. I enjoyed reading about the beef between the two organizations and Savage's unyielding desire to get a match with Lawler despite being largely ignored and not working in the same company.
I imagine it was difficult for Finkel to boil down such a massive career into a little over three hundred pages, but much of Savage's later days in the industry were not as memorable or as important as his early ones, which are covered in great detail. Not much is relegated to his time in WCW, but that should be expected given that the promotion at the time was so chaotic. In my opinion, the only real bright spot during those days was his work with Dallas Page, which Finkel devotes space to. Time and consideration is also spent on Savage's ill-advised hip hop album as well as his brief but memorable appearance in 2002's Spider-Man.
MACHO MAN: THE UNTAMED, UNBELIEVABLE LIFE OF RANDY SAVAGE is a compelling look at one of the industry's most indelible performers. While there is a wealth of information to be mined from Savage's peers, It is certainly a blessing that Finkel was able to connect with Lanny Poffo before his untimely passing in 2023 as I imagine the book would not feel as rich without Lanny's invaluable input....more
Approached by his lawyer Moxie Castin, Charlie Parker is tasked with clearing the name of a mother accused of murdering her child. It isn’t going to bApproached by his lawyer Moxie Castin, Charlie Parker is tasked with clearing the name of a mother accused of murdering her child. It isn’t going to be easy. The deck is stacked against her in the form of a bloody blanket found at the scene and an ambitious prosecutor; a combination that should make Parker think twice. With a whole town against her, can Charlie uncover the truth? Will he like what he finds when he does?
I started reading John Connolly’s Charlie Parker series back in 2008. At that point, Connolly was already up to eight books. It took me a year or two to catch up, but I feel like I blinked and now we’re twenty-one books deep. I keep waiting for the series to lose steam or that one day I won’t be as excited to get my hands on a new installment, but that day has yet to come and after finishing The Instruments of Darkness, Connolly proves that there is lots of life left in these characters.
Connolly’s titular detective series has often straddled the line between grounded crime fiction and elements of the supernatural and while Instruments of Darkness is more geared toward the boots-on-the-ground detective work, there is that otherworldly flavor Connolly is known for thrown in for good measure. I’m not sure, but we could be entering the beginning an overarching storyline that could stretch out for several books. I liked the introduction of Sabine Drew, someone I hope Connolly uses again, but could easily be a one-off.
Instruments of Darkness benefits from a short-chapter-strategy where I’d say to myself “okay, one more chapter”, which kept me reading for hours. It all keeps everything moving at a break-neck pace where much like Parker, I needed to know where all this was headed and just who was responsible. Speaking of Parker, at this point, he comes across as deeply genuine and as fully realized a fictional character can be that given the hours I’ve spent with him on the page, it very much feels like sitting and having a beer with a friend, even if he and I aren’t really drinkers. I guess that’s what comes with lengthy series.
The Instruments of Darkness continues what is already a classic series that if you haven’t yet checked out, I’m not sure how much harder I can recommend it. I even named my blog after the first book! While I’m not one who does this myself, outside of The Dirty South (book 18), you could read this as a standalone, which is crazy considering how deep we are into the series. But I mean, read the first twenty....more
Following the success of his two memoirs, SLOBBERKNOCKER and UNDER THE BLACK HAT, Jim Ross returns with BUSINESS IS ABOUT TO PICK UP! 50 YEARS OF WRESFollowing the success of his two memoirs, SLOBBERKNOCKER and UNDER THE BLACK HAT, Jim Ross returns with BUSINESS IS ABOUT TO PICK UP! 50 YEARS OF WRESTLING IN 50 UNFORGETTABLE CALLS.
Beginning in 1974, Ross highlights several of his biggest moments behind the announce table throughout the years. The book spotlights several professional highs like his call of the trilogy of excellent matches between Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair or the brutal clash between Bret Hart and Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13. He praises Undertaker versus Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25 as "the perfect wrestling match" and also mentions how much it meant to him to be one of the few who knew Steve Austin's match with The Rock at WrestleMania 19 was Austin's last match. The book is filled with moments that had me taking a stroll down memory lane in my thirty plus years of being a fan.
JR is not one to sugarcoat things and if anything, this book is brutally honest. Ross understands that with his age, coupled with his numerous health scares, the time left on his clock is much shorter than the time that's already passed. It's a sobering thought to have and one that is often no doubt difficult for many to accept. Ross will be the first person to criticize himself and with his writing here, he pulls no punches. The way in which he details his struggles to stay active and relevant in a business that requires so much of its participants is tough to read at times. The sheer drive he has to stay on the road and contribute to a business he loves when his body is far from cooperative is admirable to say the least, even if any mistake he makes is amplified by social media making his job that much more difficult.
I think that's what makes him such an endearing figure. Ross is an unselfish and giving person in an industry that is populated by ruthless and exploitive people in positions of power. In his memories of his late wife Jan, particularly the chapter about his 2007 induction into the Hall of Fame where he can still picture her sitting in the front row, I couldn't help but feel for the battle he waged against his own self-confidence and his place in the world following her tragic death in 2017. Ross writes with a certain level of emotion and poise about how deeply she is missed not just by himself, but the many performers who stayed at the Ross' home and how Jan was such a force of positivity in their lives.
In light of recent revelations surrounding the abhorrent conduct of Vince McMahon, it was interesting to read JR's thoughts on the women's division in 2004, when Trish Stratus and Lita became the first women to main event an episode of RAW. Prior to today's modern-day wrestler where workrate is paramount, the look and presentation of a wrestler was the most important. Ross writes about Vince's turn from "lady wrestlers" in the 80s and early 90s to what Vince dubbed "athletic tens", where beauty was most important and wrestling acumen became "negotiable". Ross doesn't get too into the weeds here, and I'm not looking to put words into his mouth, but it seems to add more fuel to the fire of Vince's belief that women were moreso objects to be lusted over and not true entertainers.
Ross has been a constant in an industry where turnover is exceptionally high. The volume of criticism he receives for on-air flubs can at times be unfair, but does reflect his own admission that he seems to push himself beyond his limits when the strength required isn't there some days. The fact that this is his third memoir, there is still a hunger for the stories he tells and the insight he continues to provide for an industry that is always evolving....more
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