Extraordinary Canadians: Stories from the Heart of our Nation

Alongside longtime television producer Mark Bulgutch, acclaimed broadcaster Peter Mansbridge brings together a collection of stories featuring extraordinary Canadians who embody the values we hold dear as a nation. I had the pleasure of sitting in on a conversation last week between Peter Mansbridge and Sarah St. Pierre, senior editor at Simon and Schuster.  When…

So You’re A Little Sad, So What?

I first heard of Alicia Tobin way back in 2012 when I was introduced to the weekly comedy podcast, Stop Podcasting Yourself.  Since then, I’ve been a loyal listener and Alicia is one of my favorite recurring guests.  When I found out that she had written a book of essays, I knew I had to…

Canadianity

Jeremy Taggart is the former drummer for Our Lady Peace, one of my favorite bands from my youth.  Jonathan Torrens is an actor and television host who has enjoyed a long career as a constant presence on Canadian television.  A few years back, they met and decided to produce a podcast about their shared love…

By Chance Alone

In his powerful memoir, Holocaust survivor Max Eisen details his early years, his internment in Auschwitz and his emigration to Canada. When the 2019 Canada Reads longlist was announced, I had hoped By Chance Alone would be selected for the shortlist.  I suppose I would have read it eventually, but in a year where the…

A Forgotten Hero

Forgotten Hero tells the story of Folke Bernadotte, Swedish head of The Red Cross, who had orchestrated the rescue of 30,000 Jewish women near the end of the Second World War. I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wouldn’t consider myself a World War II history buff…

The Down Goes Brown History of the NHL

Sean McIndoe, the man behind the often hilarious hockey blog Down Goes Brown, presents an abridged account of the National Hockey League over its one hundred year history. If you’re looking for an intricately detailed history of the NHL, you’re probably going to be disappointed.  However, that’s not what this is.  You can’t expect a…