Tag: Jeff Benedict

The Bookshelf: Part 2 of 3

Books

Here is Part 2 of my annual three-part Bookshelf, highlighting some of the books I read in 2021. Perhaps you will find an idea or two that will help you in our Christmas shopping.

The Cellist — Author Daniel Silva is back with his latest work of fiction involving Gabriel Allon, who splits his time between restoring works of art and being a secret agent man with Israeli intelligence. Silva wrote this one during the pandemic and while U.S. politics were redefining bizarre. In fact, he rewrote the last bit just to accommodate the goofiness that was going on in the U.S. It’s interesting how Silva refers to No. 45 without ever mentioning his name.

Crossroads: My Story of Tragedy and Resilience as a Humboldt Bronco — Kaleb Dahlgren is one of the survivors of the bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos that claimed 16 lives. As the title indicates, this is Dahlgren’s story from childhood when he was diagnosed with diabetes through the bus tragedy and onto his attempt to return to hockey with U Sports’ York Lions. It really is incredible to read in Dahlgren’s words what he went through as he fought back from a serious brain injury after the accident. The book was written with help from veteran author Dan Robson.

The Dawn Patrol — Boone Daniels is a surfer — OK, a surf bum — and, on those occasions when he actually works, a private investigator. Don Winslow is an author who has a terrific way with words. (He also wrote Broken, which is included in Part 1.) Put them together and you get a thoroughly entertaining book. The characters are interesting, Winslow’s takes on the southern California lifestyle are piercing, and the dialogue is a treat. (See also The Gentlemen’s Hour later on in this list.)

Deacon King Kong — It’s New York City — actually, it’s a housing project in Brooklyn — in late 1969 and there is a shooting as the book’s central character, Sportcoat, takes an ear off a drug dealer. Author James McBride goes on to detail with tremendously entertaining dialogue and all kinds of social messaging the loves and lives of everyone who is impacted. Deacon King Kong? Sportcoat is a church deacon and a drinker who loves the neighbourhood’s home-brew (aka King Kong). This was one of The New York Times’ top 10 books for 2020, and with good reason.

The Defence — You would expect a lot of twists, turns and excitement from a story involving a recovering alcoholic who is a conman/scam artist-turned-lawyer and is defending the Russian Mafia’s top guy on a murder rap. Author Steve Cavanagh doesn’t disappoint in the book that introduced Eddie Flynn to readers.

Dragonfire — Suspend your belief for a few hours and dig into this chapter in the life of Alex Hawke, a likeable character created by author Ted Bell. This book involves a lot, including some of Hawke’s grandfather’s Second World War assignments, the potential assassination of FDR and the disappearance of Hawke’s grandson, Prince Henry.

The Dying Hour — This is the first in a trilogy of thrillers involving Jason Wade. He’s an intern in the newsroom at the Seattle Mirror, one newspaper in a three-paper town — hey, things used to be like that — and he’s eager because he wants a full-time gig. Author Rick Mofina knows his way around thrillers, and if you don’t mind a bit of blood, well, this one’s for you.

The Dynasty — Love them or hate them, you have to respect Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots for their terrific run. A dynasty? Without a doubt. With this book, author Jeff Benedict really does take you inside that dynasty — from the days leading up to Kraft’s purchase of the NFL franchise and how it almost ended up in Connecticut through Brady’s last season with the Patriots. Belichick’s single-mindedness will amaze you, as will the fact that, by the end, he and Brady hardly were communicating. Yes, this is quite a book!

Finding Murph: How Joe Murphy Went From Winning a Championship to Living Homeless in the Bush — Author Rick Westhead, a senior correspondent with TSN, has written a searing indictment of the NHL for its treatment, or lack of same, of ex-players who may have concussion-related ailments in their lives after hockey. He wraps all of that around the story of Joe Murphy, a former No. 1 draft pick and a Stanley Cup winner who was sleeping on the streets of Kenora, Ont., and in the bush around the community when Westhead and former NHL goaltender Trevor Kidd found him. This is a tough but necessary read if you have anything at all to do with hockey.

The Gentlemen’s Hour — This is the second book in which author Don Winslow features Boone Daniels, a surfer and private investigator who knows his way around the beaches and highways of the San Diego area. This entertaining read features murder, broken friendships, a fishy couple and a whole lot more. And, yes, because it’s Winslow doing the writing, there’s a Mexican cartel involved here, too.

Klondikers: Dawson City’s Stanley Cup Challenge and How a Nation Fell in Love with Hockey — There was a time when the Stanley Cup was a challenge trophy, meaning anyone could issue a challenge to whichever team held the trophy. This, then, is the story of how a team from Dawson City, Yukon, challenged the Ottawa Hockey Club. But it’s more than that because it also tells the story of the Klondike gold rush and, at the same time, the birth and growth of hockey in Canada. Author Tim Falconer has written a wonderful book that should be in every sports fan’s library. Well done!

The Law of Innocence — This is the sixth of author Michael Connelly’s books to feature Mickey Haller, aka The Lincoln Lawyer. Yes, Harry Bosch, the star of so many other Connelly books, makes a cameo appearance. In this one, Haller is working as his own lawyer as he fights to beat a murder rap after the body of a former client is found in the trunk of one of his three Lincolns. Yes, we know how it will end, but it’s fun getting there.

Long Range — This is the 20th book in author C.J. Box’s series that follows Joe Pickett, a game warden based in Wyoming, and all that he has to deal with, including, in this instance, a new sheriff who is more than a little out of his element. The story is wrapped around a long-range shooting that may have been intended to kill a judge, but didn’t. The series may be 20 books old but it hasn’t lost a thing.

Murder By Milkshake — He worked at Vancouver radio station CKNW and was having an affair with the radio station’s receptionist . . . so he murdered his wife by milkshake. Seriously. Author Eve Lazarus’s chronicling of this story has to be read to be believed.

Newspapering: 50 Years of Reporting from Canada and Around the World — The older I get the more interested I seem to get in history. Norman Webster, who died on Nov. 19, was a giant among Canadian journalists; he was an international correspondent and a national columnist and later editor-in-chief of The Globe and Mail and Montreal Gazette. He was there for a lot of history and writes about it with clarity, humour and passion in this collection of his work. Oh, and he also fired Conrad Black.

Part 2 of 3

The Bookshelf . . . Part 3 of 3

Bookshelf

For the past few years, I have compiled lists of books that I have read over the previous 12 months, and posted them here. With any luck, you may find an idea or two to help you get through your Christmas shopping.

So . . . here is Part 3 of 3 of the books that I have read so far in 2018.

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Paul Newman: A Life — Author Shawn Levy has taken an all-encompassing look at Paul Newman, one of the top actors of the past 50 years. There weren’t a lot of warts in Newman’s life, although it seems he was a functioning alcoholic, strayed a time or two on both of his wives, and liked to drive fast. But it’s intriguing to read how Newman moved through his career, and it is absolutely amazing to see in black and white just how much positive work Newman the philanthropist was able to accomplish.

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Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice — Bill Browder, who wrote this book, is a grandson of a man who once led the American Communist Party. Browder later co-founded Hermitage Capital Management, an investment company that at one time was a huge investor in Russia. Red Notice details the rise and fall of Red Notice within Russia, with a huge focus on what led to the latter. This is a frightening story of what can happen when someone runs afoul of — and stands up to — high-powered people in Putin’s Russia. None of it is pretty.

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Reporter: A Memoir — Seymour M. Hersh may be the greatest investigative reporter of our generation. If not, he certainly is in the discussion. No one has been a greater pain in the butt to the American government, American presidents, the CIA and assorted others in positions of power. In the mid-1990s, Hersh met with Cardinal John O’Connor, archbishop of the diocese of New York, who told him: “My son, God has put you on earth for a reason, and that is to do the kind of work you do, no matter how much it upsets others. It is your calling.” . . . That calling has resulted in what is a fascinating read for a number of reasons, including spelling out just how far those in power will go to stay in power.

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A Rift in the Earth: Art, Memory and the Fight for a Vietnam War Memorial — If you have ever visited the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., chances are that the image will remain with you forever. In this book, author James Reston Jr. chronicles all that went into this project, from the contest that was held to select the winning entry, to the vociferous opponents and all of the politics that came into play before the memorial was dedicated. Maya Lin was 21 years of age and an undergraduate architecture student at Yale when her design was selected for the memorial. A lot of the book is about her battles from 1979-84 against male authority figures, who wanted to interfere with her vision and change the memorial’s design.

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The Rooster Bar — Three law students get scammed by the system in this book from the prolific John Grisham, so they choose to try reversing things and scamming the scammers. Unlike most, if not all, Grisham books, there isn’t one person here who is really likeable, so I found it hard to feel any emotion while reading this one.

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Route 66 Still Kicks: Driving America’s Main Street — Is there a more famous highway, at least in North American, than Route 66? Author Rick Antonson and travelling partner Peter drove more than 2,400 miles as they worked to see as much of the original Route 66 as possible. The result is a nifty read that is full of anecdotes about the likes of Al Capone, Woody Guthrie, Mickey Mantle, John Steinbeck and Bobby Troup. It was Troup who wrote the iconic song ‘(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.’ . . . The New York Times referred to this gem as “one of the best books of the bunch” in a 2012 Christmas roundup of travel books. It will make you want to rent a Mustang and get some kicks.

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The Russian Five — The Detroit Red Wings, under head coach Scotty Bowman, once had five Russians as key players on their roster. “Their legacy should be . . . it’s history, it really is. . . .,” says Dave Lewis, who was an assistant coach on those teams. “It was a revolutionary thing to even have one or two on your team. We had five and we haven’t seen it since. And to influence and marvel your teammates like they did, guys like Steve Yzerman and Nick Lidstrom. Those guys aren’t dumb hockey people. I really think it should be talked about in terms of the history of the NHL, and how they changed our game.” Keith Gave, who wrote this book, covered the Red Wings for the Detroit Free Press. Gave speaks Russian and played a key role in the early days of the Russian Five — Sergei Fedorov, Slava Fetisov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Vyacheslav Kozlov and Igor Larionov. Gave especially was involved as the Red Wings worked to get Fedorov out of Russia. Gave was there, too, when the Russian Five took the Stanley Cup home to Moscow.

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The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit — “Everyone dreams of dropping out of the world once in a while,” writes author Michael Finkel. “Then you get in the car and drive back home.” Unless you’re Christopher Knight, that is. In 1986, at the age of 20, Knight drove his car into a Maine forest, left the key in the ignition, and walked away. For 27 years, he lived in an encampment he constructed himself, surviving by raiding cottages and a camp for disabled children nearby. His ‘home’ was so well hidden that not even the authorities could find him. Eventually, technology tripped him up as he broke into a camp building and was arrested. Finkel got most of the information for this book by visiting Knight while he was in jail. This is an intriguing look into solitude and how to deal with it, and the art of survival. But I don’t know if it explains well enough just how Knight survived all of those harsh Maine winters.

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Tiger Woods — Authors Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian, both of them investigative journalists, tell the story of the rise and fall of Tiger Woods. It’s doubtful that any athlete of Woods’ stature has fallen so far so fast, and the authors detail all of it — from the pressure placed on him almost from birth by obsessive parents, especially his father, Earl, to the stunning fall from grace. A couple of things really stand out here: 1. Woods was incredibly rude and insensitive to a whole lot of people on the way up; 2. It is amazing that he could have had such success inside the ropes while so much was going on away from the PGA Tour.

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Two Kinds of Truth — Harry Bosch is retired from the LAPD now and doing some freelance work for the San Fernando Police Department. Author Michael Connelly has written another vintage Bosch book, and even has the veteran cop doing some undercover work. The really good news is that the ending indicates that there is more Bosch on the way.

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The Year of the Pitcher: Bob Gibson, Denny McLain, and the End of Baseball’s Golden Age — Author Sridhar Pappu takes 1968 and explores it using all that was happening in and around the U.S., as a backdrop to the MLB season. This was the summer in which the fierce Bob Gibson had a 1.12 ERA with the St. Louis Cardinals and the problem-child Denny McLain won 31 games for the Detroit Tigers. They would meet in the World Series but neither would be the hero. This is an interesting look at the U.S. as the 1960s were drawing to a close, a good look at two huge names from baseball’s past, and a whole lot more.

That’s it.

Merry Christmas . . . and happy reading!