Absolutely love hearing this guy's adventures. Makes me go out and find trails I haven't found before and see the ones I've taken before differently. Absolutely love hearing this guy's adventures. Makes me go out and find trails I haven't found before and see the ones I've taken before differently. He's entirely nuts and it's fantastic. If you love nature - and especially if you're Canadian - I definitely recommend. He reads his own audiobooks too!...more
Anyone around me know how much I love the TTC. Most people who know me probably want me to shut the hell up about the TTC already Nico, I get it, youAnyone around me know how much I love the TTC. Most people who know me probably want me to shut the hell up about the TTC already Nico, I get it, you spotted a new electric bus and yes that's a very nice streetcar, and yes I understand the T1 is better than the TR and it's not really objective it's just gut instinct. So the discovery of this book made my eyes light up like a train switching to run WB at Kennedy Station (I apologize now for the embarrassing cringey things I will say in this review).
Watching the city develop through the eyes of transit was really rewarding and made me quite proud of all those before me who had that vision and fought tooth and nail for the development we have now. The designers who built the Prince Edward Viaduct to accommodate a train over half a century before it was used for anything but cars - insane. It's incredibly hard for me to picture some parts of the city without the TTC so the photos and descriptions and maps were great. Understanding quite how many passengers the TTC has seen over the decades is absolutely mind boggling.
The year-by-year approach made me appreciate the Toronto my grandparents and Mom grew up in. The fact that my Mom was born before Line 2 opened still boggles my mind. I love thinking what the next generation will grow up thinking "well duh, there was always an LRT along Finch West. The tunnel to Humber College has always been there!"
Seeing how many strides we've made in accessibility in such a short time is astounding. We finished the book with a tiny fraction of the fleet being wheelchair accessible/low floor and now the entire surface fleet is accessible and the subway, already mostly accessible, is set to be the same by 2025 (with the exception of Islington/Warden Stn which are being demolished and rebuilt).
I have such a ridiculous affection for all the different vehicles in the TTC's history so I loved seeing their origins. I will forever be salty the trolley buses were retired before I was born. One day I will ride one. I don't really want them back in Toronto now, I just want the experience. The Orion VIIs (which I adore despite their flaws and are still in service, though being retired) were being purchased at the end of the book and I was grinning picturing what was to come both in bus and rail.
I got so many little anecdotes from this book that I started a note on my phone and am tormenting those around me by telling stories at irrelevant times. I do not apologize for this because everyone should know a TTC streetcar once collided with a RCAF plane on Kingston Rd and that the TTC once owned the Hanlan's Point amusement park rides and hot dogs stands.
It was so interesting as we got near the end to hear the projects that were planned and Filey expected to happen and see where we are instead. That Eglinton line is finally getting done... or so they tell me. Line 6 will open at virtually the same time as Line 5 despite construction beginning years later, mark my words.
I desperately wanted an updated version of this, and did pick up at great expense (it was of course a fundraiser for United Way, so-) a TTC 100th anniversary book, which will be my next TTC deep dive. That said, I definitely see myself coming back here to find another interesting story or a different way of seeing Toronto and the TTC. If you're at all interested in transit or Toronto's history, pick this up....more
I've been fighting this rating and review for like a month, and now the book is overdue because it's been sitting on my bedside table and I'3.5 stars
I've been fighting this rating and review for like a month, and now the book is overdue because it's been sitting on my bedside table and I've forgotten a lot of things I wanted to say.
Perhaps I would've connected to this more if I lived in New York - hell, if I'd ever visited New York City. The furthest I've gotten into the US of A was Buffalo 10ish years ago. I dream of travelling, but I haven't much outside of my home province of Ontario. In any case, when I read a similar book to this format about Toronto, it felt more personal: these are my streets I run on, that's the bus I took last week, that's the statue I walk past, those are the stores I ship at, those are my neighbours etc. I don't have that same connection, but the stories were obviously very personal and in several cases quite intimate. I don't think I was ever bored. I'm a nosy person by nature and a book full of people sharing their life stories really scratches that itch. Some stories were better than others to me, but it was always interesting.
I thought I'd leave this book wanting to finally travel to NYC, and I do still really, really want to see JFK just for the aviation-nerd side of me, but I feel kind of conflicted - though still curious and intruigued to see NYC up close. It sounds like such a harsh, brutal environment in which only your luck and your wallet depend on if you'll have any fun or not. Like any city? Most of the big ones, yeah. Could someone say the same of Toronto? Damn straight. There's a lot of similarities. I think that maybe there were so many stories where I saw suffering or struggling more than genuine joy that it's made me guarded and ripped off any rose coloured glasses I may have possessed. But it does seem like a place that teaches you to fight for yourself, and work hard to get where you want.
One thing that I do love is that so much is always happening, which I be heard said a lot. So much political change, so many celebrities, all the marches/protests, the technologies being studied, the arts. It's a city of strong and varied culture, no one can deny that, and that is appealing. As a massive introvert it also sounds like a horrible place to live 24/7, but an amazing place to dip into when I want to be swept along in a crowd or see something wild and memorable or just feel a part of something bigger than myself.
I haven't found that many individual stories really stuck with me for that long-lasting emotional impact. I vaguely remember the subway operator's story. I remember the window washer, because I love how people if every random occupation were interviewed here, the mediation teacher who wanted a loud apartment so her students could meditate in "real New York" (which I loved), a rich guy who contacted NASA to get a glass countertop because he was just that rich, and that Irish guy who refused to leave during a hurricane. I remember him because it's utterly stupid to not leave when you're under an evacuation order, goddamn. I'm glad the daughter survived and was stronger for it, but. Well. Anyway. I'll get off my soap box.
I will definitely look up the Londoners book the author compiled, because I'm a sucker for this format of book. This was fascinating to learn about our neighbours across the much smaller pond and get a better understanding of the massive range of everyday life and the struggles they face, which unsurprisingly are often very similar to Toronto. One day I'll reach NYC and no doubt it will be very memorable to experience a sliver of that chaos....more
So, you could say I've been in a knitting slump. Prior to the cowl I started/finished very recently, I hadn't knot a single FO for about a ye4.5 stars
So, you could say I've been in a knitting slump. Prior to the cowl I started/finished very recently, I hadn't knot a single FO for about a year. That's the longest dry spell I've had since my Mom bought me a Klutz Knitting book/kit as a kid and I've been obsessed ever since. Also, I really don't read non-fiction. Even in subjects that interest me. It just doesn't hold my attention.
All this to say, out of every book I recieved for Christmas, I picked up the non-fiction anthology on the subject of a hobby I'd abruptly abandoned and entirely devoured it. Also, I cast on a new project. So take that, slump.
I thought I'd get sick of hearing people talking about their stash, but I didn't. I enjoyed hearing different perspectives and experiences, where they overlapped and where they differed. A few stories really spoke to me (Stephanie Pearl-McPhee and Kim McBrien-Evans to name a few). Rachel Atkinson's notion of a yarn library sparked a legitimate discussion with my to-be Librarian sister (I'm told she has charts to show me). Franklin Habit's story made me want to just break down and cry. What a gut punch. And Lela Margo's report of the Ravelry stash numbers made me laugh because I'm absolutely part of those statistics. I technically skewed them because there's no way even half my stash is properly logged online.
My one big gripe here was the lack of male contributors. 21 out of 23 essays were from female-presenting writers (forgive me if I've misgendered anyone) and I'd just would've loved to get more men or GNC contributors represented in a book about a hobby that is stereotypically (even today) considered feminine. Look, I get it, crafting by statistics is still leaning heavily towards women, but trust me, we're not actually that hard to find! I went to buy a suit this summer for a wedding and the older man who happened to fit me turned out to be a knitter/crocheter and he found me a lapel pin with a pattern looking like stockinette stitch. We're absolutely everywhere - even more obviously online - so I would've loved some more representation and time adressing/breaking that stigma.
I will say some contributors (as well as the editor) were LGBTQ+ and I loved seeing that!
Overall this is a love letter to yarn and stash and knitting and spinning and a delightful way to spend some time.
I admit it openly, I do have a stash. It lives in a craft cart in my room, under my bed in a sizable plastic storage bag, and sort of downstairs in a large shopping bag if you count the ones I've mostly come to terms with donating. Should I organize it? I now have some motivation, let me tell you. But will I stop buying yarn simply because of said stash? Let's not get crazy here! There's yarn out there, I say, with gorgeous colourways and luxurious textures, and there will be sales. Rescuing the poor things is the only responsible thing to do. And one day I'll make it into something. Or maybe I won't, and I'll just love it for what it is or remember where/when I bought it. But as long as it serves a purpose, into the stash it goes....more
How fitting is it that I finish this book on the day the Leafs fuck us over one more time? Yeah, Game 7, assholes; this looks familiar, eh? And yet, hHow fitting is it that I finish this book on the day the Leafs fuck us over one more time? Yeah, Game 7, assholes; this looks familiar, eh? And yet, here I am the day after, still wearing my Leafs cap on my head to show my loyalty and my black hoodie on to symbolize the necessary mourning. I have not taken down our Leafs sign in the window. Why? Well, first off, I'm categorically insane. Gotta be to survive this franchise, folks. Second, the title from Dangle says it all. I still love 'em and still believe, and still hope that when the Leafs do win this thing it'll be while I'm still sucking in air.
Anyway, onto the book. Dangle is great. I knew that from years of following him. I loved that he got to read his own audiobook because I'm so used to hearing his voice it would've been weird as hell hearing it from someone else. It was great learning more about his life and how he got to where he is. I also knew the basics about his sister, but learning about Rachel really gave me a better understanding not only of what fuels his love of making people laugh, but also gave a greater depth to how much he truly loves and understands the benefit of his charity work. Me being me, I also enjoyed the constant references to Scarborough, downtown Toronto, the GO train, and the GTA/Canada in general. I keep forgetting that this guy grew up a 25 minute bus ride from my house. Absolutely wild.
Steve is a storyteller. This is something I also knew already, but he spend a lot of time in this book NOT talking about hockey and I didn't even care because it's fun to listen to him go off. He's got some amazing yarns to tell, too, along with some absolutely cringe-worthy decisions that he 100% owns.
Also, I've gotta say that I respect his honesty in regards to the anxiety and crying he's dealt with. It's hard for anyone to admit things, but for a man whose life and face is broadcast internationally, I think it's a different kind of courage to say "yeah, I want that out there forever for anyone to ask me about or take shots at". Absolutely shatter that stigma. Good for him.
This is one of those pleasant reads where you learn more about someone you thought you liked and walk away liking them even more. If you already watch Steve Dangle, absolutely pick this up. If you're a Leafs fan or hockey fan in general, you'll probably enjoy this too. At the end of the day, it's a story of a guy being able to live out his childhood dreams and never taking it for granted. I hope we've got decades more rants to come because I will be listening. Really though, I think we all just wanna watch the aftereffects when the Leafs finally hoist that shiny hunk of metal and Steve gets to finally cross the big one off his Bucket List. It's on mine too, man. Mine too....more
I'm in love with my city. Those around me probably wish I wasn't in such a, uh, passionate relationship with Toronto so I'd shut the hell up about a mI'm in love with my city. Those around me probably wish I wasn't in such a, uh, passionate relationship with Toronto so I'd shut the hell up about a mural I've found or a new transit vehicle the TTC acquired or a positive interaction with a stranger or an art installation or an inspiring protest or a hidden trail or some incredible architecture- Point made.
The thing is, I don't really like history, or at least not in large quantities. It's fantastic in theory, but inevitably my mind drifts. I can't get into it; even regarding topics I love. So when I found myself utterly engrossed in a non-fiction 500-page history of relationships/love and the creation of Toronto, flipping pages, wishing my copy wasn't from the library so I could flag it within an inch of it's life and making lists of places around the city to re-visit - well. I barely recognized myself. There I was talking with my poor Mother, a history major with a special interest in Canadian history who had long given up on the idea of converting me, patiently listening me fervently attempt to explain that "No really, this stuff is so. Cool. 'Cause it just makes you see your surroundings differently with more depth, and all these forgotten stories, y'know?" Yes, Nico. I think she knows. Her degree tends to imply it.
Often I was riding the bus, reading about a building that housed a legend of the city while passing it by and absolutely losing it. A large part of what made that experience possible was the writing, which was fantastic. A factual account that highlighted Indigenous culture, LGBTQ+ rights, feminism, multiculturalism - all the best parts of Toronto - through the lens of love. It was incredibly well researched but it all flowed so well that it didn't feel like clunky textbook writing - it simply felt like someone sitting me down and telling me story after story of the people who built my favourite city in the world.
This book made me want to take a week and entirely rediscover my own city. I'm actually currently planning just that. Buildings I've seen a thousand times I can look at with new eyes, the Bluffs I live 10 minutes away from seem different somehow, a mural with faces I now recognize and respect, a church, a street, a sculpture. The stories were so rich that it makes my well-known surroundings feel richer too.
No punches were pulled and some chapters were appropriately brutal in their accounts of the suffering some people faced or the land that was stolen, not discovered. The story behind Liberty Village hit me particularly hard, and Zebulon Pike/the explosion at Fort York/general account of the War of 1812 felt so impossibly oppressive. But there was so much inspiration to be found too; sources of pride. The Michaels. The Blackburns. The unrelenting tenacity of those who's vision of a better Toronto is still felt today. The Howards and the history of High Park gave such cool context. Mazo de la Roche's story made me want to read her work. The history of the TTC livery is such a cool anectote I've already told to two (mostly) willing people. The stories of Joni Mitchell and Jackie Shane made me listen to their music (Shane is particular was such a treat). I can't tell you how many streets I learned why they were named what they were named.
I wish I could take the contents of this book and download it into my brain. Never in a million years did I think that I would be waxing poetic about a non-fiction book. Look, I don't read nonfiction. I have 1100+ books on my Goodreads shelves and a whopping 55 of them are nonfiction. But here we are. I was already in love with my city but I've fallen, quite impossibly, a little bit harder. But hey, maybe that's appropriate considering these stories are focusing on love. We still have a lot farther to go, but learning how many people have struggled and bled and died to make the city amazing makes me even more proud to call Toronto my home....more
This book has been tabbed within an inch of its wonderful life. Or should I say death? Doesn't matter, books are only alive metaphorically.
I adore thThis book has been tabbed within an inch of its wonderful life. Or should I say death? Doesn't matter, books are only alive metaphorically.
I adore these Toronto books. I get so, so much out of them and love being able to see my city in a different, more expansive way. Adam Bunch makes reading nonfiction feel like fiction at times with how it reads. Funny yet respectful, and morbid. My kinda narration.
My family reads these by extension because I never shut up about little tidbits I discover, and oh man, is there some excellent evidence on here when people say my generation really fucked things up. Oh. Man. Turns out humans just generally suck, and we do it consistently across time. This shouldn't be news to you, but if you need a good resource to confirm that little factoid, I direct you to this book, 'cause we are a MESS, from the very beginning to the right now. And we die a lot. Sometimes spectacularly. Sometimes after being an asshole. Sometimes when we don't deserve it. Sometimes everyone remembers, and sometimes it takes someone like Bunch to remind us of them and their stories.
It's a really special thing to go past a building or a park or stare out at a Lake nearly every day and then suddenly getting the opportunity to look at it completely differently. I feel very grateful to have more knowledge of my city and excited to go visit all the locations I've marked (green tab) and re-read their histories. I did similar things when I read the companion book, The Toronto Book of Love, sat on benches imagining exactly how it was and all the people and then seeing how and who we are now. It's a damned cool experience and I hope this is not the last opportunity I'll get to learn about Toronto from Adam Bunch....more
Really enjoyed this. Very informative and enjoyable from a legendary Canadian on a topic I'm very passionate about. Also appreciated the opportunity tReally enjoyed this. Very informative and enjoyable from a legendary Canadian on a topic I'm very passionate about. Also appreciated the opportunity to learn more about Black history. Plus, this book actually sparked some good conversation about book banning over lunch! Love that.
Lawrence Hill doesn't write in the genres I generally stick too, but this made me want to branch out a little and try one. Just from this brief exposure you can see he's such a great storyteller with so much intelligence and insight.
Sidenote: Cannot believe I enjoyed reading something non-fiction this much. This might actually be my first read all year that isn't fiction....more
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