My Favorite Books of 2016

This past year, like ever other year, I read an average of 50 books, so that it can be reviewed in the pages of The Montreal Times every week. Choosing a book to review is always done through a personal process of elimination, and that same process is done as I decided which were my favorite books of 2016.

I have to admit, the books that have reached the best seller lists this year has been a crazy salad of choices, from books by stalwarts like Stephen King, John Grisham and James Patterson, to the latest entry into the Harry Potter saga Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (which was actually the script of the stage production that went by that title), to the latest installment of controversial Fox News host Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing” series (this time he tackled the defeat of the Japanese empire during World War II, which was called Killing the Rising Sun). This year was the year of the memoir for me. There were plenty of choice titles that arrived at my door from publishers aching to be read and reviewed; however, 2016 was a vintage year for the memoir, because there were a lot of interesting people who had a lot of interesting stories to tell about their respective lives and experiences whether they were a legendary rock music superstar, a Secret Service agent, or a popular actress with an anxiety-ridden upbringing. And they were books that quickly caught my interest, read with great enthusiasm, and regularly recommended to people who asked me about which of the latest releases they should be reading.

So, without further ado, here are my favorite books of 2016.

Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman. This is my choice for book of the year. Veteran British rock journalist and author Philip Norman has delivered a thorough, unflinching portrait of the soufflé-talking “cute Beatle” from the streets of Liverpool, to Beatlemania, to Mull of Kintyre, to Liverpool Oratorio. There are plenty of surprises about McCartney’s personal and artistic life that are brought to light for the first time in this book (especially his rocky post-Beatles road before he really hit it big as a solo artist with his group Wings). A definite must-read for all Beatles fans.

Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen. Probably the best rock star memoir since Keith Richards’ Life. Springsteen leaves no stone unturned in this brutally honest look at his long, arduous journey to rock ‘n’ roll superstardom.  What I really liked about the book is how the narrative style almost reads like song lyrics; basically, if Springsteen decides to put this book to music, it would end up being one hell of an epic album.

American Heiress by Jeffrey Toobin. The CNN legal analyst and best selling author can certainly write an intelligent, probing true crime book. This time, he gives a thorough retelling of heiress Patty Hearst’s kidnapping by the Symbionese Liberation Army, which dominated the headlines throughout 1974 and 75. Toobin writes with the flair of an investigative journalist, and gives the reader a captivating behind the headlines story of the kidnapping, from how dysfunctional the Hearst family really was, to the rag tag motivation of the SLA, to what really happened to Hearst in the months leading up to her capture in September of 1975.

Making Waves by Shirley Babashoff and Chris Epting. During the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Shirley Babashoff was the darling of the U.S. swim team, and was expected to take home a mother lode of gold medals in the pool. But that gold rush was dashed by the members of the East German women’s swim team, which made Babashoff quite suspicious, especially due to their out of the ordinary muscular appearance. Babashoff’s memoir is a fascinating chronicle about how she became the first whistleblower to an Olympic doping scandal that would become a pandemic many years later, but sadly, she became a pariah in the world of amateur athletics because of her rare act of bravery.

Toni Tennille: A Memoir by Toni Tennille. Back in the mid and late 70s, the Captain and Tennille ruled the pop charts with such hit records as “Love Will Keep Us Together”, “Muskrat Love” and “Do That To Me One More Time”. However, Toni Tennille’s life behind the music with her musical partner and husband Daryl “The Captain” Dragon was a life of dealing with his obsessive, compulsive tendencies, which took off a lot of the sheen from their glamorous public life as popular recording artists. This memoir tells Tennille’s story with a great deal of honesty and bravado, and could have been a perfect candidate for an episode of VH1’s “Behind the Music” series.

Five Presidents by Clint Hill. The life a Secret Service agent is a very high-pressured one, where agents sacrifice many long hours – and even their own lives – in order to protect the life of the President of the United States. Hill put together a fascinating memoir of his more than 15 years as a Secret Service agent, and what it was like to be the protector of presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford. Hill gives a first-hand look at each administration he served, and the joys, quirks and idiosyncrasies that went with them (the chapters about Lyndon Johnson are filled with plenty of the latter two).

Distilled by Charles Bronfman. The 85-year-old Bronfman, the youngest child of Seagram distillery magnate and Canadian Jewish community leader Sam Bronfman, gives an engrossing account of what it was like to grow up as part of one of Canada’s most prominent business dynasties. There’s plenty of great details about how he helped put the Montreal Expos franchise together, his monumental personal clashes with his older brother Edgar on the many decisions they had to deal with that affected the family empire, and how he coped with the tragic death of his beloved wife Andrea in 2006 (which is probably one of the most heartbreaking parts of the book).

Seinfeldia by Jennifer Keishan Armstrong. Ever wondered how “Seinfeld” evolved from a show about nothing to one of the greatest sitcoms in television history? The answers are satisfyingly provided in Seinfeldia, which tells that story with a lot of fascinating behind-the-scenes details. You find out about the show’s bumpy road to its legendary status, and the origins of the show’s many popular episodes and characters, from the Soup Nazi, to “Festivus”, to “The Contest”. With books about The Mickey Mouse Club and the Mary Tyler Moore Show under her belt, Seinfeldia has cemented Jennifer Keishan Armstrong’s reputation as a top notch TV historian, and I look forward to the next classic TV show that she plans to commit between two covers.

End of Watch by Stephen King. This is the third book of Stephen King's dabbling into the crime thriller genre, and satisfyingly concludes the trilogy of novels that began with Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers. This time, retired police detective Bill Hodges conducts his final pursuit of mass murderer Brady Hartsfield, as a suicide he is called to investigate has a connection to Hartsfield, even though he is still incarcerated for the Mercedes Massacre that he committed in the first book. And to add to this, Hodges learns that he is about to begin his own private battle with a serious form of cancer. Cleverly written, it proves that Stephen King is more than just a writer of horror novels.

This is A Book About the Kids in the Hall by John Semley. The Canadian comedy quintet that is The Kids in the Hall is known for their quirky, edgy sketches and characters on their CBC series that ran from 1989 to 1995, and has developed quite a cult following. Semley, a diehard fan of the group, provides a thorough, seminal book that is the first serious study of the Kids, their origins, the Toronto comedy scene of the 1980s that helped develop their unique style of sketch comedy, how their cult following evolved when cable TV networks aired reruns of their TV show, and how their reunion tours made them a much stronger group. So if you enjoyed watching the Chicken Lady, Buddy Cole, their lengthy filmed sketches, or even their overlooked feature film "Brain Candy", you will find Semley's book required reading. 

And that takes care of 2016. Have a page-turning 2017.

Dispatches from the Centaur Theatre's Wildside Festival

It’s billed as the “hottest two weeks in winter”, and this year’s 20^th anniversary edition of the Centaur Theatre’s Wildside Theatre Festival has certainly lived up to that billing.

For this year’s milestone edition of the festival – which runs until Sunday, January 15 -- programmers Roy Surette and Johanna Nutter have chosen seven distinctive productions that represent how different aspects of diversity can be portrayed on the stage in an entertaining, thought-provoking manner. Topics that are dealt with in this year’s Wildside shows include female, cultural and sexual identity; family relationships; journalistic responsibility; the search for authenticity; and misunderstanding the marginalized.

This year, I managed to see four of the seven Wildside offerings, and needless to say, I was entertained, amused, moved and inspired by the messages each production conveyed. Three out of the four shows I saw will be playing at the festival through January 15. So if you need some theatrical comfort food from these cold January days, here are my three Wildside recommendations.

“Hootenanny!” (Smith & Somers) is a funny, bittersweet tale of a popular Australian children’s show duo comprised of Jeff Van Der Hoot and Annie Eucalyptus (aka “Hootenanny”), who are on the Canadian leg of their world tour. And during one of their shows, the team unravels and disintegrates right before the eyes of the audience, thanks to scandal, infighting, and unshared secrets that come out into the open at the last minute. The show is done in real time, as you witness the break-up of Hootenanny during the course of their 60-minute concert, which is complete with kids’ songs, video clips and a dance break. At times uncomfortable but always captivating, “Hootenanny!” is a stark portrayal of the dark side behind the glamour of being a popular entertainer. Its remaining shows are on January 14 at 9 p.m. and January 15 at 2 p.m.

“A Perfect Picture” (32-Hour Theatre Company) is based on the true story of South African photographer Kevin Carter, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph of a vulture lying in wait for his prey, a starving child in war torn Sudan. Written and performed by Laurent McCuaig-Pitre, he tells the story of Carter and his famous photo from two points of view: Carter himself and the vulture in the picture, who tries to justify his presence in the photo. “A Perfect Picture” is a fascinating portrait study of the type of tortured souls photojournalists are (especially when they are assigned to war zones), and the ethical questions that stir in their minds when they shoot photos of tragic events, whether it be for the sake of their profession, or for the glory that it can bring them. Remaining shows on its run take place on January 12 at 7 p.m., and January 13 and 15 at 9 p.m.

"Empire of the Son" (Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre) is nothing short of a sheer triumph. Tetsuro Shigematsu, a performer/CBC Radio show host/stand-up comic, who worked as an usher at the Centaur years ago, delivers a multi-media story filled with plenty of humor, heart and culture, as he tells about the rather quirky relationship he had with his father, who not only survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, but also had an interesting career as a broadcaster with the BBC in London and Radio Canada International. What I enjoyed about the show is not only Shigematsu’s easy-going, yet candid delivery, but also his clever use of photos, props, audio tape recordings of interviews with his family, and small scale model re-enactments, which certainly adds to this emotional theatrical experience. It's a very entertaining, uplifting piece about coming to terms with a parent during the difficult time of mourning their passing, and how important it is to listen to what each family member has to say, whether one agrees or not. A definite must-see! There are three remaining performances of “Empire of the Son” on January 12, 13 and 14, and all start at 7:30 p.m.

Although its run at the Wildside Festival has ended, I have to give special kudos to "Outta Here".  It’s a musical production by the students of Summit School, a private school that creates an individualized and enriching atmosphere for different special needs students. The show deals with a group of students with developmental disabilities who go on a school field trip, but end up going on an adventure of self-discovery, and what motivates each of the five students who decide to forsake the field trip for this adventure in the city. I have to give the 35 Summit students who make up the cast a great deal of credit for taking on and succeeding in this stupendous task of putting on this large-scale show for an audience outside of the comfort zone of their school, and taking on multiple roles that can be a challenge for even the most professional of actors. And judging by the heart and enthusiasm each student put into their respective performances, it is hoped that more courageous and entertaining productions from the students of Summit School will grace the stage of future Wildside Festivals.

And if you can’t get enough of what the Wildside has to offer, then catch its remaining Offside events, which begin immediately following the final show of the night at the Centaur’s Ted T. Katz Family Trust Gallery space, starting around 10 p.m. There will be a puppet karaoke showcase (where you get to sing a favorite song, and let a puppet act it out for you) on January 12; and a special all-star musical tribute to the late Leonard Cohen takes place on January 13. Admission is free for both events.

For more information about the Wildside Festival, or to purchase tickets, go to www.centaurtheatre.com.

   adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.

adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.

adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.adventure of self-discovery. I have to give these 35 student actors a lot of credit for their courage of mounting and performing a production of this scale. And special kudos goes to Cassandra Mac Isaac for her scene stealing performance as Erica, the sassy student who is part of the five students who ditches the school field trip for an adventure.

My favorite Christmas moment of 2016

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Right now, while I am in the morning of Christmas Day, and in the heart of the 2016 Christmas holiday season, I am easily reminded of one of my favorite moments during this season, and it took place over a month ago in the heart of the Ozark Mountains of Missouri.

In the middle of November, a week before American Thanksgiving, I was fortunate to participate in a press tour with a group of fellow travel writers to Branson, Missouri. To say that this town of 10,000 residents is totally immersed in Christmas is indeed an understatement. From downtown Branson, to its historic district, to the 50 theatres that make up its "strip"-- and the 100 shows that inhabit them -- to the very impressive Branson Landing outdoor mall, Christmas is a celebration that takes over Branson from November 1 to December 31. Why, you may ask? According to any resident who is asked that question, they simply reply "because Andy Williams said so!". 

It was 25 years ago that the veteran signer/entertainer moved to Branson and built his own theatre (now called the Andy Williams Performing Arts Center), and helped attract plenty of mainstream entertainers to perform in Branson, and in turn transformed Branson into a major entertainment hub and tourist attract. 

Although he passed away in 2012, Andy Williams’ Christmas legacy is captured every year in Branson. One of those events that captures his legacy is the annual the Most Wonderful Time of the Year Parade, which the fourth edition was held on November 19, and ran along the entire length of Branson Landing. 

Parade emcees Kelly Smith (left) and Billie Yates

Before the parade, myself and the group of travel writers on the press tour were invited to breakfast at the Black Oak Grill restaurant, which was also the meeting place of the selected Branson entertainers who were participating in the parade. While enjoying the delicious breakfast buffet, we were given the chance to interview with as many of the entertainers that we wanted (as long as time permitted). I decided to speak to the amiable Branson duo who were about to emcee the live broadcast of the parade: Billie Yates and Kelly Smith. Yates, who is a veteran Grammy Award-winning songwriter, stars in a rather unique country music tribute in Branson called "Raiding the Country Vault". 

Parade grand marshalls the Lennon Sisters

"Raiding the Country Vault takes 30 of the most iconic songs in country music, add an n all-star cast, along with three giant screens and a laser light show, and the result is a show that celebrates these songs and the stories behind them," said Yates, who added that Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman" and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" are the songs that are featured on the show which are constant favorites with the audience. 

Ms. Smith is also a veteran Branson entertainer. She has performed as Cher in the Legends in Concert show, and is the host of a daily lifestyles TV magazine show called “Ozarks Live”, which airs on the local CBS station. As well, she is about to tour in a tribute show in Australia as Olivia Newton-John; and what makes this singing gig so special for Ms. Smith is that her tribute performance was given the official approval by Olivia Newton-John herself. 

"When I perform any character, I always take it seriously. To prep myself for the Olivia Newton-John role, I carefully listened to her songs, and did everything to get her accent right. Getting every nuance of the character perfectly is the most important way of what I do as a performer. And as a result, I will get the chance to perform as her for a future two-week tour in Australia," she said.

The parade itself attracted a large number of Branson residents and tourists, who braved the unseasonably chilly temperatures to get their Christmas holidays off to the right start. It featured several of Branson’s top entertainers, such as the Baldknobbers (who began performing in Branson in 1960), the Hughes Brothers, Six, and the Lennon Sisters (who served as this year’s parade grand marshals), along with a stream of classic cars and floats that were provided by many of the city’s shows and local sponsors. However, this day of holiday celebration didn't end with the parade. It was followed by an hour-long Christmas concert, which showcased many of the entertainers that were on the parade route, and took place in front of the fountains of the main square at Branson Landing. On the line-up were the following Branson entertainers: the Baldknobbers, New South, Clay and Tina Cooper, the Hughes Brothers, Voices of Glory, Dean Z (as Elvis Presley), Six, Brian Dupre (as Frank Sinatra), Pierce Arrow, Billy Yates, and the Lennon Sisters (together with their grand daughters), in which they each sang a popular Christmas song, (and also acted as a sampler of Branson shows that one did not get the chance to see, or sparked one's interest to catch in the future). All in all, the parade and concert capped off a wonderful morning, and vividly illustrated to me why Christmas in Branson is indeed "the most wonderful time of the year".

The Lennon Sisters perform at Branson Landing

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For more information about visiting Branson, Missouri during Christmas time or any other time of the year, check out the Branson/Lakes Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.explorebranson.com.

Following in the footsteps of LBJ in Texas Hill Country

FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS – Last month, while in the midst of the maelstrom and madness that was the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign, I decided to take a somewhat presidential escape and participate in a press tour of the Texas Hill Country region, and follow in the footsteps of the 36^th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson, or LBJ for short.

Johnson, who served as president from 1963 to 1969, was known for his hardworking, bombastic style of leadership, especially when it came to working with the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to pass much vital legislation. Although his presidency will forever be known for being bogged in the quagmire of the Vietnam War, Johnson’s administration was also known for passing a great multitude of social legislation as part of his “Great Society” program, such as the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act,  and Head Start.

However, when the stresses of Washington, D.C. and the White House got to be too much for him, LBJ would board Air Force One to the Hill Country, in particular, his ranch in Stonewall, Texas, where he could get some work done, entertain VIPs and heads of state, and physically and emotionally recharge his batteries in the much-relaxed atmosphere of the sprawling 2700 acres that made up his ranch. In fact, he spent a total of 490 days of his administration taking care of the business of the nation and relaxing at the ranch.

“This is a special corner of God’s real estate,” Johnson once said about his beloved Texas home. “It really moulds the character of people.”

In 1972, a year before his death, LBJ and his wife Lady Bird Johnson donated 600 acres of the ranch area to the U.S. National Parks Service, as a means to share the beauty of the Texas Hill Country landscape and the historic places that not only shaped his life, but also the history of the state of Texas. The end result was the LBJ State Park and Historic Site  and the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park.

Inside LBJ's Texas White House office

This impressive historical complex, which attracts about 75,000 visitors annually, is jointly operated by the State of Texas and the U.S. National Parks Service, and is dedicated to preserving the life and legacy of Lyndon B. Johnson and his pioneering Texas roots. Through visiting the preserved properties that were associated with his life, such as his birthplace and boyhood home, the Junction School one-room schoolhouse where he spent his early school days and the Texas White House, you get the authentic story of LBJ by literally following in his footsteps.

To get a vivid idea of what life was like in LBJ’s Texas world before he embarked on his political career, check out the Sauer-Beckmann Farm to start your visit. This farmhouse was actually resided by a family who were the Johnson family’s neighbours about a century ago. What is so amazing about visiting this farmhouse is that the people who serve as your guides (all of them volunteers) not only wear authentic clothing from that period (circa 1916), but they conduct actual homestead chores and prepare meals using the tools and appliances from that era, without any modern technological convenience in sight.

As you make your way along the trail to the Texas White House, you can’t miss the presence of the many Hereford cows that LBJ raised through his lifetime that still roam around the property. Make sure to visit the Show Barn facility, which was built 50 years ago. During his presidency, when Johnson hosted many special guests and heads of state at the ranch, he made it a point to make the Show Barn a stop on his personal guided tours of the ranch, and showed off the cattle and show bulls he raised at the barn, to give them the idea of what a typical Texas ranch looked like, which also helped to soften or change any negative opinions these visitors might have had of him. Also, the Show Barn is still run as a functioning  cattle ranch, in which the livestock still sport the distinctive “LBJ” brand on their horns.

Another stop to make before visiting the Texas White House is LBJ’s personal airplane hangar, which also serves as the visitor centre and the gift and book shop, where you can purchase a wide range of books about LBJ and his presidency (including Robert A. Caro’s monumental four-volume biography of LBJ), replicas of his famous Stetson hat, and even an LBJ bobble head figurine. For an ideal souvenir of your visit to the LBJ Ranch, I recommend purchasing a copy of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park audio CD/DVD package, which costs only $7. The audio CD contains detailed descriptions of 18 of the sites that make up the entire facility (which includes quotes from LBJ himself, along with his daughters Luci Baines Johnson and Lynda Johnson Robb, as well as the Reverend Billy Graham and Johnson administration aide Joseph Califano); the DVD contains 39 photographs of the site, as well as a selection of documentary featurettes, including a 1968 tour of the ranch that was personally conducted by LBJ and Lady Bird Johnson (and judging by the relaxed tone of voice LBJ uses when he speaks in this doc, it readily shows how the ranch and the house was such an important part of his life throughout his 64 years).

The hangar also has a mini theatre, which shows a 14-minute featurette film about the story of LBJ and the Texas White House (highly recommended). Also, it stores the many presidential souvenir items in their original packaging, such as cigarette lighters, cufflinks and his trademark Stetson hat, that LBJ loved to give to visitors as gifts, as well as his small private jet plane that he used for his short flights to the ranch (which he referred to as “Air Force One-Half”).

The living room at the Texas White House

The Texas White House itself, which was officially opened to the public in 2008, a year after Lady Bird’s death and to mark the 100^th anniversary of LBJ’s birth, is a testament to the relaxed, laid back way of life the Johnson family enjoyed during their time there. Compared to the opulent residences of some of LBJ’s presidential predecessors – such as George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello --  Johnson’s Texas White House is indeed quite modest-looking, yet no less comfortable. Whether it be the living room (with LBJ’s trademark three TV sets placed side by side, so he could watch the newscasts of CBS, NBC and ABC simultaneously and Lady Bird could watch her favorite TV show “Gunsmoke”, and the table where he liked to play dominoes), his wood-panelled office, the kitchen (in which the clocks are fixed at 1 p.m., the exact time on November 22, 1963 when John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead and Johnson officially became president) or his separate bedroom (which had a phone console with several phone lines … a similar device was also installed in the nearby bathroom), the visitor gets the impression that the Texas White House was not a museum piece, but a place where LBJ really did call home and was where he can retreat from the crazy world of the Washington corridors of power, yet not lose sight of his presidential responsibilities. Visits to the Texas White House are done via guided tours only (tickets are available for purchase at the airplane hangar visitor centre); the national park rangers who conduct the tours are excellent and have a vast knowledge of the world of Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson, and what this house meant to them.

After experiencing the life and world of Lyndon B. Johnson and his family by visiting the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, it gave me an eye-opening glance at the human side of this controversial president beyond the upheaval of the 60s that made up a great deal of his presidency. I can readily understand why he wanted to share his home with the rest of the world, which was echoed in the message that was inscribed on the mat that is placed on the front door of the Texas White House: “All the World is Welcome Here”.

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For more information about visiting the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, go to www.nps.gov/lyjo. And to find out more about the Texas Hill Country region, in particular the city of Fredericksburg, and what is has to offer, go to wwwvisitfredericksburgtx.com.

(This article originally appeared in the November 9, 2016 edition of "Wednesday")

Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation holds successful masked ball

Over 400 people attended the 6^th edition of the Incognito Masked Ball, which was held by Young Leaders Circle of the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation on October 28, at the Entrepots Dominion, on St. Ambroise Street.

Presented by Engel & Volkers and McGill Real Estate, this year’s Incognito Masked Ball went under the theme of “Meet Me at the Ball”. The multitude of guests were dressed in their semi-formal cocktail chic and masked best,  whether it be Halloween style, classic masquerade, super heroes, commedia dell’arte or even Star Wars. As soon as they entered the site of the ball, they were greeted by some unique musical entertainment, which included a pair of Genji pianists from Japan, who played a selection of classic and contemporary compositions in tandem without breaking their rhythm, and Gabrielle, a local violinist who played the instrument with a great deal of flair and passion.

The main site of the masked ball was a breathtaking mixture of light, music and several stations that gave the guests an ambiance of romance, mystery, reverie and roses in an enchanted fairy tale setting. There were photo booths, an oyster raw bar, a candy bar, a “truth or dare” table that was sponsored by Apothic Wines (in which guests can choose a truth or dare card and write or perform whatever is requested on the card in question), and a silent auction table, where guests can bid on a large selection of top drawer items such as jewellery, cosmetic gift baskets, hotel packages, a Mountain Lake PBS mother/daughter surprise box, a McLaren Team F1 hat autographed by one the team drivers, and a Montreal Canadiens jersey signed by Alexander Galchenyuk. 

Proceeds from the masked ball benefitted the hospital’s H.B. Williams Craniofacial and Cleft Surgery Unit, so that it could continue to remain at the forefront of both these important surgical fields across Quebec and Canada, and continue its mission of aiding and treating children with craniofacial disorders, which affect the bones of both the skull and the face. The ball is one of the events that is organized by the Young Leaders Circle, whose mission is to make a positive impact on pediatric care in Quebec through original, creative fundraising programs.

Cote St. Luc synagogue welcomes new spiritual leader Rabbi

Rabbi Yechezkel Freundlich of the TBDJ Synagogue

When Rabbi Yechezkel Freundlich officially assumed the post of spiritual leader of the Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem (TBDJ) Synagogue in Cote St. Luc this past August, after serving as an Associate Rabbi for a synagogue in Atlanta, Georgia since 2007, one of the first conversations he had with a member of the TBDJ congregation dealt with a matter that was more meteorological than spiritual.

“The weather was indeed a starting point. It was 88 degrees that day, and he told me that it must have felt more like the temperature in Atlanta for me. I replied to him that after being used to a place where the temperature would be 96 degrees with the humidity at 11 a.m., 88 degrees was gorgeous for me,” said Rabbi Freundlich during a private luncheon with several journalists early last month.

Born the son of Holocaust survivors in Louisville, Kentucky and raised in New Jersey, Rabbi Freundlich (or “Rabbi Y”, as he was affectionately known as by the members of his congregation in Atlanta), brings to the TBDJ a wealth of experience and knowledge. He holds three degrees (including a Master of Science Degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University); was part of group in Atlanta that promoted personal and religious growth through family meetings, personal development classes and social programming; directed an advanced nightly Torah study group and held outreach sessions for university students and preschool parents; developed and produced a “Strengthen Your Marriage” workshop that was presented across the U.S.; and developed a “3 Minute Parenting Through the Parsha” online video series.

Rabbi Freundlich, who replaced Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, the TBDJ’s spiritual leader for 19 years who left the synagogue to accept a position in New York, was part of rigorous selection process that began nearly a year ago. But what was so unique about it was that the members of the congregation took an active role in the process as well.

“The committee decided to involve the members in the selection process,” said TBDJ President Judah Aspler. “We sent out a survey to them, so they could provide us with the necessary feedback, and it helped solidify the criteria of what we were looking for in a spiritual leader.” After the final three candidates were chosen, they were invited to spend a weekend with the members to give them a hands-on feel of what the synagogue, its members and the community were all about, and participated in a wide range of activities from services to classes, to personally interacting with the members. “Each of our guest Rabbis commented to me on how impressed they were by what they saw in terms of member involvement, care and passion for the shul,” said Aspler. “Our candidates were impressed, and I think we all were as well. We demonstrated who we are, and who we will be.”

When Rabbi Freundlich was officially selected to lead the TBDJ, he and his wife Rifki, along with their seven children ranging in ages from 3 to 16, were given a large scale Shabbt dinner on August 19 to formally welcome them to the community, which attracted over 300 people.

Rabbi Freundlich realizes he has big shoes to fill as the successor to a long-serving and popular spiritual leader, and wants to make the synagogue a vibrant focal point of the community. “I know it is very hard to fill the shoes of such a beloved rabbi, especially the impact Rabbi Steinmetz made on the shul and how he left it as a very strong place,” he said. “I would like it to be a vibrant place both socially and spiritually, and engage more people to what we have to offer, so that it can be an important centre of the community, and an important place in people’s lives.”

As well, Rabbi Freundlich and his family relished the exciting challenge of adjusting to a new way of life in Montreal, especially adapting to its unique culture and learning how to speak French. “I like Montreal because it’s such a diverse, multicultural city. And we are bringing our car in from Atlanta so we can get around the city much easier. And all that road construction? Well, I believe that’s being done so that the roads can be fixed up especially for me and my family,” he said. “And I was a big sports fan when I was in Atlanta, so I am looking forward to finally support a winning team in Montreal!”

Cross Kill by James Patterson (Little, Brown, $5.95)

Let’s face it. Mega best selling author James Patterson is a virtual writing machine.

Every year, Patterson and his team of co-authors release a slew of books, which are usually his series of best-selling thrillers, such as the crime thrillers involving Washington, D.C. police detective Alex Cross, the Womens’ Murder Club and the Michael Bennett mysteries, amongst others.

This past summer, Patterson’s publisher Little, Brown introduced a new way to enjoy and appreciate his prolific output of novels, which are called “Bookshots”.

Advertised as “stories at the speed of life”, Bookshots are a continuous series of compact, affordably-priced paperbacks, in which new titles  are released on a regular basis, and feature many of Patterson’s best-known series of books. Basically, you can read a James Patterson Bookshots release in one sitting (or maybe two, but no more than that).

The question for Patterson’s many fans is can a condensed, shorter version of one of his novels be as captivating and entertaining as his full length ones? Well, after reading Cross Kill, the first book issued in the Bookshots, the answer is a resounding “yes”.

In beginning of this story, Alex Cross and his police partner John Sampson are seen volunteering their time at a local elementary school breakfast program, when they are unexpectedly ambushed by a lone gunman. Cross survives the fusillade of bullets, but Sampson suffers a serious bullet wound to the head that becomes life threatening.

However, the eerie thing about this deadly assault is that the gunman resembles serial killer Gary Soneji, who was pursued by Cross in one of his earlier thrillers Along Came A Spider. The strange thing is that it can’t be Soneji, because Cross saw him meet a fiery death at the end of that story. …Or is Soneji really alive and didn’t really have an incinerating death?

Seeing the first titles in the Bookshots series on display at a magazine store in Milwaukee this past July reminded me of what Signet Books did 20 years ago with Stephen King’s novel The Green Mile, and decided to issue the story in six monthly installments in the form of attractive, easy-to-read compact pocket paperbacks. All six installments became instant best sellers, and are regarded as collector’s items after The Green Mile was re-issued in a single volume. Bookshots is indeed a new way to enjoy James Patterson’s growing fiction library. And it does succeed, because they are just as thrilling and suspenseful, but at a fraction of the size. And the narrative of Cross Kill provides a couple of interesting plot twists at the end that leave the reader waiting in anticipation for the next Alex Cross installment in the Bookshots series.

This new series of books is great reading for those on their public transit commute to work, or for those long waits at the airport.