Hour Books: I Drink For A Reason

I Drink For A Reason is one of the latest projects from comedian David Cross, who is probably best known for his role as Tobias on Arrested Development. The book is a mixture of satire, wit and observation from the life and career of Cross.

The Hour Blog posted an exclusive excerpt from the book, leading up to tonight's interview on The Hour.

Cross had the audience laughing the entire time he was in the big red chair. Make sure you tune into The Hour for this interview.

Hour Books: Have a Little Faith

As the official Mitch Albom website says: "What if faith wasn't what separated us... but was what brought us together?"

Have a Little Faith is Albom's first non-fiction book since Tuesdays with Morrie and explores the issues of faith in modern society and how to endure some of the trials life throws at us. Like his other books, Have a Little Faith is a journey.

Mitch Albom will be on The Hour next week. Check out The Hour Blog for an exclusive exerpt from Have a Little Faith.

Hour Books: My Years as Prime Minister

You can't look at Canadian history for the past few decades without seeing the influence former Prime Minister Jean Chretien had on the country. Even before he lead the country, he played a huge role in defining Canada as it is today. I looked forward to reading his biography basically because I wanted to hear how he viewed what happened during his tenure as Prime Minister in particular the Quebec Referendum.

My Years as Prime Minister follows the 10 years that Chretien was Prime Minister of Canada.
It is a very interesting story, told in a very personable voice. I found myself captivated at certain points in the book, something that rarely happens to me in biographies. I enjoyed reading the stories that made the world leaders more personable than their politician personas generally let them be. I was particularly interested in his version of what happened with the whole Paul Martin situation. Beyond a being an engaging read, I love that this book captures 10 years of Canadian history.

Chretien visited The Hour after recovering from an unexpected heart bypass surgery that prevented an earlier visit to the show. I found the interview fascinating, so make sure you check out the full length, uncut interview on the website

Hour Books: The Great Depression Ahead

I received a copy of The Great Depression Ahead by Harry S. Dent jr. when I attended a taping of The Hour last season. I do remember browsing it at the time, but pretty much ignored it after that. For the past two weeks, I've struggled to read this book.

The first time I picked it up, I read about two pages and got distracted by shiny objects. I think that people who either work in finance or have a solid working knowledge about the banking system would find this book interesting and easy to read. Because I lack a solid understanding, I just couldn't get into it. I do think it's interesting that Dent thinks that we'll see the worst banking collapse the world has seen since the Great Depression.

I recommend watching the interview with Harry S. Dent jr. when he appeared on The Hour last season.

Hour Books: Creating a World Without Poverty

It was serendipitous that I started reading this book the week that Muhammad Yunus received the Medal of Freedom from President Obama. At the ceremony on August 13, President Obama gave the following outline of Yunus' work:

Thirty-five years ago, a young economics professor at a university in Bangladesh was struck by the disconnect between the theories he was teaching in class and the reality of the famine outside. So, determined to help, Mohammed Yunus left the classroom for a village, and discovered that just $27 would free dozens of artisans, vendors, and rickshaw pullers from debt. Offering himself as a guarantor, he withdrew a loan, paid off their debts, and founded Grameen Bank -- a bank that has disbursed over $8 billion, lifting millions of people from poverty with microloans. Mohammed Yunus was just trying to help a village, but he somehow managed to change the world.

The concept of microcredit is simple: loan a small amount of cash to start up their own business, let them make some money and then pay back the loan within a year. And it worked. But now there's another layer to add to this concept: social business.

Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism takes the concept of microcredit that Yunus lined out in his first book, Banker to the Poor, and introduces a fairly simple idea: harnessing the power and opportunities offered by the free market to eradicate poverty.

When I think of poverty and trying to eradicate poverty it boggles my mind. It just seems so complicated and hard to do. But reading this book made me realise that it is possible, that we could eradicate poverty though the tools that microlending and social business offer. It just makes sense.

As with all the other Hour Books I've read, I do suggest this book, for the simple fact that it makes sense. It outlines a plan that could actually work.

Muhammad Yunus has visited The Hour twice. Once, just after he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 and then in 2o08, just after the release of Creating a World Without Poverty.

Hour Books: Cook With Jamie

I've followed Jamie Oliver's tv career since it launched with The Naked Chef in the late nineties. It's been amazing to watch how he's taken his philosophy regarding food and created an empire of good food and eating well. One of his recent books, Cook with Jamie continues to build on his philosophy of maximizing the character and flavour of food.

I'll admit it... I devour cookbooks. I love to see how people play with traditional recipes and put their own unique stamp on food. I've read all of Oliver's books because I enjoy the "voice" he writes with and how he puts recipes together. I always find myself bookmarking half of the book for future dinner parties. I could honestly see myself cooking my way through Cook with Jamie in a similar fashion to the character Julie in the movie Julie and Julia.

Another thing I liked about this book is that it is designed to help people who may not be well-versed in the kitchen accomplish more than just toast and boiling water. I'm always on the look out for cookbooks that would suit my friends who are not so comfortable in the kitchen, and I think this book offers readers a good basic look at preparing some ingredients that might scare novices in the kitchen, such as squid, mayonnaise fresh pasta or cake that doesn't come from a box.

The photography is amazing and makes the book, which weighs in at over 400 pages) a treat to flip through. There are a few recipes in the book that have become "go to" recipes in my kitchen, such as the recipe for the lightest potato gnocchi, the mushroom risotto, the roasted cauliflower with cumin, coriander and almonds and Oliver's nan's lemon drizzle cake.

If you're looking for an addition to your cookbook collection or just like drooling over food photography, check out Cooking with Jamie. When Jamie Oliver appeared on The Hour he cooked George up a little gem of a dish in the office kitchen... check out his "masterpiece". Then once you've regained you equilibrium, check out what happened when he sat down in the red chair to chat with George.

Hour Books: Losing It

I'll be honest, this book was never really on my list to read. I thought the interview on The Hour was interesting, but not something I wanted to pursue beyond that one segment. However, I was at my local library last week and found "Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound At A Time" by Valerie Bertinelli staring at me from the featured book display. Since I was on Summer Vacation at the time, I was looking for a different kind of read so I picked it up.

I was surprised, it was a good read. It's an interesting journey through Bertinelli's life, from her first encounter with acting to the night her son started touring with her ex-husband as Van Halen's new bassist. I liked that this book didn't glamourize her issues unlike some celebrity biographies I've read in the past. I liked that she was seemingly frank about how her life felt totally different than how it was perceived by the outsiders.

I'm not sure how I feel about using the whole weight loss thing to tie the book together, but it's used as her catalyst to happiness. I did come away from the book with the notion that we all have a story to tell, and on some level everyone's story is similar.

Make sure you check out Valerie Bertinelli's 2008 interview on The Hour.

Hour Books: Fast Food by Gordon Ramsay

One perk of attending a live taping of The Hour is the chance you may walk away with some free swag -- especially if a featured guest happens to be flogging a book! When I discovered that the first guest on a taping of The Hour that I was attending was Gordon Ramsay, I was beyond thrilled. I know that many don't care for his colourful language, his berating of pretenders to the throne on Hell's Kitchen - but I love his energy and passion for food, his dogged commitment to standards. It comes across LOUD and clear. Yes Chef!

In his Food Network series' Kitchen Nightmares and Hell's Kitchen - you really don't get the full concept of whether or not Ramsay can actually throw down in the kitchen. He doesn't do the cookie cutter demos which invariably end with them cheesily taking a taste and making yummy sounds toward the camera...that's just not his MO.

So it was with interest that I dug into my freebie copy of "Fast Food" to see if he's as good as he thinks he is in this book, thematically inspired by his latest TV series - 'The F Word'. Fast Food is suitable for foodies and novice cooks alike, though novice cooks need to read through each recipe well in advance of preparation. Some meat dishes - like a pork chop dish suggest you cook them through with no clear indication of time or temperature. If you've ever had a dry, overcooked, inedible chop - you may want to do more than throw it in a pan and pray. If you're a fan of the F Word, you'll know of Ramsay's movement to try and get people to commit to cooking at home - particularly given that in less time that it takes to order take-out, you can prepare a tasty meal.

The book is separated into 15 segments with soups, starters, entertaining, Mexican flavours to name but a few. Peppered with lavish photographs of food and chef, it's an attractive read - particularly important for those people who don't actually cook, but are seriously addicted to reading cookbooks.

There's a decided focus on making the ingredients and flavours the star whether you're preparing a quick work night meal or entertaining friends on the weekend. Tips on how to best stock your pantry are especially helpful for those often pressed for time, but unwilling to sacrifice taste. More experienced cooks will be able to improvise and sub in more accessible/ affordable ingredients. Novice cooks will need to build confidence but can eventually do this too as their confidence and palate develops.

I particularly loved the recipes for Sticky Lemon Chicken, Bacon Pea and Goat Cheese Omelet, & Sauteed Scallops with Corn Salsa! Recipes are speedy - in fact none I tried have taken longer than 30 minutes, including prep. In particular, if you're a fan of seafood and clean simple flavours - this book is a winner. If you're not a fish lover - you may want to pass.

For those that are visual learners, there's a great podcast you can link to.... HERE

So... Bon Appetit! Don't overcrowd your proverbial scallop pan and savour some tasty flavours!

Speaking of Ramsay -- who are YOU hoping will win Hell's Kitchen this time? I like Ariel and Robert -- Van frightens me. Not sure about you, but I am uneasy about the unbalanced possessing razor sharp knives!

For those in the Toronto area - you can look forward to welcoming the first Canadian Ramsay owned restaurant - likely in the next 12-18 months!

Hour Books: Rick Mercer Report, The Book

One of the best parts of the Mercer Report are the rants. So I was tickled when Mercer released a book filled with some of his best rants. I've read it a few times since its release, so much so it's become one of those books that I pick up and reread when I can't get into anything new. Everyone rants, we all come across people or events that just set us off, so hearing Mercer rant is kind of an extension of what everyone is thinking but may not want to openly admit.

This book of rants is an interesting glimpse into the affairs that captivated Canada (or held Canada hostage) over the past few years. From election after election after election, to Conrad Black's antics, to the latest Parliamentary hijinks (or hijacks, depending on how you look at it) to just plain weird Canadian behaviour (like Torontonians and winter weather), Mercer has somehow captured the essence of what Canada is. Speaking of Conrad Black, one of my all time favourite rants comes from the time is when Conrad Black wanted his citizenship back.

The first edition of the book came out in 2007 but was updated for the 2008 paperback release.

Mercer's been on The Hour a few times over the years: Book Interview, Interview - Part One, Interview - Part Two, Mercer at the Book Stand. Make sure you check them out.

Hour Books: When All You Have is Hope

I’m an avid reader. Give me something to read and there’s a good chance I’ll read at least the first chapter, paragraph or sentence. There are few books that I’ve started and couldn’t finish. When All You Have Is Hope is Frank O’Dea’s saga of stumbling down a dark, dangerous path as a young adult and then picking himself and making a success of himself. The jacket art for this book includes a quote:

‘That was me, the guy begging money for a bottle of wine and a fifty-cent bed in a flophouse. I was thirty years away from being named an Officer of the Order of Canada, twenty years away from marriage and fatherhood, ten years away from earning my first million dollars, and a week away from deciding that I must change or die.”

Having watched the interview on The Hour, I knew that O’Dea’s story was intense, but I wasn’t totally prepared for just how dark parts of his story really was. The cliche term “rags to riches” is not so cliche in this story; O’Dea really went from wearing rags and living on the street to the life of the elite.

But there’s more to this story than just his redemption and survival. He also demonstrates that if you have a good idea and drive, you can make almost anything a success. He’s not just the co-founder of coffee giant Second Cup; he’s also the founder of Proshred, he helped structure the current code of conduct for Canada’s Olympic Athletes and Coaches, he co-founded Street Kinds International, a foundation aimed at bettering the lives of kids on the street around the world, he founded the international fundraiser “The Night of the Thousand Dinners” to help raise money to clear landmines... and the accolades and achievements go on and on.

I know I recommend every book I write about in this weekly post, but I put this book at the top of my “books everyone needs to read” list. It's an amazing read.

Make sure you check out Frank O’Dea’s October 2007 interview with George on The Hour.

Hour Books: Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself

Written after his near death experience in Chile, Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself chronicles Alda's thoughts on a variety of subjects through many of the speeches he's given over the years at commencements and other life events. He opens the book with his daughter's commencement and from there weaves a tale that just enjoys the twists and turns that life brings.

It really is a book of questions and answers. He questions the choices he made and the choices he didn't make. It's as if Alda sees life as a maze of choices, if I go left this will happen but if I go right will I hit a dead end or is it the way through? In some ways his ponderings made me ponder some of the questions in my life and whether or not it's worthwhile to go in whatever direction I'm thinking of at the time. I like his writing "voice", it's almost as if I can hear him narrating the book in my head.

I would suggest reading his biography Never Have Your Dog Stuffed before reading this book, because I think it will help fill in some of the gaps where it felt like Alda assumed we knew the back story of his life at a particular moment in time.

Make sure you check out Alan Alda's interview on The Hour in November 2007, he gives a very good foundation for this book. Also check out an extra clip from the interview on More with Alan Alda.

Hour Books: God is not Great...

I've stewed over this book for a couple days since reading it. Christopher Hitchens is, without a doubt, a brilliant man... and a controversial one at that. But I couldn't help wondering at some points in the book that he was starting to sound similar to the very people he was writing about in the book.

As the title suggests, God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything is Hitchens' treatise about views against religion. In the book, he makes a rather compelling arguement against religion guiding and shaping who we are and what we believe. Yes, Hitchens is a great writer and he makes some valid points, and there were times where I wondered if he actually meant everything he said or if there were a few statements that he made solely to get a rise out of people. This is definitely a divisive book, I found that there were many times where I'd be nodding along with what Hitchens' was writing and then suddenly he'd make a comment that just seemed to cross some invisible line in my mind and he'd lose me.

Make sure you check out Hitchen's first appearance on The Hour in 2007 and then the uncut version of Christopher Hitchens' interview when he recently appeared on The Hour.

Hour Books: Raisin Wine...

Raisin Wine: A Boyhood in a Different Muskoka is the story of James Bartleman, the former Lieutenant General of Ontario. I was intrigued by this book, as I am by most biographies, so I sailed right in after finding it on display at the library with an assortment of other Canadiana books on a table preparing patrons for Canada Day.

What I expected was the story of James Bartleman and how he eventually made his way to the Ontario Lieutenant Govenor's chair but what I didn't expect is that the book would be written as a novel, in a third person omniscient voice and with few proper names used in the book. The main character was refered to as "the boy, while other characters were referred to as "the boy's mother/father/brother/sister". This was not your average run of the mill biography, it spans only a few years in the fifties, though the years covered were probably the most formative years of anyone's life, when children were just discovering the teen years and what lies beyond the family circle. It's always interesting to read how someone who attained Bartleman's stature later in life, was obsessed with ice cream and comics from the general store or how he helped the family's income by collecting scrapmetal and selling fish to his neighbours as a child.

This book also paints an interesting picture of Muskoka as it grew into the tourist haven it is today. Focussed around Port Carling, the book speaks of how the region grew from the disappointment of the first settlers and the displacement of the First Nations to the growth of cottages and summer homes owned by the people from the "South" (Toronto). With the conditions of reserves currently in the news due to the swine flu outbreaks, I found it rather depressing to read that nothing much has changed in that regard since the time frame of the book, that some First Nation reserves still struggle for basic infrastructure and needs, while battling the same demons such as substance abuse.

As soon as I finished reading this book, I recommended it to a friend who lives in Muskoka. It is a compelling read, of a little boy growing into a teenager and the dynamics that shaped who he is today.

Please check out James Bartleman's apperance on The Hour. Like the book, this interview is very compelling.

Hour Books: Smile While You're Lying...

After the heaviness of last week's book, I wanted to read something a little lighter and in a more familiar realm. Chuck Thompson's book Smile While You're Lying: Confessions of a Rogue Travel Writer fit that bill perfectly.

I'm a big fan of this genre so it's no surprise that I really liked this book. Thompson's voice really reminds me of NYC Chef Anthony Bourdain (author of Kitchen Confidential and host of No Reservations), but with a totally different spin. This excerpt from the book sums it up:

The biggest reason travel writing is dull, as Queenan correctly pointed out, is that most of it is devoid of anything approaching an authentic point of view. On those rare occasions when travel writers are allowed to express an actual opinion, it must be a completely harmless one that's also shared by the travel industry at large. These are usually offered as hard-hitting commentaries describing how “quaint” a hotel room is, how “mind-blowing” a nature park is, or how “mouthwatering” a chef's specialty is. Everything is superlative. Like being a sports fan, one of the best things about being a traveler is complaining about the parts you don't like—hating the Dallas Cowboys not only doesn't make me any less a football fan, it probably makes me a more avid one. This is a concept the travel industry has never embraced.

It was at this point that I fell in love with the book. I've always been skeptical of travel writing, always thinking there is no way that any given locale would be as "scintillating" or "quaint" or "endearing" or (insert your favourite non-descriptive descriptor) as the author wants us to believe. I liked the honesty of Thompson's book. It's not a pretty representation of the life of a travel writer, but in the same breath it doesn't totally tear down those whose careers depend on reviewing the latest white sandy beach, but it's a great representation of what got Thompson into the industry and why he thinks writers need to be more honest. Face it, what stories do you find more interesting from your travels? The totally expected or the totally unexpected? Ya, that's what I thought...

From having all his money stolen on a remote island in Thailand to running out of gas on a remote British Columbia highway, I thought this book was a great read particularly if you're interested in travelling or writing about your travels.

Don't forget to check out Chuck Thompson when he appeared on The Hour in April 2008... and then check out More With Chuck Thompson...

Hour Books: The Book of Negroes

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill was one of the last books featured in Season Five of The Hour and the winner of the 2009 Canada Reads competition on CBC. It chronicles the amazing life of Aminata Diallo, a young woman stolen from her African home, sold into slavery and then travels from place to place looking for freedom from slavery, including a little known incident in Canada's own history.

Most Canadians know of Canada's involvement in the Underground Railroad, but few know that Canada had its own race issues and was not immune to the slave trade. Author Lawrence Hill found inspiration for the novel from the story of the migration of these black settlers to and from Africa. He took the name of his novel from the actual Book of Negroes, a relatively unknown historical document that lists the names and characteristics of the black loyalists who migrated from New York state to Nova Scotia towards the end of the American Revolutionary War with the promise that they would receive land and liberty when they arrived in the British colonies.

Unfortunately, what they were promised and what they found were two completely different things. In 1784, a group of unemployed white settlers attacked the black settlement of Birchtown, Nova Scotia, destroying the settlement. This attack became known as the first race riot in North America. Feeling angered and betrayed by the British, some of these settlers made the first journey back to Africa only ten years after arriving on the continent.

You can view a copy of the Book of Negroes through the Nova Scotia Archives.

This novel is a very interesting read. It's also a very heavy read, there were times when the sheer volume of suffering was really disturbing. Hill has a gift for painting an image in the mind, I often felt like I'd been transported right into the scene. This is not a "happily ever after" novel, there is a lot of sadness and human suffering in this book. But woven into the book is a demonstration of the strength of the human spirit.

If you've read the novel, leave us a comment and let us know what you thought of the book.

Check out Lawrence Hill's interview on The Hour.