Product Description
After a long, slow climb out of the strip clubs of Europe, Jurgen and Rudolfo have hit the big time in Las Vegas, headlining a magic act as slick as their own buffed and usually half-naked bodies. Rudolfo is content orchestrating the spectacle and attempting to twin his soul with Jurgen's. But Jurgen hungers for more--and finds it in a mysterious collection of magician's paraphernalia that once belonged to Harry Houdini. With the knowledge he finds there, and his own faith in the unknown, Jurgen becomes the miracle worker of the Las Vegas strip. "Darkly comic, deeply sad, and always ironic" (Library Journal), The Spirit Cabinet takes dead aim at the place within us that yearns for miracles. "It is not a book about magicians and their pursuit of magic," wrote Alan Beaton in The National Post; "it is a book about human beings, and their pursuit of faith." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A spirited novel
The Spirit Cabinet is a novel about magic and Las Vegas. At least that's the impression you get from the cover-the upper half is a dove cupped in a quick hand, perhaps ready to vanish. The bottom is a slice of the Las Vegas Strip. And the quote on the cover (this is the paperback) starts out by saying the book is "entirely magical." And it's right.

But this is a novel that's about a lot more than either magicians or casinos. It's about the search for knowledge. It's about losing sight of what's wonderful around us. And it's about regaining that sight.

Quarrington builds an interesting narrative structure. There are actually three stories unfolding at once: one in the literary present, one in the near past, and one that fills in the backstory. It's sort of like a magic trick where you watch something disappear while at the same time seeing it take shape and seeing it reappear. It's quite effective, and certainly works better than just trudging through the chronology.

Superficially, the novel is about a pair of flamboyant Teutonic headlining magicians named Jurgen and Rudolofo who seek to buy a collection of magical books and items that once belonged to Harry Houdini. Among the items is the Davenport Spirit Cabinet of the title, a poorly-gaffed (or is it?) teleportation device.

Reading the last paragraph, you might have rolled your eyes. Jurgen and Rudolfo...could they be a thinly-fictionalized send-up of Siegfried and Roy? And isn't that a rather obvious excuse for comedy?

Actually, Jurgen and Rudolfo are complex characters who get more development than anyone in the book. In the hands of a lesser writer, they might have been a cheap gag, but Quarrington animates them so convincingly that they come off as larger than life but not cartoonish.

Clearly Jurgen and Rudolfo aren't everyman protagonists that the man in the street can instantly identify with. No one in the book is: I really can't think of anyone that isn't freakish to one degree or another, or just a loser. But Quarrington, being a gifted novelist, touches on universal themes that help the reader identify with all of these characters (or at least most of them-the Criss Angel-ish Kaz is played mostly as an inept villain). There's plenty of subtext about the power and danger of belief, which might appeal to those with shaky belief structures, but there's an even more universal theme running under that: the search for the father. Every major character is dealing, in one way or another, with the failure or abdication of his/her father, or father figure. You don't notice at first, but thinking about the book you realize: that's the common thread. It's not done in a hokey way, either: there's no fetishization of victimhood, or lame angst. Instead, Quarrington tells stories that seem natural and personal.

Spirit Fusion
"The Spirit Cabinet" uses the world of magicians and magic as an allegory for an exploration of self-worth.Much of the story takes place through the eyes of Rudolfo, who is the showman partner of Jurgan.The two come from colorful pasts.They are lovers as well as partners in a magic act.The novel contains several romantic graphic gay sexual encounters, one in a hail storm & one on an exercise bike.Rudolfo has a flare for working with animals, most notably Samson whose thoughts & fears are most humanely told.Samson is like the cowardly lion, although at times he's alternately bored or suffering from indigestion.The plot revolves around an auction where Jurgan buys a collection of books & magical equipment that belonged to Harry Houdini.This apparently contains secret magical information.We're not absolutely clear about what happens within the spirit cabinet, but Jurgen appears to undergo a transformation where he becomes increasingly less material, his body translucent, and less responsive to physical gravity.The culmination event reminded me of the idea of spirit fusion presented in The Urantia Book.Other magicians swirl in subplots.Preston the Adequate steals Jurgen & Rudolfo's lovely assistant Miranda.Envious magician Kaz tries to steal the Houdini collection.There is also a chauffeur from the African Dogon tribe who appears to have magical qualities.Quarrington peoples the novel with a collection of oddballs who all seem to question their self-worth.The quasi-mystical becomes magical and possible.Jurgen's climax where he seems to explode skyward into luminous bits is wonderful.The barriers to enjoyment come from the construction which is a bit hard to follow.One chapter is in the present, the next in flashback, and another in a dream.Sometimes it's hard to tell what's what, which may be the point.Overall, this is an interesting and entertaining tome, if a bit off-center. Enjoy!

difficult
I was a big fan of Whale Music and a couple other Quarrington books, so I jumped at the chance to buy this, not knowing it existed. I have tried for weeks to get into it, but so far... after six chapters, I am just not there. There is no doubt that Paul Quarrington is an amazing writer, but this story has just not grabbed me yet.

Good writing, a little hard to swallow
I have to say I enjoyed this book, but saw room for improvement. While Quarrington's descriptive and narrative style is quite tasty and the plot decidedly provocative and well-researched, I found the telling a little loose and frayedaround the edges and the last portion of the book seemed rushed and clumsily tied together. It takes place in a believable world (if you can call Las Vegas believable) where magic (not mere illusions) exists and animals have emotional and intellectual maturity. These devices worked and their "unrealness" was "believable" andenjoyable. Yet, for example, when one's lover/partner starts to turn literally translucent, begins wasting away before your eyes and performing ACTUAL magic learned from ancient books & scrolls and paraphernalia, one wouldprobably react with something other than sulking, annoyance and self-centered anger. This is the sort of unbeleivability that I disliked about this book, even for it's well drawn characters, good humor and surprising twists of plot. Also,some of the out-of-chronological-order storytelling left me confused and back-tracking rather than being able to watch the subplots eventually fall satisfyingly into place. In sum: Enjoyable but not wholly satisfying.

This strange life
Superstar magicians and entertainers Jurgen and Rudolfo buy Houdini'scollection of magicians' artifacts and paraphernalia, including theDavenport Spirit Cabinet, at an auction. As Jurgen delves into thecollection, he drifts from his partner and lover, as well as becoming moredisconnected from their show. Jurgen disappears, leaving Rudolfo adrift anddepressed, until he ultimately follows his love. Shifting between thepresent and the past, Quarrington explores the notions of faith in eachcharacter's life. Maybe not as potent as Katherine Dunn's "GeekLove" or anything by John Irving, Quarrington's book is quite aremarkable story of oddball characters that compels the reader onward. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Des Howell is a former rock 'n' roll star who never leaves his secluded oceanfront mansion. Naked, rich and fabulously deranged, he subsists on a steady diet of whiskey, pharmaceuticals and jelly doughnuts and occasionally works on his masterpiece, "Whale Music." One day, upon awakening from his usual drunken stupor, Des discovers on his sofa a young alien from the faraway universe of Toronto. This girl has made the trek to Des' hideaway because she believes in the "Whale Music" and she's crazy enough to think that Des can make a comeback hit with his mad magnum opus--


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

What would Brian Wilson think?
I remember reading some years ago that Brian Wilson is reported to have remarked - "Whale Music is the best book about the Beach Boys that I have read." Why not?

Fantasy is Reality
Anyone who has been semi conscious on Earth over the last 40 years knows that "Whale Music" draws it's inspiration from The Beach Boy's creative genius; Brian Wilson. As I recollect, Mr. Quarrington's book hit the shelves at about the same time as Mr. Wilson's autobiography. Having read both, I would choose to re-read 'Whale Music'. At it's worst, it's fictionalized take off on the man's life is extremely entertaining. At it's best, it's a great satire of the media's reporting of Mr. Wilson's every ingested cheeseburger. I love this book and, I especially love Brian Wilson's contribution to the world.

Smile ...
It has been at least ten years since I read this book but I still remember it fondly.It is largely a thinly-fictionalized account of the turbulent life of Brian Wilson, not exactly, but he is obviously the prototype for the eccentric musical genius protagonist and former songwriter/producer/singer of a California-based brother act.I was insipred to try to track it down again after reading about an all-star Brian Wilson tribute concert.My dim memory of this book is that the narrator is the Wilson-based character, who also reminded me a bit of the hero of John Kennedy Toole's great rambling novel "A Confederacy of Dunces."There are some laugh-out-loud sequences in this book as well as the expected tortured-artist tales.I would gladly read it again.

Fantastic 1st Person Narrative!
Quarrington's Whale Music is as decadent and sincere as its main character. A touching story doused in an absurd fondue of drug abuse, money, rock and roll, and agoraphobia. Track this one down!

Quarrington knows us better than we know ourselves.
There are a rare few writers in our society that can capture the paradox between the fragility and strength of the human spirit like Paul Quarrington. The alcoholic, drug-addicted main character spends his time talking to ghosts of his past, dunking his naked, corpulent body in the pool, and working on a composition for the whales below his cliff-side house. An uninvited visitor from another universe turns his life upside-down and he is forced to face the ghosts of his past, present, and future. In the process he lays bare those things that we most hide about our own selves, that make up the very essence of those things which make us human. If you like books which forever change the way you look at life, "Whale Music" is for you ... Read more

Product Description
In The Boy on the Back of the Turtle, Quarrington attempts to discover his own little niche in the cosmos. Cruising the volcanic Galapagos Islands on a 90-foot liner in the company of his daughter, age 7, and his father, age 73, he tries to find his place as a Son, as a Father, as a Mortal frolicking beneath the heavens. Given that the Galapagos is the historic site of God’s greatest setback, he points out, it is a fitting place to play out the battle within him. Quarrington employs his trademark combination of wry wit and poignant observation as he takes readers on a wide-ranging investigation of everything from blue-footed boobies, careerism, taxonomy, and the nature of creation to pirates, frigate birds, Herman Melville, and the precarious ecology of the islands and the planet. The exploration of questions big and small make this an enlightening voyage for the reader as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Islands for insight
What prompts sixty thousand people per year to visit an isolated group of barren, arid, volcanic islands?They tramp dusty trails, peer into bushes and caves, suffer equatorial sun and strange animals almost without a murmur of complaint.A few, like Paul Quarrington are seeking some answers.Sometimes it's The Answer that's sought.These pilgrims are trailing the man who conceived the best idea anyone, any time, ever had.They retrace the footsteps of Charles Robert Darwin, who visited the Galapagos Islands, then returned home to think about what he'd seen.What Darwin saw and thought led to the first understanding of how life, the universe and everything, actually works.

Quarrington visited the Islands with his daughter Carson, seven years old, and his father, "ten times that age".Quarrington, in an illustrious account, sought what Darwin found - a Great Insight.In keeping with that quest, his narrative is highly personalized and introspective.That is, after all, what "insight" is - looking inward.He recounts his boyhood adoption of divine Special Creation of the universe.Over the years, however, he came to understand how unsatisfying divine creation is in explaining life.As with those thousands of others, he came to see a pilgrimage to the islands as a likely source of enlightenment.

He admits the symbolism of visiting the Galapagos with three generations.The account explains his travails as both a son and a parent.Where does "natural selection" fit in his dealings with his father and his daughter?He examines his own life, what he knows of his father's and how confesses to how adroitly Carson manipulates him.Through it all, Quarrington gives snippets of Darwin's life and thinking, that of natural selection's critics and how many questions have been pondered and answered.In order to accomplish this, he relies on a bevy of writers listed in a five-page bibliography.That's an enterprising effort for a writer listed as a "humourist".Yet, the humour, rich with ironies, is in full flower in this lucid account.Between the science, the charming [and sometimes not so charming] wit, he has provided a singularly readable account of one man's wrestling with the attempt to find something divine, where divinity has no place.It's a book reflecting what many have experienced, although likely with less success.

In the end, Quarrington does achieve an insight.Perhaps even an Insight.While it's doubtlessly his own, unique in a way that may keep only its conceiver satisfied.Still, he accomplishes it after strenuous effort.He achieves it very early one morning in his kitchen, sipping a single malt and expressing contentment at what he has wrought.That's not a bad environment for gaining Insight.If he attains well-being from what he's wrought, who are we to dismiss it?He's made the effort, laid out his own path, and, like those pilgrims following Darwin's trail, perhaps we can follow Quarrington's example.[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada] ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Original Six
The essay on Charles Gardiner (Chicago Black Hawks), by Dave Bidini, is a literary masterpiece worthy of the books 5-star rating all by itself. This is a very inspirational piece. Two of the other essays are very good (Canadiens and Bruins), and three are just OK (Wings, Leafs and Rangers). Also worthy of the 5-star rating are the wonderful illustrations by Sean Thompson(?) that front each essay. These color illustrations too, are almost alone worth the price of the book, but the artist, Thompson? (can't be sure) is given no real credit. If you're the guy, Mr. Thompson, congratulations, this is great work!

A great inside look on unsual experiences for the 6 best!
This was a great book! I first bought it for my 5 year old daughter who became interested with the original 6 teams but in the end we both found it different than most hockey books. It told stories about these beyondthrilling players and it made me look at them with a different perspectiveand proved things that for me, were just random suggestions, but now arereal facts. For example, the book proved that The Rocket, the best playerof all time even though I never saw him play, really is the high temper manwho never gives up and always sticks to what he honestly believes is trueand honest.

Traditiona dn myth of hockey revisited.
Before the Mighty Ducks of Disney and the Molson Center of Montreal and the Fleet Center of Boston there were the Gardens of New York and Boston and the Forum of Montreal.There were the "local" teams that so well reflected their respective cities and peoples.Teams and players became part of the fixtures of the city.Trades were catastrophic events.I remember the trade of Eddie Giacomin from the Rangers to the Red Wings.The chants of "EDDIE" were no more.What were the feelings of the Beantown fans when Espo was traded to the hated Rangers?Society and sport have changed and it is difficult to become attached to anything or anyone emotionally now.National marketing blitzes have rendered "local" teams a thing of the past.

Paul Quarrington has complied six stories (he penned the Bruins piece) centered on the Original Six era of the National Hockey League.These six stories take the reader back to the days when fans trully identified with their team.Two gems standout in this collection.The first is the Red Wings piece whose author recalls the days and nights spent with her grand father listening to Wings-Maple Leafs games.Each rooting for their own team.This is a wonderful piece on how these two people related to each other and the sport they so dearly loved.

The second gem is the New York Rangers' story.The Ranger fan has always been a different breed, withstanding decades of misses and near hits at achieving the Cup.This story embodies the real Ranger fan and the depth of the emotional attachment to the team.All Ranger fans will identify with this story.

For those hockey fans looking for something from the past "The Original Six" will bring them respite from the corporate sports world of today

Hockey the way it used to be.
This collection of stories on the original six NHL teams, brings the sport to life.Each team's story is written by a different author and Paul Quarrington edited this volume.His story is sadly, the weakest in the collection. The New York Ranger's story is the most poignant...a real twist at the end.

This one is for hockey fans that can't wait for a hockey fix until the start of next season.

... Read more

Product Description
Veteran fisherman Gord "The Old Guy" Deval and his star pupil, Paul Quarrington, do what they do best in this book: talk and write about trout. Each section is devoted to one of three species of trout: brook, brown, and rainbow. Descriptions are given on where to find each fish, everything you need to know about live bait, what lures work best, and how to use them. This is the definitive guide for catching trout, mixing anecdote with practical advice and having a very good time with it all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fishing for Brookies, Browns and Bows
This is a nice, readable book on fishing for trout. It is written as a narrative and is not a good reference book because you really can't find anything. Lots of fun anecdotes and you learn a good bit as you read. It also covers techniques other than fly fishing, which is an added plus. For those situations where fly fishing is difficult or impossible there are some very good tips on using other methods. Fly fishing elitists probably won't like this, but for those of us who adapt our methods to the conditions at hand the book offers some good insights.For winter reading when we are dreaming about the coming season, this will get the fires burning.

great practical and enjoyable book
Just happened to pick this book up out of the blue. Little did I know I was buying what is my favourite fishing book, but some very relevant information on some of my local fishing areas.

Although Canadians living in the Toronto area may most relate to the references to fishing in the area, this book should appeal to most fishermen and friends of fishermen with its very humourous and profound portrayal of (this is the best term I can think of) the "fishing lifestyle."

Now what is particularly endearing about the "lifestyle" is that it is not the bass boat rock and roll we associate with those sponsor-laden infomericials we call fishing shows. Nor is this is about elitist fly fishing club types. This is about the obsessive bush-whacker who can't help but stop by a local conservation area on the way back from work to explore some obscure trickle of a stream which might hold aquatic life.

Anyone into stream fishing for trout will be entertained by this book, and learn some valuable techniques. Gord Deval is generous in sharing his "secrets" that so many river anglers jealously guard. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
From one of Canada’s beloved fiction writers comes a tale of love and loss, guilt and forgiveness -- and finding redemption in the eye of a hurricane.

Few people seek out the tiny Caribbean island of Dampier Cay. Visitors usually wash up there by accident, rather than by design. But this weekend, three people will fly to the island deliberately. They are not coming for a tan or fun in the sun. They are coming because Dampier Cay is where it is, and they have reason to believe that they might encounter something there that most people take great measures to avoid -- a hurricane.

A lottery windfall and a few hours of selfishness have robbed Caldwell of all that was precious to him, while Beverly, haunted by tragedy and screwed by fate since birth, has given up on life. Also on the flight is Jimmy Newton, a professional storm chaser and videographer who will do anything for the perfect shot. Waiting for them at Dampier is the manager of the Water’s Edge Hotel, “Bonefish” Maywell Hope, who arrived at Dampier by the purest accident of all -- the accident of birth. A descendent of the pirates who sailed the Caribbean hundreds of years ago, Hope believes if he works hard enough, he can prevent the inevitable. Until, that is, the seas begin to rise . . .

Cinematic and harrowing, spiced with Quarrington’s trademark humour, Galveston shows just how far people will go to feel alive.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Wallop Like A Gale Force Wind
"Galveston, Oh Galveston", this is not a book like the song sung by that "Rhinestone Cowboy". Oh, no, this is a book like no other. A Gale-force wind that hits you like a wallop by the strangest set of people ever you should meet.

I started reading this book during the night of the Katrina Hurricane, set at a gale-force wind of 5, and bound for the coast of Louisiana. Like this hurricane, Galveston, upon which this book is referenced from 1900, took the city by surprise and wiped out whole neighborhoods. Into this kind of setting arrives a crew of humanity, some of whom follow hurricanes and some of whom were taken by surprise. Dampier Cay, an island in the Carribbean, near Jamaica. An ex-coach turned millionaire by The Lottery, Mr Caldwell; Beverly, the lovely lass upon whom all is lost, nothing good ever happens to her; the "Weatherman" aka Jimmy Newton, the famous storm chaser; all come together with the rest of the myriad of people to vacation upon Dampier Cay during a severe storm. The two lovely sisters on vacation, the mystery man with the suitcase he won't let go of, the couple who say "Whatever will be, will be" and the employess of the Water's Edge Hotel,all with their own motley tales to tell.

They settle here to await the coming of the storm.This strange assortment fills the bar of the hotel with humour and darkness. What to make of this group, how will their fortunes fall? I found the book riveting, simplistic in style and rich with dark humour. When you have lost everything, what is there to live for? What excitment can you find that will bring you out of your reverie? There is passion and sexand grit and determination and love and loss. To whom will the bell toll? Will anyone possbily live through a 5 gale-force hurricane and live to tell their stories? With bleakness and bare bones, the stories come tumbling out through the past, future and present tense. You want these pople to live, at least some of them, and you hope for the best, while fearing the worst.Paul Quarrington, the author, was a Giller Prize Finalist for this book, "Galveston". The hurricane of the century for this author.
Highly recommended. prisrob

The Giller Jury Disapoints Me
It is beyond me why anyone would enjoy this novel, better yet,
how the esteemed jury for the Giller Prize could think of nominating
this book. It is poorly written and the plot and characters are silly
and inconsequential. None of the story is believable nor is any
of it particularly interesting or amusing. And I fail to see where any
of the humour is in the book. The humour that does exist is of the
jock locker room variety, not very sophisticated or particularly interesting. The event that brings the characters together is so silly
and unbelievable, that the novel reminded me of an episode of
Gilligan's Island. The whole thing reads falsely. And there is notone
appealing character among the bunch. I couldn't wait for the novel
to be over and done with and on many occasions thought of giving
it up because I found it so dull and silly. A dreadful read. ... Read more

Product Description
One morning in Don Mills, Phil and his brother Jay agree to let their friend Norman Kitchen tag along on an adventure down into a ravine — and what happens there at the hands of two pitiless teenagers changes all their lives forever. Years later the horrifying details are still unclear, smothered in layers of deliberate forgetting. Phil doesn’t even remember the names: Ted and Terry? Tom and Tony? It’s only when he descends into a crisis of his own that he comes to realize that perhaps, as he drunkenly tells a crisis line counsellor, “I went down into a ravine, and never really came back out.”

The Ravine is Phil’s book — we read it as he types it, in the basement apartment he’s called home since his wife kicked him out for having an affair with a make-up girl. As he writes, and then corrects what he’s written, we hear how he went from promising young playwright to successful, self-hating TV producer. We listen in on his disastrous late-night phone calls, and watch his brother (once a brilliant classical pianist) weep to himself as he plays Ravel and Waltzing Matilda in a desolate bar. The Ravine tells us all about the influence of The Twilight Zone on Phil’s work and his life — how it helped him meet his wife Veronica and then lose her, and how it led to the bizarre death of his friend, TV star Edward Milligan. Sometimes, when Phil’s drunk, a friend will look at what he’s written so far and call him on it — like when Jay tells Phil that he’s remembered it all wrong: that he was just as good as Phil at tying knots back when they were in the cubs.

Phil’s “ravine” is his attempt to make sense of things, to try to understand how everything went so wrong just as it seemed to be going so right. But The Ravine is also a Paul Quarrington novel, meaning that it’s hilarious and ingenious, quietly working its magic until the reader is at once heartbroken and hopeful. A darkly funny story about loss and redemption, The Ravine is also about how stories are made — how they can pull us out of disasters that seem too much for anyone to bear — and about how, sometimes, what we need to forgive ourselves for is not what we think it is at all.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
The plain truth is that Paul Quarrington seems, from hiswriting and stories, to be exactly the sort of guy you'd want to gofishing with. And if you aren't into fishing, then he's the sort ofguy to spin the tall tales for which fishing is known. Very funny andlikably down-to-earth, Quarrington imparts his enthusiasm for cleverbrookies, elegant fly casts, and the wind-blown reaches of Quebec ashe wades the cold streams in search of the legendary, record-breakingspeckled trout. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

I are Paul's 'Old Guy'!Great book on a difficult subject.
I am still amazed that Q was able to write such a readable and hillarious book about a trip that turned into a disaster.Only an author blessed with superior skills and humour could pull it off, but he did and 'in spades!' As Q's 'Old Guy' I am putting the finishing touches on a sequel to hisbook, Fishing With Paul Quarrington by His Old Guy.It delves further intoour fishing and casting lives together since we met fifteen years ago andincludes Paul's second trip to the Broadback, this time to my territory andwith superb fishing.

I are the 'Old Guy'.Great book on a difficult subject!
I talked Paul into making this trip with us.We had fished and worked on his angling skills for over ten years and I felt he was ready to go affter the 'Big One'.Howeverr it was not to be.We ran into just about theworst conditions that anybody could imagine and due to circumstances wereunable to go to the Deval territory, one with which I was familiar.Ididn't think it was possible for anybody to construct a readable tale as aresult of this venture, but Paulie not only pulled it off, but wrote his'Old Guy' book with all the flair and humour that only a superb authorcould.I am just putting the finishing touches on a sequel to hiswonderful account of that mis-adventure, 'Fishing With Paul Quarrington byHis Old Guy'.It fills in the holes that 'Q' left out and includes hisnext trip with us, this time into my territory and with superb fishing. ... Read more

Product Description
Percival Leary was once the King of the Ice, one of hockey's greatest heroes.  In the South Grouse Nursing Home, where he shares a room with Edmund "Blue" Hermann, the antagonistic and alcoholic newspaper reporter who once chronicled his career, learly looks back on his tumultuous life and times:  his days at the boys' reformatory when he burned down a house; the four mad monks who first taught him how to play hockey; and the time he executed the perfect "St. Louis Whirlygig" to score the winning goal in the 1919 Stanley Cup finals.

   Now all but forgotten, Leary is only a legend in his own mind until a high-powered advertising agency decides to feature him in a series of ginger ale commercials.  With his male nurse, his son, and the irrepressible Blue, Leary sets off for Toronto on one last madcap adventure as he revisits scenes of his glorious life as the King of the Ice.


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

"As the old mother would have it, I would not put a thief in my mouth to steal my brains."
Elderly former hockey star Percival Leary, born in one-nine-zero-zero, is contacted at his residence, the South Grouse Nursing Home, one day by a representative of "Canada's best-selling ginger ale beverage" and asked to travel to Toronto to do a commercial for the product. He agrees, taking a nurse and his roommate, Blue Hermann, former newspaper reporter who wrote about Leary (also known by his Indian nickname, Loofweeda). Leary spends a lot of time reminiscing about the antics of his youth, time spent in a reformatory, friend and fellow hockey player Manfred Armstrong Ozikean, glory days as King of the Ice, career ending injury, and two adult sons. The telling involves a lot of bragging, crazy words and humor, and a bit of sadness. The trip itself involves lots of surprises. And although I am not a fan of the sport (and could have done without the two-page dream sequence of Chapter 35), I really enjoyed this unusual, quirky-character-filled, overwhelmingly funny book chosen as the Canada Reads 2008 selection. Also good: Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand and The Perfect Mile by Neal Bascomb.

Quarrington and Dave Bidini Discuss "King Leary" on video
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R33F8VZVU4S2NL www.bookshorts.com/blog -- Congratulations to our friend and colleague Paul Quarrington, and kudos to champion Dave Bidini, in today's KING LEARY'S win on CANADA READS!There is so much great coverage of all the books (isn't soooo Canadian to be soooo even handed in awards stuff - LOL!!) that we just want to add our little piece, directly from the boys themselves.

Be sure to pick up the new Porkbellys Futures CD fronted by PQ with his long-time musical collaborator Martin Worthy and fab musicians Chas Elliott, Stuart Laughton, and Rebecca Campbell. www.porkbellys.com . PQ's next novel, The Ravine, is now in the stores. www.paulquarrington.org
The Ravine
(c) BookShorts Literacy Program; shot on location at Toronto Public Library, Pape Danforth Branch during FREEDOM TO READ WEEK.

One of the funniest books you will ever read
King Leary is an old man now, but in his heydey he was the king of the ice, leaving opponents clutching at air as he executed the famous St Louis Whirligig. He is tracked down by an androgyous advertising company hack topromote a brand of ginger ale, and together they commence alaughter-inducing trip to the big city to make ads.

This book will haveyou holding your stomach and wiping your eyes. It would be worth the readjust to find out the real meaning of the King's Indian nickname, Loofweda,which he translates as "skates like the wind".

Canadian Humour about a Canadian sport
King Leary is a very funny novel.I really enjoyed this book because its setting is right around where I live.The characters in this novel seemed real and alive.Paul Quarrington is an author who really gets involved inhis work.This novel is a great recommendation to anyone who reallyenjoy's a good Canadian laugh!

Happy Reading and enjoy!

Hilarious, very human, and touching
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Based loosely on hockey as it was earlier in the 20th century. Written in the first person, a style of which Quarrington is a master (see also "Whale Music"). Also, like Whale Music,very touching at times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Paul's Book of Fish *
Paul Quarrington's fishing adventures are a delightful read.Almost a sequel to his previous "Fishing With My Old Guy", this work is broader in scope and deeper in insight.Quarrington isn't afraid to examine himself closely while travelling or fishing.The result is a strongly personalised account of who he is and who he relates to in the sport.Anavid fisherman, he makes clear that "Catching", while desireable, is clearly secondary to "fishing" itself.There's obviously far less stress involved in "fishing" than occur when landing a record size is the goal."Fishing" for itself offers a greater variety of experiences, which he recounts in his jocular style.

It's the variety that makes this "Paul's Book of Fish".Beginning with a quest for the majestic Steelhead on Vancouver Island, he crosses the Rockies to the Bow for Rainbow, and the Red River near Winnepeg for the monstrous Catfish found there.An opportunity to examine wider vistas takes him to the Bahamas for the quirky Bonefish.It's difficult to resolve which is more humorous, the antics of the Bonefish or those of the guides he encounters there.As he relates, guides are a major element in fishing away from local waters.Their status is always an issue.When their self-image confronts that of the fisherman's, the clash can be explosive.

Fishing, to Quarrington, is not idle time.It can be ideal time, but when introspection intrudes, the result can be serenity or distress.Quarrington was surely almost unique in choosing fishing as a means of coping with the events of 11 September 2001.He confesses it was his form of escape from the "disaster of unexampled order" that had occured that morning.His personal disasters, a lost marriage and a lost father, further weighted his burdened mind.In the Bow River, well within urban boundaries, he reminds us that Isaak Walton, dean of fishers, declared fishing a "contemplative pursuit".While thus employed Quarrington floats in thoughts "like a shipwrecked man in a sea of debris and sharks". He ponders, for example, what proportional disaster might befall the fish he seeks.By the end of the evening, a small moment of good fortune helps redeem the day.

In the final essay, he returns to Vancouver Island.Always a self-effacing man, the Tsunami Lodge, Canada's most up-market fishermen's haven, nearly overwhelms him.He uses devious means to be sent there, knowing it's beyond his reach.He's in constant fear of exposure, but wants to record the extravagance some fishermen will expend in their pursuit.It's a compelling piece, especially given that the article "never got written".Until now.This finale is Quarrington at his finest.His evasive dealings with the lodge owner, his alcoholic ramblings with colleague Jake MacDonald, and, of course, time on the water all provide an image of a man for whom fishing is far more than idle sport.The whole collection provides views of fishing no "outdoors" magazine can offer.[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

* With humble apologies to Richard Flanagan

Paul's Book of Fish *
Paul Quarrington's fishing adventures are a delightful read.Almost a sequel to his previous "Fishing With The Old Guy", this work is broader in scope and deeper in insight.Quarrington isn't afraid to examine himself closely while travelling or fishing.The result is a strongly personalised account of who he is and who he relates to in the sport.Anavid fisherman, he makes clear that "Catching", while desireable, is clearly secondary to "fishing" itself.There's obviously far less stress involved in "fishing" than occur when landing a record size is the goal."Fishing" for itself offers a greater variety of experiences, which he recounts in his jocular style.

It's the variety that makes this "Paul's Book of Fish".Beginning with a quest for the majestic Steelhead on Vancouver Island, he crosses the Rockies to the Bow for Rainbow, and the Red River near Winnepeg for the monstrous Catfish found there.An opportunity to examine wider vistas takes him to the Bahamas for the quirky Bonefish.It's difficult to resolve which is more humorous, the antics of the Bonefish or those of the guides he encounters there.As he relates, guides are a major element in fishing away from local waters.Their status is always an issue.When their self-image confronts that of the fisherman's, the clash can be explosive.

Fishing, to Quarrington, is not idle time.It can be ideal time, but when introspection intrudes, the result can be serenity or distress.Quarrington was surely almost unique in choosing fishing as a means of coping with the events of 11 September 2001.He confesses it was his form of escape from the "disaster of unexampled order" that had occured that morning.His personal disasters, a lost marriage and a lost father, further weighted his burdened mind.In the Bow River, well within urban boundaries, he reminds us that Isaak Walton, dean of fishers, declared fishing a "contemplative pursuit".While thus employed Quarrington floats in thoughts "like a shipwrecked man in a sea of debris and sharks". He ponders, for example, what proportional disaster might befall the fish he seeks.By the end of the evening, a small moment of good fortune helps redeem the day.

In the final essay, he returns to Vancouver Island.Always a self-effacing man, the Tsunami Lodge, Canada's most up-market fishermen's haven, nearly overwhelms him.He uses devious means to be sent there, knowing it's beyond his reach.He's in constant fear of exposure, but wants to record the extravagance some fishermen will expend in their pursuit.It's a compelling piece, especially given that the article "never got written".Until now.This finale is Quarrington at his finest.His evasive dealings with the lodge owner, his alcoholic ramblings with colleague Jake MacDonald, and, of course, time on the water all provide an image of a man for whom fishing is far more than idle sport.The whole collection provides views of fishing no "outdoors" magazine can offer.[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

* With humble apologies to Richard Flanagan ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Dull book
I wasn't overly thrilled with this novel. It was a strange story and didn't hold my interest.

Disappointing
Not a good book AT ALL, and I'm sorry I bought it.I've actually donated it without even finishing it. ... Read more

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In the fall of 1994, Gord Deval set out in search of the world's biggest speckled trout. With a particular spot in mind and an intrepid fishing party of three fellow anglers including the author, he embarks on a quest for this elusive trophy. Along the way, the mysteries of piscatorial pleasure and a particular love of nature are revealed. ... Read more

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Chapters: Zal Yanovsky, Paul Quarrington, Margo Davidson, Chris Colepaugh, Ian Thomas, Jean Derome, Nick Gilder, Daniel Victor, Darryl Neudorf, Troy Westwood, David Dineen-Porter, Fred St-Gelais, Mick Dalla-Vee, Jim Creeggan, Michaele Jordana, Marilyn Faye Parney, Paul Hoffert, Andy Kerr, Richard Bell, Ken Kalmusky, Richard Parry, Trevor Veitch, Britt Black, Dick Cooper, Lauri Conger, Glen Royer, William "Smitty" Smith, Colette Trudeau, Ian Blackwood, Aristazabal Hawkes, Sébastian Hell, Chris Alexander, Rob Wright, Pat Wright, Ash Koley, Serge Robert, Geneviève Castrée, John Wright, Adam Gollner, Joseph Farber, Matt Mclennan, George Westerholm, Tim Kingsbury, Ronn Metcalfe, Roly Platt, Brian Macleod, John Whynot, Sarah Neufeld, Eon Sinclair, Jody Perpick, Larry E. Smith, Paul de Lisle, Bocephus King, Kevin Kane, Gavin Brown, Marie-Annick Lépine, Claire Lawrence, Murray Foster, Jeff "Big Juicy Papa" Phillips, John Webster, Leslie Howe, Darrell O'dea, Davis Manning, Greg Buhr, Chris Hooper, Martin Deller. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 220. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Paul Lewis Quarrington (July 22, 1953 January 21, 2010) was a Canadian novelist, playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker, musician and educator. Born in Toronto, he was raised in the suburb of Don Mills and studied at the University of Toronto but dropped out after fewer than two years of study. He wrote his early novels while working as the bass player for the group Joe Hall and the Continental Drift and as the guitar accompanist for Cathy Stewart, a Canadian singer who was popular at the time. One of his successful novels, Whale Music, was called "the greatest rock'n'roll novel ever written" by Penthouse magazine. His non-fiction books and journalism were just as highly regarded - he earned or co-earned more than 2...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=291897 ... Read more

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This digital document, covering the life and work of Paul (Lewis) Quarrington, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 3070 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

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Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Stephen Leacock, Barbara Frum, Tommy Douglas, Frank Boucher, Paul Quarrington, Roger Neilson, Janusz Żurakowski, Billy Red Lyons, Philip Aziz, Jeff Healey, Walter Stewart, Dianne Heatherington, Frank Gross, Allan King, Wayne Boden, June Callwood, David Bierk, Sheela Basrur, Bernie Faloney, Angela Coughlan, Jake Gaudaur, Tony Grande, Billy Van, John Ferguson, Sr., William Hutt, Jim Butterfield, Bob Edmonds, Frank Moores, Richard Bell, Moe Koffman, Colleen Peterson, Judy Lamarsh, Tom Burgess, Mitchell Sharp, John Allan Cameron, Les Bartley, Al Balding, George Hislop, Goldie Semple, Bluma Appel, Gerry Pencer, Sheila Finestone, Bernard Ostry, Jay Newman, Ninjalicious, Warner Troyer, Haydain Neale, John Crispo, John Kucherepa, Val Ross, Mark Evaloarjuk, Harry Gauss, Max Saltsman, Ray Getliffe, Earl Orser, Kate Reid, Bob Simpson, Lyn Hamilton, Jack Marks, St. Clair Balfour, Sean O'sullivan, Heather Crowe, Michael Corbett, Robert Dickson, Pat Marsden, Kenneth Lochhead, Guylaine St-Onge, George G. Blackburn, Lindsay Thomas, Sam George, Bob Macdonald, David Pecaut, Chaucer Elliott, Johnny Wayne, Leon Pownall, Helen Gardiner, Doug Maxwell, Leo Labine, Jack Dennett, Harry Freedman, Bob Homme, Sherri Wood, David Vienneau, Murray Cohl, Leonard Rudling, Russ Germain. Source: Wikipedia. Free updates online. Not illustrated. Excerpt: Thomas Clement "Tommy" Douglas, PC, CC, SOM (20 October 1904 24 February 1986) was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician. As leader of the Saskatchewan Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) from 1942 and the seventh Premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961, he led the first socialist government in North America and introduced universal public healthcare to Canada. When the CCF united with the Canadian Lab...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=213145 ... Read more

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Chapters: Seth Rogen, Paul Gross, Paul Quarrington, Dave Thomas, Rick Jones, Andrew Younghusband, Joe Flaherty, Robert Tinkler, Marilyn Lightstone, Arthur Holden, Allan Novak, Chas Lawther, René Balcer, Denis Mcgrath, Chuck Tatham, Paul Donovan, Graham Yost, Stewart Francis, François Avard, Midi Onodera, Andrea Libman, Sandor Stern, Michael Maclennan, Drew Hayden Taylor, Jim Henshaw, Edward Kay, Jennifer Pertsch, Semi Chellas, Tim Long, Roger Lemelin, William B. Davis, Jason Sherman, Don Lake, Peter Wildman, Tassie Cameron, Todd Allen, Leonard Dick, Dave Carley, Matthew Kershaw, Allan Manings, Marjorie Gross, Jeffrey Hirschfield, Kenn Scott, Jackie Torrens, Mark Ellis, Robert Cohen, Heidi Foss, Joel H. Cohen, Wayne Grigsby, Brad Abraham, Linda Schuyler, Kit Hood, Kyle Mcculloch, Mitch Markowitz, Jana Sinyor, Edward Riche, Charles Horn, Simon Olivier Fecteau, Luc Déry, Martha Gibson, Tracey Forbes, Norm Hiscock, Linda Cullen, Karen Walton, Denelle Balfour, Steve Galluccio, Nicole Keefler, Anna Sandor, Bob Robertson, Jonathan Hagey, Matt Maclennan, Teza Lawrence, George Arthur Bloom, Angus Fraser, Karen Hill, Michael Souther, Dave Nystrom, Lex Gigeroff. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 235. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Seth Rogen (born April 15, 1982) is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter and film producer. Rogen began his career doing stand-up comedy for four years during his teens, coming in second place in the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest when he was 16. While still living in Canada, he landed a supporting role in Freaks and Geeks. After he moved to Los Angeles for the role, Freaks and Geeks was canceled after one season. He then got a part on the equally short-lived Undeclared, which also hired him as a staff writer. After landing a job as a staff writer on the fin...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1762258 ... Read more