I'm Movin' On - the Life and Legacy of Hank Snow by Vernon Oickle

Published by Nimbus

Hank Snow, a man who certainly has 'been everywhere'...a Canadian and international legend in his time and on through his legacy of country music. This biography by Vernon Oikle is a bit of an eye opener. We watched his burgeoning career, having been too young to see his beginnings. Born in 1914, his early life brutal and difficult, a life that began in the years of WW1, the Spanish 'flu, starvation and desperation in the small town of Brooklyn in Nova Scotia, Canada. This book follows his life from birth past death on to his post-mortem accolades. He may have been 'movin' on' but what he accomplished in his lifetime will fortunately remain with us. There are some wonderful old photos in the book, too.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves country music, ambition, accomplishment, and determination to succeed. Learn how one man accomplished so many dreams. I thought I knew Hank Snow's music, but soon discovered I didn't know much of anything. I knew his voice, but never understood his instrumental skills. Nor did I realize just how many hit songs he wrote that became huge hits for other vocalists of the '40s to '60s in particular, some who were in a completely different genre.

His legacy is not just his music, his fame, nor his name. His legacy includes the societies he set up and backed up for abused children. This, perhaps, was his biggest focus outside of music. As an abused child himself, he wanted to make a difference in the treatment of children. If he could have, he would have ended child abuse. That is how important this was to his life.

Hank Snow began his career as Jack Snow, regardless of the fact that his name was actually Clarence. This is just one of many strange facts scattered throughout this book. I wonder how many people living today remember that he began his career as a trick rider and yodeler. I wonder how many know that he wrote and recorded that still remain as best sellers. Today, in the digital world, this is a man who would have been in the forefront of writing songs for today’s country stars. He has so many awards, accolades, a museum and yearly festival in New Brunswick, where he was born, and inducted into so many Halls of Fame. A man who came from nothing but never gave up his dream. A man whose music goes on today, even 100 years after his birth.

A Mysterious Something in the Light - The Life of Raymond Chandler by Tom Williams

Published by The Chicago Review Press

Raymond Chandler - July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959
Though the subject of Raymond Chandler was an exciting one to my mind, I often found this book to be a little repetitive. However, the complexity of this man was quite fascinating and I did learn a lot from this biographical history. Unfortunately, many of his formative early years seem to be based more on supposition than researched facts, but perhaps there were few facts available to research. On the other hand, he was a prolific letter-writer even while young and much of the biography is based on quoted snippets from those letters. Born the son of an alcoholic, it is not surprising that though he abhorred alcoholism, he would fall into the same trap, regardless of how he felt about it.

Chandler appears to have been a lonely boy who never really completely grew up. The need to be important and powerful, the need to have close friends and a wife who loves him wholeheartedly plays as a theme throughout the book. I felt for him, a tribute to Tom Williams, who obviously 'got' him. Raymond Chandler, a world-famous author whose work lives on decades after his death, is definitely an enigma, but I feel at his core he is a little boy lost, often has no idea of his impact and yet irrationally thinks he does.

The author is not just giving nod to a list of Chandler's books, but looks at them, takes them apart and puts them back together again, using his own comments. In fact, that is exactly how Chandler himself looked and learned how to write a book. He lived in Chicago and in Los Angeles in what might be called their heyday, but was at the time gangster-ruled. Chicago had nothing on Los Angeles for corruption. Here we are not talking about Hollywood but the fast rise to wealth from oil, the collapse of morals from the Depression and the resulting city corruption. He was a product of his time, yet in his mind he lived in an earlier time.

Here, then, is the root of Ray Chandler's books and his association, in writing, of his character Philip Marlowe, and later to his screenplays. I think it is honest to say his personal life revolved around three main themes: His deep love for his older wife to whom he was married until her death; his commitment to literary writing rather than grinding out corruption and murder, but with a similar theme; his alcoholism. A brilliant man, but complicated and driven.

Flint & Feather, The Life and Times of E. Pauline Johnson, Tekahionwake by Charlotte Gray

Originally posted December 10, 2007

Having grown up on the "Legends of Vancouver" and knowing so well the places described therein, having known since a little girl of Pauline Johnson's resting place by Siwash Rock, (I have often visited her grave through the years - Betty), I was thrilled to be able to review Charlotte Gray's book, Flint & Feather, and she does not disappoint! All the passion, determination, sensibility and presentation comes through strong and clear.

The book begins with a lengthy genealogy which some may find a bit tiresome, but to me it brought a vivid sense of history and pride, and I would not have skipped over it for anything. This background is essential to knowing how she and her siblings became who they were. Throughout the book, this pre-history plays a major role in Pauline’s life and destiny and how she handled it. Personally, I was amazed at how much I did not know of Canadian history both Iroquois and British, and how supportive the Iroquois Confederation was of the British in these early times, how civilized, organized and productive their people were, and what an impact they had on our history. In fact, a quick search on the Internet tells me “The Six Nations: Oldest Living Participatory Democracy on Earth”

Charlotte Gray has brought to life so completely Pauline's story that I found myself feeling as though I was there. I particularly enjoyed reading the excerpts of Pauline’s letters included in the narrative. It is incredible to think that she lived in the period 1861-1913, a time in which neither native, nor woman had much say in the world. Breaking into the literary “old boys club” was almost unheard of. Pauline was a trooper, and largely ignored what wasn’t quite “proper” to the British elite. However, she overcomes this as she does every other obstacle. This is without a doubt the best book on Pauline I have ever read. So many names are familiar, how she slips into two personas is absolutely amazing. This book does not only deal with Pauline's extremely unusual and fascinating life, but we learn a lot of history and geography throughout the entire book; not shoved down our throats, but just through the narrative, the poems and the travel. Pauline traveled everywhere... from the elite of London to the tiny mining and logging camps of western Canada. A truly amazing book, entertaining and honest, I highly recommend this read nut just to every Canadian, but the northern US and Britain as well. I am proud to learn of an amazing woman who overcame, in fact embraced, her dual race, one who fought the discrepancies between men and women of the day, and still reached the top! Even the terrible disease she fought to her death she overcame through sheer determination far longer that anyone would have imagined possible. This book is well worth reading about a woman who is endearing and a major force in getting us where we are today. Excellent book! My congratulations and adulation to Charlotte Gray!