Jian Ghomeshi

My feelings as I am 75 pages in:

This is so difficult for me to say. Jian Ghomeshi, Canada's greatest interviewer, cannot write well. Maybe that's not true. It seems like he really just phoned it in. He starts multiple sentences in nearly each paragraph with "And", includes so far about 10 lists, and repeats things over and over. Quality-wise, it seems like a grade eight class report.

I feel that Jian could really write an insightful, moving book if only he tried. 1982 would have been better as an essay or serialized story for a magazine (with 200 pages chopped off).

I think about giving up every so often (especially when I see those damn lists!), but I love Jian as a radio personality so much that I am really trying to stick it out.

Edit: I got to page 145. Just after the bit where he explained what Niagara Falls is. I'm sorry Jian, but I couldn't finish your book. I did skip to the final chapter and it was great. I wish the rest of the book was like this. Unfortunately, the book was planned terribly. Who is the target market for this? He explained what earbuds were. Who is alive today that doesn't know what earbuds are? I am so disappointed in this annoying book. I will stick to listening to Jian on the radio.… (mehr)

With a lot of humour, Ghomeshi retraces a formative year from boy to full-fledged teen. With each our different experiences, we can relate to this coming of age, but it's true that for those of us who grew up in the '80s, there's definitely an extra layer of laughter and nostalgia. The informal style makes this book an easy read and engages the reader in a conversation. I enjoyed Ghomeshi's honesty and ability to recapture this unique moment. Definitely worth a read, if just to compare to today's teens!… (mehr)

3.75 stars

Jian Ghomeshi, now known as the host of Q on CBC Radio and as one of the members of the 1990s band, Moxy Fruvous, was 14/15 years old in 1982. He and his Iranian family had immigrated to Canada from England a few years earlier. In 1982, Jian was interested in New Wave music and David Bowie was his idol. Jian also had a crush on an older girl at school, Wendy. In this book, Jian recounts his insecurities, not only at being a 14-year old boy, but also a “brown” immigrant trying to fit in at school.

I enjoyed this. I thought it read similarly to how Jian speaks and I could often hear his voice as I read (mmm, Jian's voice...). Jian also likes lists, as he peppers them throughout the book. Initially I liked the lists, but there did get to be quite a few, and some of them were a little odd. The book was also a bit repetitive at times (it went back and forth in time a bit, so some things were repeated, but I don't think it always needed to be). Overall, though, I did enjoy it.… (mehr)