Quick Read

Quick read.

This book was released at the Park Theatre upstairs.

I've had this book for a while now, but it seems that I neglected to "catch" it - sorry about that! I finally got around to reading it and quite enjoyed it. It's the autobiography of Frank O'Dea, co-founder of The Second Cup. Although he had what should have been an easy start in life, various events, an un-supportive family and a tendency to addiction all worked against him. By his twenties, O'Dea had hit rock bottom -living on the streets of Toronto, panhandling to get just enough change to feed his alcoholism. All this, though, just sets the stage for his amazing rise to become a highly respected business man and activist. In 2004, he was declared an Officer of the Order of Canada - one of the highest honours in the country. I'd heard of O'Dea, mostly from his work with land mines but also because of Second Cup. I enjoyed finding out about the rest of his life.

This book will be coming with me this evening to our monthly get together at the Park Theatre Cafe. If no one takes it home, it will remain on the shelf patiently awaiting its next reader.

I picked this book up at our monthly BookCrossers' meeting last night. Frankly, I did not know who Frank O'Dea was/is, Second Cup, land mines or no. But what does interest me is how someone could start with a relatively well-to-do beginning in life, slip to the lowest of lows, and manage to lift oneself up again to be considered a great "success" story.

I started reading as soon as I got home, despite the great mountain of fabulous books I've got on the TBR pile.

Well, I finished this book Friday night. It was a quick read but what an amazing story. I was both inspired and dismayed. Inspired by the fact that someone so down on their luck could be begging on the street for 99 cents for his next bottle of wine (and 50 cents for the flophouse, failing which he is sleeping on the streets) and then, pulling up his bootstraps, ends up hobnobbing with celebs and world leaders, successful in business and making the world a better place. I was dismayed to realize I've done nothing remotely as successful despite not having been rolling in the gutter.

Mind you, I have not one iota of the salesperson talents of Mr. O'Dea. I'll content myself with the thought that I make the world a better place in my own small ways.

I released this book to the library on Saturday morning. When I checked on it about an hour later as I was leaving the house, it was gone and an autobiography of Roald Amundsen was left in its place. Cool!

To the finder of this book:
I hope you enjoy your new read.

Welcome, also, to the wonderful and wacky world of BookCrossing! Here you'll find a unique and worldwide community of book lovers sharing their books. This book is now yours! Read it, enjoy it. Keep it or pass it on to someone you know, return it to any Little Free Library or even release it into the wild. It is all up to you.

If you make a journal entry (you can do it anonymously or as a BookCrossing member) all previous readers of this book will be notified by e-mail and can follow this book on its travels. BookCrossing is free to join, completely confidential (you are known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your email address) and it's a whole lot of fun!

This book has checked out of the library and is off on a frolic of its own. I hope we'll hear of its adventures soon.

This book was returned to the little free library today. I wonder where it has been all this time. The LFL was jam packed with books today. Some other returnees and some new additions. So I've removed this one and a few others to make some room and will release it again later.

Hoping to find a new reader at Second Cup.

To the finder of this book:
I hope you enjoy your new read.

Welcome, also, to the wonderful and wacky world of BookCrossing! Here you'll find a unique and worldwide community of book lovers sharing their books. This book is now yours! Read it, enjoy it. Keep it or pass it on to someone you know, return it to any Little Free Library or even release it into the wild. It is all up to you.

If you make a journal entry (you can do it anonymously or as a BookCrossing member) all previous readers of this book will be notified by e-mail and can follow this book on its travels. BookCrossing is free to join, completely confidential (you are known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your email address) and it's a whole lot of fun!

This book is currently sitting on the Winnipeg Official Bookcrossing Zone bookshelf in Second Cup, 254 Edmonton St., Winnipeg MB.

It is waiting there for a new reader to take home, read, and release back into the wild!

Winnipeg bookcrossers meet at my location every month to chat about books, swap great reads, and release on the OBCZ shelves. Please join us! We love to see new faces! If you want to get notices of the meetings you can join our Facebook Group or our Yahoo Email Group! You will enjoy the comfy atmosphere, the fabulous coffees and teas, and the yummy treats!

This book has disappeared from my bookshelf. Write home, little book, and let all your previous holders know what adventures you have been on.