The Lamppost» Top Five

Top 5 Canadian Storytellers

Brad W — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:10:12 +0000

My wife recently complained that Canadian Literature has really become like the Emperor’s New Clothes — we expect a book to be brilliant and then overlook the fact that many of these novels fail to tell a story at all. In contemporary literature, it appears fashionable to completely disregard the plot; authors seem caught up in a play of words that present a series of images which us readers are then expected to string together. These authors are more tricksters than guides. We’re expected to scratch our heads at the story and simply applaud the author’s erudite phrases; we’re expected to lead ourselves down the garden path.

Where is the Robertson Davies or Mordecai Richler of today?

Well, for the record, here are my Top 5 Canadian authors that I happen to think are still doing an admirable job of telling our stories:

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Top 5 Toronto Maple Leafs Goals

Brad W — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:47:55 +0000

Without a television in my home, I’m usually a little behind-the-times when my students discuss TV shows and commercials, but watching hockey with my father-in-law the other night, I thoroughly enjoyed this 60 second clip from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The commercial got me thinking about the first time my father took me to a Leaf game at Maple Leaf Gardens. I think it was Gary Nyland that scored the winner against the Red Wings that night. I remember wondering if he was ever going to make it to the net with that Detroit player draped across his back!

There’s a tonne of conversation regarding this idea of our favourite Toronto Maple Leafs’ goals; while it’s impossible to limit it to a Top 5 list, my favourite playoff goals from recent memory should probably include:

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Top 5 Careers (after teaching, of course)

Brad W — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:04:48 +0000

Let’s face it: I have the best job in the world. Every year I get to spend a couple of weeks talking and thinking about Mordecai Richler, Robertson Davies, and of course Hamlet.

However, when the marking folder gets a little too thick to carry home of an evening, when essay rewrites, FCAs, final exams, and report cards are requesting my attention, other lines of work do come to mind. For the record, were I not an high school English teacher, here are the top 5 careers I would pursue:

Sports Reporter for The Boston Globe
Crown Counsel arguing cases before the Supreme Court of Canada
In-house playwright at the Drayton Festival Theatre
Speechwriter for the Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga
Author of a Trillium Book Award-winning novel

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Top 5 entries to add to Wikipedia

Brad W — Sun, 17 May 2009 04:07:16 +0000

It’s now been over a year since I had the pleasure of researching my hometown and writing a Wikipedia entry for it. I am a big fan of Wikipedia, and I do not believe that this electronic encyclopedia can ever hold too much information. So, perhaps after the June exams I’ll find time to research and write a few more Wikipedia articles. In my humble opinion, here are the Top 5 needed additions to the bank of Wikipedia articles:

Dennis T. Patrick Sears (Canadian author; work includes the classic The Lark in the Clear Air)
Fellowship for African Relief (Canadian-Sudanese relief and development organization in Khartoum)
Wallenstein Bible Chapel (until 1968, based in Hawkesville)
Peter Donaldson (Canadian actor; the reigning king of Canadian stage theatre)
Storyteller Magazine (short narrative fiction from 1994-2008)

Top 5 great moments of April 2009

Brad W — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:26:29 +0000

My wife would probably say that April has been a wonderful month because the snow receded, she was able to clear off the flower gardens, and the green peas are actually up in the vegetable garden. As exciting as this is for me, I think that my own personal top five sources of joy this month are more likely:

The return of the house finch to our property and to our bird feeder
The release of The Tragically Hip‘s new album, We Are The Same
The start of the Hamlet unit with my Grade 12 class
The Boston Bruins finish first in their conference and sweep the Habs in round one
Glengarry Glen Ross at Soulpepper, tonight at 7:30!

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Top 5 Literary Dinner Guests

Brad W — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:39:11 +0000

When I read Edmund Morris’ memoir of Ronald Reagan a couple of years ago, I was struck by the dinner described in the introduction, hosted by the President and attended by political historians. How wonderful it would be to share a meal with so many writers! I’ve since daydreamed about the authors that I’d invite over for a luncheon should my address ever be 24 Sussex Dr.

While I suppose it would be important to have Richard J. Gwyn, Adam Daifallah, Margaret Macmillan, Andrew Cohen, and Conrad Black over to discuss political history, I think that my first get-together would have to be in honour of fiction.

Therefore, while I would be sure to invite W.H. New, Robert Fulford, Yann Martel, and Rex Murphy to keep the conversation both literary and entertaining, the Top 5 authors that I would dine with would be:

Sandwiches, chips, and ale at the Prime Minister’s house, anyone?

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Top Five Modern Dramatic Scripts for Grade 12

Brad W — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:19:02 +0000

After only three years of teaching, I must admit, I’m already a little tired of Arthur Miller. At our school, the options for the modern dramatic script for our Grade 12 classes are The Crucible, and Death of a Salesman. Here are my Top Five dramatic scripts to replace Arthur Miller:

Belle Moral, by Ann-Marie MacDonald
November, by David Mamet
Billy Bishop Goes to War, by John Gray and Eric Peterson
Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet), by Ann-Marie MacDonald
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, by Tom Stoppard

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Top 5 Stage Theatre for School Groups, 2009

Brad W — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:11:19 +0000

After the 8th of December, school groups will have the opportunity of purchasing tickets for the

Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s 2009 season. Naturally, our English Department will be planning a trip to see Colm Feore’s MACBETH. After that, we may decide to make it an overnight trip, giving the students the opportunity to enjoy a second show in the evening. We could always see A Midsummer Night’s Dream again.

Or should we consider something radically different? The classical production of Antigone at Soulpepper in Toronto? Or the comedy of The Odd Couple at Drayton? The Shaw Festival is offering everything Noel Coward.

Personally, I think that after Macbeth, our top 5 options should be:

The buzz around our school for Macbeth has already begun. Whatever else we choose will be in the Thane’s shadow.

Top 5 Boston Bruins of My Time

Brad W — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:15:14 +0000

My students enjoy the odd random digression, especially when it is hockey related. When I talk about hockey, I talk about the storied Boston Bruins. Well, because I was not yet born the last time the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup, my personal list of favourite Beantown hockey players does not include the likes of Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. Instead, the two rosters that I’ve known to be most worthy of legendary status include the skaters of 18 years ago, and the team currently leading the Sabres in the 3rd period at the TD Banknorth Garden. Therefore my all-time favourite Bruins are:

Andy Moog
Cam Neely
Milan Lucic
Raymond Bourque
Dennis Wideman

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Top Five Magazines for START

Brad W — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:09:35 +0000

Since our school implemented a START program (Students and Teachers All Read Together), I’ve made a point of keeping magazines in the classroom for the students who have not brought their own reading material. While I most enjoy The Atlantic (Monthly), The Economist, or The Beaver, I know that if I want the students engaged in quiet reading for 15 minutes (especially the boys) I need some other magazines on hand. Here are my Top Five magazines for classroom quiet reading:

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