I’ve recently been reading various autobiographies. I started with Clint Malarchuk’s The Crazy Game, and am now working my way through What Does This Button Do? By Bruce Dickenson and My Effin’ Life by Geddy Lee. Malarchuk was a goalie in the National Hockey League who almost died on ice during a game after a teammate’s skate sliced his throat. Dickenson and Lee are singers with Iron Maiden and Rush, respectively.
Of the three, I have to rate Lee’s book above the others, although they all have their strong points. My Effin’ Life stands apart from the others because of Lee’s sense of history, and his understanding of where he fits into the world. Although he is telling his story, he makes sure to ground it in the world around him. He lays the groundwork in the first sentence, where he provides his birth name. I have known since I was a teenager that Geddy’s real name was Gary Lee Wienrib, but it turns out I was wrong. Gary Lee Wienrib was, in fact, his third or fourth name (even Geddy admits to being confused at times about following his name’s evolution), with his birth name being Gershon Elizer Weinrib.… Read the rest “Your Place in the World”
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Your Place in the World
from the series Peace House Community Journal…
By MARTI MALTBY
I’ve recently been reading various autobiographies. I started with Clint Malarchuk’s The Crazy Game, and am now working my way through What Does This Button Do? By Bruce Dickenson and My Effin’ Life by Geddy Lee. Malarchuk was a goalie in the National Hockey League who almost died on ice during a game after a teammate’s skate sliced his throat. Dickenson and Lee are singers with Iron Maiden and Rush, respectively.
Of the three, I have to rate Lee’s book above the others, although they all have their strong points. My Effin’ Life stands apart from the others because of Lee’s sense of history, and his understanding of where he fits into the world. Although he is telling his story, he makes sure to ground it in the world around him.
He lays the groundwork in the first sentence, where he provides his birth name. I have known since I was a teenager that Geddy’s real name was Gary Lee Wienrib, but it turns out I was wrong. Gary Lee Wienrib was, in fact, his third or fourth name (even Geddy admits to being confused at times about following his name’s evolution), with his birth name being Gershon Elizer Weinrib.… Read the rest “Your Place in the World”