Hard time
'Can a man who caused the death of his child ever atone enough to be forgiven?'
American author Wally Lamb asks this in his sixth novel, a heart-shattering saga about addiction, trauma, redemption and the healing power of relationships.
Heavy themes, but familiar ones for Lamb. He became a household name with his 1992 novel I Know This Much Is True, (made into a limited series by HBO in 2020 and available on Crave) which follows the story of identical twin brothers, one of whom develops paranoid schizophrenia.
Shana Sureck photo
Wally Lamb's latest was recently selected as the next read for Oprah's Book Club.
Lamb is known for his Dickensian-like storytelling — epic, winding stories, sharp criticism of social ills, plentiful references to topical events and deeply relatable characters.
The River Is Waiting contains all these elements.
The story opens in 2017 in Lamb's favourite setting: the fictional small-town of Three Rivers, Conn., where we meet 35-year-old Corby Ledbetter.
Corby thinks he's doing fine. He may have lost his job, but he'll find another one.
In the meantime, he's devoting himself to his beloved wife, Emily, and working as a stay-at-home dad to their two-year-old twins.
And even though he sneaks booze and sedatives to cope with his growing stress and depression, he knows he can quit when things get better.
As Corby says, 'I'm not too worried about my growing reliance on 'better living through chemistry.' It's just a stopgap until my situation turns around.'
Corby keeps telling himself this, even after the morning he takes a double dose of Ativan, chases it with Captain Morgan rum — and backs over his toddler son in the driveway, killing him.
Sentenced to prison, Corby finds unexpected fellowship with inmates, including an older mentor and a troubled young man desperately looking for a role model.
With the help of his new friends, a warm-hearted prison librarian and his mother's unconditional love, Corby begins to hope that he can conquer his demons, forgive himself and come back to his wife and daughter.
The River is Waiting
Like fellow American author Matthew Quick, best-known for his 2008 novel The Silver Linings Playbook, Lamb excels at creating characters that are lovable even when not likable.
Corby is genuinely grief-stricken and remorseful for killing his son. Most of the time, he seems honest and committed to conquering his addiction.
By letting Corby tell the story, readers can't help but sympathize with him and, at times, feel his frustration towards his wife when she refuses to visit, or his mother when she offers well-meaning but unhelpful advice.
At other times, Corby comes across as self-righteous, such as when he lashes out at his wife for being protective of their remaining child.
'No matter what's going to happen between Emily and me, I'll fight her tooth and nail if she's going to try to screw with my parental rights. I was a good dad before it happened. She knows that. Doesn't that count for anything?' Corby fumes to himself.
During his long career as a teacher and novelist, Lamb also taught creative writing to inmates at York Correctional Institute in Connecticut. He draws on his experience to authentically depict the interior of prison life.
Guards treat prisoners kindly or cruelly depending on whim, healing programs are limited or inaccessible, personal phone calls are monitored and inmates learn not to speak up for their own protection.
As Corby wryly notes, 'The only thing most of the staff is interested in 'correcting' is a new inmate's assumption that he might be something more than a worthless piece of s–t with a felony conviction and inmate number.'
Lamb also dives into the racial injustice of the legal system, with Corby noticing the segregation of inmates by race, and how inmates of colour typically receive longer sentences than white inmates, regardless of the nature of their offences.
David Kanigan / pexels.com
Silhouette of bird on shore of lake in Cove Island Park in USA.
As Corby realizes after speaking with an older Black inmate: 'For the death of my son, they gave me three years. Lester got 50 years because a judge's daughter lost an arm and, I'm guessing, because she was white.'
Weekly
A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene.
Lamb touches on topical elements from 2017-2023, including Trump followers, economic downturns and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several characters from Lamb's previous novels also make appearances, including psychologist Dr. Patel and nurse Maureen Quirk.
Lamb handles the narrative skilfully. While the plot drags at time, this serves to emphasize the monotony of day-to-day life in prison.
The River Is Waiting is worth the nine-year wait since Lamb's most recent novel.
Kathryne Cardwell is a writer in Treaty One Territory.
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Montreal Gazette
8 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
Where the rich and famous stay on Grand Prix weekend
News By Montreal's the Ritz-Carlton was launched with quite the bang on New Year's Eve in 1912, and the party has yet to stop at this ever-chichi Golden Mile institution more than a century later. The Ritz's Royal Suite was also inaugurated that soirée following the bash, and while there's nothing official about who bedded down there then, speculation is that it was some prominent captain of industry. But the suite, although altered over the years, has since drawn more than its fair share of regal figures — among them, Queen Elizabeth II and family — as well as heads of state and noted dignitaries from around the planet. But come the annual Canadian Grand Prix here — this year taking place June 13-15 at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve — it has hosted another kind of royalty: top-tier F1 drivers, high-end Hollywood celebs and CEOs, as they are among the precious few able to pony up its $18,000-a-night cost — with a four-night minimum. Of course, this is no run-of-the-mill suite. Spread over 4,700 square feet, this mini-palace features one principal bedroom, two not-so-minor bedrooms, four bathrooms, a dining area, a separate dining and living room, and all manner of eye-catching art and antiquities over the suite's exquisite marble flooring. And as a bonus, complimentary wireless internet and a coffee/tea maker just in case that might be a deal breaker. Under 'posh' in dictionaries, the definition could well include a pic of this space. Suffice it to say that Grand Prix week is the most impactful business period of the year in these parts, fuelling our economic engine like no other event in the city and estimated to be generating around $100 million in revenues. A large chunk of that cash comes from tourists, mostly American and European, who get a big wallop for their buck from our dollar — in the U.S. 70-cent range — and who spend liberally with gusts to wildly at city boutiques and restaurants. Nor do they hold back on hotel room expenses, and hoteliers, ever wise to the ways of supply and demand, are able to up the ante on what they charge over this period. Regardless, our hotels are nearly fully booked for the period, and quite often reserved many months in advance of the actual race. For the record, the Ritz's Royal Suite can be had for a mere $12,000 a night the rest of the year — not exactly a commoner's price but still a relative cash break. The Ritz, with its 120 other luxurious rooms, has by no means the market cornered on lavish suites in town. The downtown Le Mount Stephen Hotel, within eyeshot of the Ritz, has a most stately, 5,000-square-foot penthouse suite, replete with an outdoor terrace and countless amenities like an in-house butler. The hotel can even install a private gym — at a price — should its occupant so desire. The suite can go for up to $15,000 a night — gym not included, with a four-night minimum during race week. It is rumoured that no less than British F1 royalty figure Lewis Hamilton has spent quality time here in the past and might even return again. Of course, it has been rumoured that Sir Lewis has stayed at the Ritz. Le Mount Stephen also offers three Sky Loft Suites, two Luxury Suites and seven Junior Suites going from $3,000 to $5,000 a night. Its other 90 rooms start at $1,300 a night. Not to be outdone is W Montreal at Square Victoria with its three EWOW suites, each with an outdoor terrace affording a panoramic overview of the city with nary an orange cone in sight. The W also has the aptly named WOW suites without terraces. Prices range from $1,300 to $5,000 a night — with a four-night minimum. Without doubt, though, the Ritz is turbo-charged for the Grand Prix, whether or not those who surface there occupy any of its suites, although many of the race's major players and visitors have also booked some of the hotel's 129 rooms, which start at $3,200 a night — with four-night minimum — with prices spiralling upwards toward the $18,000 Royal Suite. No matter, since the entire inventory of its rooms is sold out, notes Katia Piccolino, the ball of fire who serves as the Ritz's director of sales and marketing. 'We are the hub of anything off the track downtown,' Piccolino trumpets. No doubt. The tea-and-crumpet set vanishes as of Tuesday, June 10 as the lobby and restaurant area is transformed into a party zone for visitors. Festivities officially kick off at the Ritz on Thursday, June 11 with its 'Streets of Monaco' salute, with high-end sports cars dotting the hotel's Sherbrooke St. entrance and crowds converging outside to check out the who's who of celebs checking in. The most heralded Grand Prix party of all, the $1,000 evening bash takes place Friday the 13th with luminaries from the worlds of sport, culture, fashion and finance hobnobbing over caviar and champagne in the hotel ballroom. Cost of the affair is close to $1.6 million, and a percentage of ticket proceeds goes to the Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation for mental health. So who's coming to the hotel? 'We are the Ritz so we do have to be discreet, but we can say that off the track people will see glimpses of those who may be on the track,' Piccolino somewhat discreetly notes. 'And let's just say that the occupant of the Royal Suite, which I would describe as 'old-school luxury,' is very well known and is from Hollywood. There will also be a lot of celebs and athletes staying here as well.' A previous Royal Suite occupant was Italian cinema icon Sophia Loren, who dazzled her guests and staff by concocting pasta dishes in the room's kitchen. Over the years, the hotel has also hosted Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler and Charlize Theron as well as Hamilton's Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc and late/legendary Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna and Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi. And gawkers outside the Ritz, particularly during Friday night's ball, can count on catching a flurry of Habs stars, past and present, as well as other NHL and NBA stalwarts, not to mention American fashion model Niki Taylor and possibly cast members like Naomi Watts, Tye Sheridan and Michael Imperioli from the film The Housewife currently shooting in town. 'Toronto has TIFF and we have the Grand Prix, which is the most lucrative week there is in Montreal and we have to rise to the challenge in keeping the vibe going and in innovating it every year,' Piccolino says. Le Mount Stephen account manager Amy Cadiz echoes Piccolino's comments: 'There is no question that Grand Prix week is our most important of the year, but it's our mix of new and old dating back to the times of its founder Lord George Stephen in 1926 that really resonates with our guests. And those fortunate enough to have stayed at the penthouse are so blown away by it. Many have said it's like living in a museum. It is truly one of a kind.' This gargantuan suite features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two kitchens, a living room, dining room and an office, not to mention a butler at the guests' disposal. It sleeps 6, but frankly it could accommodate not only the F1 drivers but also much of their paddock-team members — and perhaps even their racecar. W Montreal offers a different ambience with a more modernistic touch but also butler — called an 'insider' here — availability. 'We have a kind of unique recipe as far as lifestyle goes — it's part of our brand DNA. We call it 'luxury liberated.' We don't have the formality of a luxury hotel, but we do have the luxury touches,' says Alexandre Tessier, the hotel's director of sales and marketing. 'The Grand Prix has been a kind of mini-Olympics for us. It's been such a huge blessing for hoteliers to have this every year, where demand always surpasses supply. It's our best time of the year by far revenue-wise.' Tessier credits the Netflix F1 series Formula 1: Drive to Survive in enticing more Americans to attend our Grand Prix and to stretch their dollar in the process: 'They don't count their dollars. … The race has been a real game-changer for us.' Though not necessarily geared to the needs of all F1 drivers, Nico Hülkenberg of the Haas team, has previously decamped here as have members of the Red Bull Canada sponsorship team. On the celeb side over the years, it's a different story as the W has welcomed Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Céline Dion, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Tommy Lee. 'Rihanna almost stayed with us,' points out W's marketing manager, Sarah Le Bars. 'She was set to sleep in one of our EWOW suites, but her team decided not to wake her up after her show — so she ended up spending the night in her tour bus right in front of the hotel. A true missed opportunity … but a great story.' And then there are those Grand Prix regulars to the city who want none of the glitz associated with it. Nor do they seek swank amenities like gyms/swimming pools or restos/bars inside the hotel. What they seek instead is old-school charm that won't necessarily break the bank. And where they can find it is at Le Petit Hôtel on St-Paul St. Provided they were lucky enough to have booked one of this One-Key Michelin hotel's 28 rooms. Alas, they're long gone for this year's race. Situated in a heritage building — one of the oldest in Old Montreal — the hotel, launched in 2009, retains many of its original features, including its exposed stone walls, lancet windows and wrought-iron railings and has meshed them with Quebec-crafted furniture and stylish décor. Rooms, petit but cozy, range in price from $800 to $1,200 during the Grand Prix but prices drop significantly the rest of the year. Only continental breakfasts — featuring St-Viateur bagels — are served. No F1 drivers and only the occasional celeb — like Samuel L. Jackson, Alfre Woodard and Jake Gyllenhaal — seeking some serenity show up here. Far more A-listers turn up at the Petit Hôtel's much larger, more glam sister spot in Old Montreal, the 120-room Hôtel William Gray. 'Quite often, our guests book right after the Grand Prix for the next year's event,' says Georgia Antonopoulos, the vice-president of sales, revenues and marketing for the Gray Collection, owners of the two aforementioned spots. 'We cater to those who want to explore the city and are not looking to have their meals in the hotel. But when you wake up here, you know you're in Montreal.' The Gray Collection group is also the proprietor of the recently opened Le Petit Hôtel Notre-Dame in Old Montreal. Even plus petit than Le Petit Hôtel, this latest features but 17 rooms. 'Montreal is the North American flagship of the Grand Prix and really makes the city a global destination, putting a spotlight on the city and showcasing both the big and small attractions. We can almost forget about the street work — which may never end — during Grand Prix week,' cracks Antonopoulos, glancing over at the closed, construction-laden section of St-Paul St. outside Le Petit Hôtel. Sitting in the tiny lobby area, Philippe Cassidy, a former hotel employee, is totally oblivious to the clamour outside. 'I've worked at and have stayed at many hotels over the years, but, to my mind, Le Petit Hôtel is the best in the world,' Cassidy marvels. 'It is just so distinct.' Petite or princely, distinct does best describe lodging havens in Montreal — as it does just about everything else in this town. This story was originally published June 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM. Bill Brownstein montrealgazette Born and bred in Montreal, Bill Brownstein has been a columnist at the Gazette since 1987, commenting on the city and the splendid array of characters therein. Also a broadcaster, podcaster (Corner Booth), documentarian (Bill Lee: Profile of a Pitcher, Skating on Thin Ice), author (Down the Tube, Montreal 24, Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story).
Winnipeg Free Press
11 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Local cast delivers bleak, brilliant Beckett classic
A recurring line that runs like a leitmotiv through Samuel Beckett's absurdist masterpiece Waiting for Godot is: 'What do we do now?' Well, in this case, not much of anything, other than ponder existential questions regarding happiness, love, loneliness and God, not to mention the frailties of the hopelessly mortal, fallible human condition itself. Shakespeare in the Ruins launched its second show of its summer season Friday night, with a rare local live production of Waiting for Godot, performed al fresco among the ruins at Trappist Monastery Provincial Heritage Park. CHRISTINE LESLIE PHOTO Vladimir (Arne MacPherson, left) and Estragon (Cory Wojcik) bicker and commiserate while waiting for Godot. The intimate 150-minute show (including intermission), ably directed by SIR artistic director Rodrigo Beilfuss, is performed in repertory with the company's ongoing mainstage show, Macbeth. Godot has puzzled and perplexed audiences ever since its 1953 première with its simple story about two seemingly homeless men waiting endlessly for the mysterious title character. Beckett's enigmatic narrative teems with non-sequiturs and mundane observations, in turn punctuated by snappy wordplay and the occasional, heartbreaking zinger that pierces the tragicomedy's lighter moments like a rapier. It's also not exactly a plot-driven drama, relying instead on strongly forged characters and their fleshed-out relationships as they form and then fall apart. Local thespians Arne MacPherson as Vladimir (Didi) and Cory Wojcik as his long-suffering pal Estragon (Gogo) prove a well-matched team, dressed in costume designer Anika Binding's ragtag suits and bowler hats, as they spar and bicker, bare their souls and ultimately cling to each other. Set/props designer Lovissa Wiens creates a barren landscape, including a deliciously industrial 'tree' wrapped in chicken wire and brambles, with cast-off shoes and junkyard garbage bags — even a broken TV set — strewn about the edges of the monastery, creating a desolate playground of decay. MacPherson — a founding member of SiR who dazzled as the title character during last year's production of Iago Speaks — compels as the duo's 'thinker,' although his matter-of-fact, often more rapid-fire vocal style, especially during his repeated references to Godot, invariably dilutes the absurdity of his portrayal. While it all boils down to personal taste, Godot — a mysterious, Oz-like figure — should be addressed with more solemnity and even reverence to create greater subtext, as well as a more pronounced schism between stark reality and dreamy imagination, the gap between what is and what can be in a world of bleakness. Despite this artistic choice, however, one of his final, blink-and-you-miss it lines, 'Tell (Godot) that you saw me, and that you saw me,' packs an existential punch of self-identity and validation; it's one of the play's most resonant themes — if not the very point of it all. For his part, Wojcik crafts a stumbling, carrot-loving tramp with the heart of a poet who gnaws on chicken bones and frets about such physical needs as sleep and comfortable boots. His razor-sharp timing and agile inflection help him toss off such salient lines as 'We are all born mad; some remain so,' as well as ruing 'Nothing to be done,' a key sentiment. Tom Keenan (King Duncan, witch and porter in Macbeth) crafts a powder-keg Pozzo, ready to blow, ferociously cracking his riding whip when he burst onto the stage with his battered, tethered slave, Lucky (Liam Dutiaume, marking his professional debut) midway through Act I. His compelling, volatile portrayal immediately pumps the show with larger-than-life theatricality, his declaration, 'I am Pozzo,' thundering across the ruins as he stands atop a large Tyndall stone block. CHRISTINE LESLIE PHOTO Cory Wojcik as the bootless Estragon A special bravo to Dutiaume for a brilliant, less-is-more rendering of his ironically named, white-wigged zombie, his sunken eyes transfixed as he dutifully obeys Pozzo's barked commands. The actor, also appearing as Malcolm and Witch in Macbeth, nails Lucky's big speech (following his shuffling dance), proving to Vladimir and Estragon his ability to 'think' by delivering a staccato word salad of nonsensical imagery, pithy bon mots and guttural utterances. Beilfuss's thoughtful blocking (which at times is overly static, as when Pozzo is seated on his stool for far too long) adds texture to his overall delivery, seeing Lucky climb onto the stone block to spew out words directly to the audience. Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. His pacing might have been quicker — a tall order, to be sure — to convey Lucky's rising desperation, although kudos are owed to the actor for fearlessly attacking Beckett's knotty text. The show highlights the first joint professional stage appearance by Wojcik and his actor son Mackenzie (Witch in Macbeth). The latter makes every moment count as the goat-herder 'Boy,' delivering messages from Godot, his spot-on conviction and guileless innocence proving the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The play itself ends not with a bang, but a whimper. There is no resolution; Godot never arrives. While some pundits surmise that Beckett's play is about inertia, with a chaser of pre-supposed meaningless of life, Estragon's potent Act II question to Vladimir — 'Do you think God sees me?' — refutes the perennial argument that Godot is fundamentally a secular play. In the end, this cryptic conundrum will never be answered, and will continue, as it has for the last 73 years, to elicit a prism of interpretation by all those who see it. But that's probably just how its stable of all-too-human, flawed characters, as they grit their teeth and grapple with 'life,' would have liked it.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Hard time
'Can a man who caused the death of his child ever atone enough to be forgiven?' American author Wally Lamb asks this in his sixth novel, a heart-shattering saga about addiction, trauma, redemption and the healing power of relationships. Heavy themes, but familiar ones for Lamb. He became a household name with his 1992 novel I Know This Much Is True, (made into a limited series by HBO in 2020 and available on Crave) which follows the story of identical twin brothers, one of whom develops paranoid schizophrenia. Shana Sureck photo Wally Lamb's latest was recently selected as the next read for Oprah's Book Club. Lamb is known for his Dickensian-like storytelling — epic, winding stories, sharp criticism of social ills, plentiful references to topical events and deeply relatable characters. The River Is Waiting contains all these elements. The story opens in 2017 in Lamb's favourite setting: the fictional small-town of Three Rivers, Conn., where we meet 35-year-old Corby Ledbetter. Corby thinks he's doing fine. He may have lost his job, but he'll find another one. In the meantime, he's devoting himself to his beloved wife, Emily, and working as a stay-at-home dad to their two-year-old twins. And even though he sneaks booze and sedatives to cope with his growing stress and depression, he knows he can quit when things get better. As Corby says, 'I'm not too worried about my growing reliance on 'better living through chemistry.' It's just a stopgap until my situation turns around.' Corby keeps telling himself this, even after the morning he takes a double dose of Ativan, chases it with Captain Morgan rum — and backs over his toddler son in the driveway, killing him. Sentenced to prison, Corby finds unexpected fellowship with inmates, including an older mentor and a troubled young man desperately looking for a role model. With the help of his new friends, a warm-hearted prison librarian and his mother's unconditional love, Corby begins to hope that he can conquer his demons, forgive himself and come back to his wife and daughter. The River is Waiting Like fellow American author Matthew Quick, best-known for his 2008 novel The Silver Linings Playbook, Lamb excels at creating characters that are lovable even when not likable. Corby is genuinely grief-stricken and remorseful for killing his son. Most of the time, he seems honest and committed to conquering his addiction. By letting Corby tell the story, readers can't help but sympathize with him and, at times, feel his frustration towards his wife when she refuses to visit, or his mother when she offers well-meaning but unhelpful advice. At other times, Corby comes across as self-righteous, such as when he lashes out at his wife for being protective of their remaining child. 'No matter what's going to happen between Emily and me, I'll fight her tooth and nail if she's going to try to screw with my parental rights. I was a good dad before it happened. She knows that. Doesn't that count for anything?' Corby fumes to himself. During his long career as a teacher and novelist, Lamb also taught creative writing to inmates at York Correctional Institute in Connecticut. He draws on his experience to authentically depict the interior of prison life. Guards treat prisoners kindly or cruelly depending on whim, healing programs are limited or inaccessible, personal phone calls are monitored and inmates learn not to speak up for their own protection. As Corby wryly notes, 'The only thing most of the staff is interested in 'correcting' is a new inmate's assumption that he might be something more than a worthless piece of s–t with a felony conviction and inmate number.' Lamb also dives into the racial injustice of the legal system, with Corby noticing the segregation of inmates by race, and how inmates of colour typically receive longer sentences than white inmates, regardless of the nature of their offences. David Kanigan / Silhouette of bird on shore of lake in Cove Island Park in USA. As Corby realizes after speaking with an older Black inmate: 'For the death of my son, they gave me three years. Lester got 50 years because a judge's daughter lost an arm and, I'm guessing, because she was white.' Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. Lamb touches on topical elements from 2017-2023, including Trump followers, economic downturns and the COVID-19 pandemic. Several characters from Lamb's previous novels also make appearances, including psychologist Dr. Patel and nurse Maureen Quirk. Lamb handles the narrative skilfully. While the plot drags at time, this serves to emphasize the monotony of day-to-day life in prison. The River Is Waiting is worth the nine-year wait since Lamb's most recent novel. Kathryne Cardwell is a writer in Treaty One Territory.
