Biographies and Memoirs – serie

Few unknown figures have left such a lasting mark on the world as Robert "Bicycle Bob" Silverman._x000D__x000D_A true nonconformist, this tireless advocate for urban cycling lived an extraordinary life. Poet, bookseller, restaurateur, traveler, educator, gallery owner—but above all, a passionate cycling activist—Bob led his vélorution (a term he was the first to popularize in Canada) with authenticity, ingenuity, and boundless creativity._x000D__x000D_With his small but dedicated group, Le Monde à Bicyclette (MàB), and a handful of allies, Bob Silverman achieved the impossible. Over three decades, Montreal transformed from one of the least bike-friendly cities in North America into its cycling capital—thanks in part to MàB’s colorful cyclodramas, street theatre protests where members donned costumes to make their point._x000D__x000D_Silverman’s story reads like a film script. A poet and independent bookseller in the 1960s, he drew in a vibrant circle of artists, intellectuals, and musicians, including Leonard Cohen and Armand Vaillancourt. In 1962, he traveled to Cuba to join Fidel Castro’s revolution, meeting none other than Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Later, he worked on an Israeli kibbutz, becoming one of the rare Jewish activists to shake hands with Yasser Arafat. He studied in France and Spain, pioneered outdoor volleyball, and never shied away from challenging the status quo._x000D__x000D_A larger-than-life figure, Robert Silverman was, as many describe him, “a prophet before his time.” Discover how this real-life Man of La Mancha managed to reach a few unreachable stars…

Few unknown figures have left such a lasting mark on the world as Robert "Bicycle Bob" Silverman._x000D__x000D_A true nonconformist, this tireless advocate for urban cycling lived an extraordinary life. Poet, bookseller, restaurateur, traveler, educator, gallery owner—but above all, a passionate cycling activist—Bob led his vélorution (a term he was the first to popularize in Canada) with authenticity, ingenuity, and boundless creativity._x000D__x000D_With his small but dedicated group, Le Monde à Bicyclette (MàB), and a handful of allies, Bob Silverman achieved the impossible. Over three decades, Montreal transformed from one of the least bike-friendly cities in North America into its cycling capital—thanks in part to MàB’s colorful cyclodramas, street theatre protests where members donned costumes to make their point._x000D__x000D_Silverman’s story reads like a film script. A poet and independent bookseller in the 1960s, he drew in a vibrant circle of artists, intellectuals, and musicians, including Leonard Cohen and Armand Vaillancourt. In 1962, he traveled to Cuba to join Fidel Castro’s revolution, meeting none other than Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Later, he worked on an Israeli kibbutz, becoming one of the rare Jewish activists to shake hands with Yasser Arafat. He studied in France and Spain, pioneered outdoor volleyball, and never shied away from challenging the status quo._x000D__x000D_A larger-than-life figure, Robert Silverman was, as many describe him, “a prophet before his time.” Discover how this real-life Man of La Mancha managed to reach a few unreachable stars…

One Boy! is an emotionally charged—at times even humorous—coming-of-age narrative. In this debut work of creative non-fiction, Benjamin Maiangwa draws readers into the intimate interior of a boy navigating the delicate space between youthful innocence and the harsh realities of a Catholic boarding school.The story traces a young man's journey through the tangled terrain of love, loss, and self-discovery. Set against the backdrop of cultural expectations and religious doctrine, the protagonist endures betrayal, bullying, and the fragile beauty of friendship. As he matures within the strict confines of the boarding school and the religious hostilities of the outside world, he arrives at a moral crossroads: should he uphold the Judeo-Christian values of forgiveness instilled in him—or yield to the seductive pull of revenge?One Boy! is more than a story of survival; it is a meditation on what it means to remain whole in a world that so often insists you break. In the end, the question isn’t just what the boy will choose—but what we would choose in his place.