Montreal The Unknown City: Book Review
© Kristian Gravenor: John David Gravenor
Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press
ISBN: 1551521199
Over the past several years there have been a multitude of guidebooks concerning Montréal. However, there are very few that would not only interest the tourist but also the native Montréaler.
Kristan Gravenor and John David Gravenor have published a book entitled Montreal The Unknown City that they have described as making you feel that you have been in the city since "they sold tomatoes in paper bags where skyscrapers now stand." Little unknown intimate gems are exposed that even I, as a native for over 62 years, found fascinating.
The book divides itself into ten well written and informative sections: landmarks & destinations, transportation, sports & outdoors, dining, literature & The Arts, Shopping, Media & Entertainment, Nightlife, Notoriety and Living.
Throughout the reading of the book the authors strive to present fresh features of Montréal that we rarely read about in other travel guides. For example, not many of us natives are aware that in 1988 construction workers stumbled across three ancient underground chambers beneath a burnout Woolworth's store on Rue St. Jacques. As the authors state, "Nobody seemed quite ready to admit that they hadn't the slightest idea what the vaults were used for."
There is a fascinating historical chronology of the history of Blvd St Laurent or as it is called "The Main."
For those of you who are unaware, Blvd St Laurent is one of Montréal's principal thoroughfares, and is the dividing line between the east and west ends of the city. It is also a window on the microcosm of this great city. During the 20's the street became known as "The Main" when Russian Jews lived in and around the neighbourhood. When this first wave of immigrants moved out, the street became home to Greeks, Hungarians, Portuguese, and very recently, Latin Americans.
The Dining chapter is particularly illuminating, as it explores such topics as what Montrealers talk about when they talk about food, the soul or quintessential of Montreal dining, most romantic rooms, most exciting restaurants, best power lunches, brunches, best after hours, best hotel dining and ethnic and seafood restaurants.
Montréal has also seen the shooting of many movies, and it has grown from a pre-1992 cottage industry into a billion-dollar-plus business it is today.
Some of the movies shot in Montréal, as noted by the authors, were Eddie Murphy's "The Adventures of Pluto Nash," Nick Nolte's "Affliction" and "Afterglow," Angelina Jolie's "Beyond Borders," Spielberg's recent movie "Catch me if You Can," with Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio. This latter movie was shot in Old Montreal.
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