Paul Myers

The definitive biography of John Candy—a heartwarming portrait of one of comedy’s most beloved and enduring stars. INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Vulture's #1 Comedy Book of 2025 • A Globe and Mail, National Post, and CBC Best Book of 2025 "Reading this book was like reconnecting with an old friend. I laughed, I cried, I didn't want it to end.” —Judd Apatow “A thoughtful, thorough and entertaining portrait of one of the funniest people ever.” —Marc Maron From his humble beginnings in sketch comedy with the Toronto branch of Second City, to his rise to fame in SCTV and Hollywood film classics like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, and Uncle Buck, John Candy captivated audiences with his self-deprecating humour, emotional warmth, and gift for improvisation. Now, for the first time since Candy’s tragic death, bestselling biographer Paul Myers tells the full story of the man behind the laughs. Drawing on extensive research and exclusive interviews with many of Candy’s closest friends and colleagues, including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, and many more, John Candy: A Life in Comedy celebrates the comedian’s unparalleled talent, infectious charm, and generosity of spirit. Through ups and downs, successes and failures, and struggles with anxiety and self-doubt, Candy faced the world with a big smile and a warm demeanour that earned him the love and adoration of fans around the world.

From the bestselling author of Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy, the definitive biography of John Candy—a heartwarming portrait of one of comedy’s most beloved and enduring stars. From his humble beginnings in sketch comedy with the Toronto branch of Second City, to his rise to fame in SCTV and Hollywood film classics like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, and Uncle Buck, John Candy captivated audiences with his self-deprecating humour, emotional warmth, and gift for improvisation. Now, for the first time since Candy’s tragic death, bestselling biographer Paul Myers tells the full story of the man behind the laughs. Drawing on extensive research and exclusive interviews with many of Candy’s closest friends and colleagues, including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, and many more, John Candy: A Life in Comedy celebrates the comedian’s unparalleled talent, infectious charm, and generosity of spirit. Through ups and downs, successes and failures, and struggles with anxiety and self-doubt, Candy faced the world with a big smile and a warm demeanour that earned him the love and adoration of fans around the world.

The definitive, authorized story of legendary sketch comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall —who will soon be returning for a new original series on Amazon Prime Video. Meticulously researched and written with the full cooperation and participation of the troupe, The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy features exclusive interviews with Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson, as well as key players from their inner circle, including producer Lorne Michaels, the “man in the towel” Paul Bellini, and head writer Norm Hiscock. Marvel as the Kids share their intimate memories and behind-the-scenes stories of how they created their greatest sketches and most beloved characters, from the Chicken Lady and Buddy Cole to Cabbage Head and Sir Simon &Hecubus. The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy spans the entirety of the Kids’ storied career, from their early club shows in Toronto and New York to their recent live reunion tours across North America. Along for the ride are a plethora of fans, peers, and luminaries to celebrate the career and legacy of Canada’s most subversively hilarious comedy troupe. You’ll read tributes from Seth Meyers, Judd Apatow, Garry Shandling, Paul Feig, Mike Myers, David Cross, Michael Ian Black, Brent Butt, Jonah Ray, Dana Gould, Bob Odenkirk, Andy Richter, and Canada’s newest comedy sensation, Baroness Von Sketch. As an added bonus, the book includes never-before-seen photographs and poster art from the personal archives of the Kids themselves. Perfect for diehard fans and new initiates alike, The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy will make you laugh and make you cry … and it may even crush your head.

From landing in Havana, hoofing it all the way down to Trinidad and back in a rented Mexican built Nissan (with special insurance on the tyres in case they get stolen by raft builders), the author vividly describes his hellish time in the Caribbean's biggest island nation during Fidel Castro's 'Special Period'. Compared to Bill Bryson, this is a travel tale of three weeks in the Sunshine Socialist State where extortion, confrontation, dolphins, kidnapping, appalling food and a chance meeting with 'The Leader' became a story worth telling. And all the author really wanted at the time was a nice quiet, boring beach holiday. "Surely this holiday is just off to a bad start. It couldn't get worse, could it? No really, could it?" 2nd EDITION, REVISED FEBRUARY 2008 - MORE PAGES, MORE FUN!

Long John Baldry is considered the father of the ?60s British blues movement. Drawing on intimate anecdotes from Baldry's legendary friends, lovers, and peers, author Paul Myers uncovers the man behind the mythic persona. An entire generation of British rock legends flourished under Baldry's tutelage, and It Ain't Easy features exclusive personal recollections from artists such as Sir Elton John, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Sir Paul McCartney, John Mayall, and Mick Fleetwood, as well as interviews with renowned music industry insiders like songwriter/producer Tony Macaulay, Yardbirds manager Giorgio Gomelsky, ex-Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, filmmaker Cameron Crowe, and others. Extensively researched, It Ain't Easy traces Baldry's extraordinary life from his birth during the London Blitz, to his discovery of black American music, to the sexual revolution, to the musical and social upheaval of the 1960s and '70s, and to his eventual happy retreat to the tranquility of Canada's Pacific Coast.

From geeks in short pants to multiplatinum artists, Barenaked Ladies are nothing less than a phenomenon. Now, for the first time in the United States, we can read their astonishing story. Steven, Ed, Jim, Tyler, and Kevin have two Grammy nominations under their belts, they've appeared on The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live, and their music is featured in commercials. They've even preempted the Olympics and rocked the vote on The West Wing. Their quirky, bizarre lyrics and unforgettable live performances have secured a rabidly loyal fan base across North America. They are Barenaked Ladies. Want to know more about this Canadian quintet? It's all here, from the births of five Barenaked babies to the triumph of band member Kevin over leukemia. All the stories, from goo-goo to glory Photographs of the band, never before seen in the United States, including family photos, baby pictures, and shots from the early days of BNL A list of BNL's favorite road games and instructions so you, too, can play A detailed list of every musical project the Ladies have recorded or been involved with More information on band camp and what gifted Canadian kids do for fun than you ever thought you wanted Given exclusive access to the band, author Paul Myers gets inside the heads of five guys who drew on their eclectic backgrounds to generate a groundbreaking musical style. Fun, frank, and sometimes frivolous, this is the naked truth behind Barenaked Ladies.

Leonard Bernstein (1918–90), creator of the Broadway masterpiece, West Side Story, was the best loved and most successful conductor of his generation. He inspired fellow American musicians, being the first native American to direct a major American orchestra, and the first to conquer Europe. This biography covers all aspects of Bernstein’s career, from his extraordinary early rise to fame as a conductor to his work as a world-famous composer, including his musicals and the score for On the Waterfront. It examines the paradoxes of a man who was brilliant, articulate, witty and charming but could also be vain, egocentric and demanding.