THE LIBRARY
A REVIEW BY SARAH BUTLAND
A memoir of family and place Through his newest book, Let Nothing Go To Waste, Dann Alexander collects a series of personal memories that many on the North Shore will be able to relate to. As he was attempting to “grow up” on New Glasgow’s West Side, we are treated to memories of obstacles that prevented the growing and humorous reports of how he prospered in his own backyard, often without even realizing it. Published through his own company, Frogsong Productions, this is Alexander’s latest book: his others are Planned UnParenthood: Creating a Life Without Procreating and Throwing Dice, a collection of short stories. Alexander started with writing music reviews for State of the Rock World which makes sense after you read Let Nothing Go To Waste. Currently living in Halifax, his roots are clearly tying him to Pictou County as he muses about his time and family here, along with promoting animal rescue and his vegan life through his newsletter, current blog (dannalexander.com) and Twitter. Through memories of Alice’s pizza, back trails to trouble, and friends’ basements learning that music is more about friends and community than lyrics and being in tune, Let Nothing Go To Waste includes flashbacks and friends who make the stories treasures. Alexander wants everyone to remember that we all have stories to tell, and he certainly did that for me. While reading his personal accounts of years gone by and of people I never met, I instantly connected with the moments of dreading shopping with my grandmother, standing in front of a class to give a speech about a topic that didn’t really matter, and
more. An interesting aspect of this book is what story will stand out for each reader as well as what memories each will spark that brings us back to our younger days. Losing his brother David to cancer in 2020, after one last road trip together to PEI, Alexander honours his memory through living with passion and purpose, and, of course, memories. This personal loss has helped him appreciate life and love more than ever. If you have any connection at all to the streets and businesses of Pictou County. This collection of personal essays will bring you right back without having to get out of your chair. Like many, Alexander did move west to figure out his financial future but has since returned to Nova Scotia and continues to make East Coast memories.
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