Chasing A Dream ~ The Carl English Story by Carl English

Carl English was the face of basketball in Newfoundland and Labrador. As the former General Manager and Shooting Guard for the St. John's Edge, playing with the Canadian NBL League would be the final stop for this hometown hero from Patrick's Cove,  Newfoundland. Hailing from a small community of 70 people on the rugged shores of an island in the middle of the North Atlantic, the life of Carl English was turned upside down when he lost both parents in a tragic house fire at age 5. Separated from his brothers but living with other family members that raised him as their own, English found solace in shooting a few hoops. This narrative chronicles the life and times of a kid who spent hours perfecting his basketball skills on the side of the road to his success as a professional athlete in Europe and with the Canadian Team. But this book is more than just a sports story; this is a story of kindness and love, of hardship and survival, of success and failure. Chasing A Dream is the autobiographical journey of a little boy who had the impossible dream, his quest to achieve it and the life lessons that were learned along the way.

Written in an easy to read conversational style, Chasing A Dream ~ The Carl English Story, is first and foremost a story of overcoming obstacles.  From the beginning of the memoir readers are shattered by the unthinkable when English sadly recounts the tragic circumstances of his childhood and the ensuing bond that was formed with his Aunt Betty and Uncle Junior as they took on the role of parenting their young nephew. The reader is struck by English's honesty in describing the loneliness and profound sense of loss he experienced in losing his parents and the life he had with his four brothers. It is indeed a reminder of the resilience often seen in children when a young child, like Carl, is able to find comfort in the sport of basketball and fill the void in his life by escaping to his homemade net on the side of the road. As English chronicles the next 20 years of his basketball life, from his time as a high school student moving away from Patricks Cove in hopes of  getting prospected by the NCAA, to his college scholarship days in Hawaii and then on to crushing the European basketball circuit, we begin to gain a real appreciation of the grit and determination that is needed to navigate the world of professional sport. As readers we experience first hand the thrill of the ride and the agony of defeat and the many sacrifices that are made along the way. As English candidly recounts his innermost thoughts and feelings, we learn about the many relationships that have contributed to this young athlete's success and those who did not always act in his best interest. Whether it's advice from basketball greats like Steve Nash or playing with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and other members of the Redeem Team, our native son always has and continues to be grounded and guided by the strength of his family, childhood sweetheart/wife Mandy and his Newfoundland roots. Though this book is repetitive at times and would benefit from another round of editing, it is an inspirational story suitable for those age 12 and up. Readers, whether sports enthusiasts or not, will thoroughly enjoy the story of Carl English and will be impressed by his positivity, perseverance and drive to overcome whatever stands in his way. Though English never quite realized his full dream he embodies the words of Edwin Louis Cole; 

                     Winners are not people who do not fail, but people who never quit!

Chasing A Dream ~ The Carl English Story will touch your heart and leave an indelible mark upon your soul, believing that the impossible IS possible. The Carl English story is a Flanker Press publication.

Cops In Kabul by William C. Malone

Cops In Kabul is the biographical account of former Deputy Commander William C. Malone of the Canadian Police contingent stationed in Afghanistan. As the first CivPol group to deploy to the Central Asian war torn country under a new Afghan training mission in May 2011,  Malone details the yearlong efforts to bring about peace, security and the rule of law to a seemingly lawless and brutal society. Malone's narrative will leave the reader in awe of these fearless defenders of the legal process while at the same time busting an occasional gut at their attempts to navigate international protocols in a theatre of war. 


Cops In Kabul was an eye opening read that provided a rare glimpse into the role Canadian police volunteers played as members of the NATO coalition. Malone's account is an honest and forthright recollection of events spanning his time in prepping for the mission to deployment to the region. It further details the challenges and successes of attempting to marry military strategy with civilian police training tactics in a country that had become accustomed to war, conflict and bloodshed. Over the course of 14 chapters, readers will gain a deep and personal appreciation for the thoughts, fears, and motivation experienced by Malone and members of the contingent as they worked to train and mentor the Afghan National Police. I often found myself shaking my head as Malone chronicled the duplication of services provided by the international coalition, the billions of dollars spent and lost to fraudulent causes and corrupt governments, and the pie-in-the-sky Western strategies that were often considered and attempted. Though I found the author's use of mission acronyms and personal names distracting, the chronology of historic events at the beginning as well as the many maps, pictures, footnotes and appendices aided my understanding of the subject matter. This book opened my eyes to the sacrifices Canadian and international peacekeepers face each and everyday and the personal impact of this service long after the mission is over. The main theme of this book is reinforced by a quote of Martin Luther King, Jr. expressed by Malone in the Epilogue;

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

Thank-you, William C. Malone, for your service!  Cops In Kabul is a Flanker Press publication.