Down to This

Praise

“Brilliant writing, verging on the poetic.”
—The Globe and Mail

“Finely written and bitterly honest. . . . A moving depiction of the contradictions embedded in our common humanity.”
—Maclean’s

“Some writers go to great lengths to write a book. They climb Mount Everest, follow armies into war zones, go undercover with professional sports teams, or travel around the world on a motorbike, unicycle or some other type of contraption. Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall has more guts than any of those writers.”
—Edmonton Journal

“Raw. . . . A book that should be required reading for all law-and-order community reform crusaders, as Roméo Dallaire’s Shake Hands with the Devil should be for all armchair global warriors.”
—Toronto Star

“A book of warm, incisive, commited reportage. It’s inspiring for anyone who believes in non-fiction.”
—Quill & Quire

“Refreshingly free of political or sociological theorizing. . . . Creates a cumulative portrait of the punishing lifestyle.”
—Saturday Night

“Impossible not to be transfixed. . . . Bishop-Stall is deep inside his story and doesn’t preach or get mired in clichés.”
—The Vancouver Sun

“A truly amazing book, wonderfully written. All the time I was reading, I was either choked up or grinning from ear to ear. When I wasn’t either choked up or grinning, I was weeping or laughing out loud. This is a stunning debut.”
—Paul Quarrington, author of Whale Music, The Spirit Cabinet and Galveston

“After a gonzo plunge into homelessness, Zoodles and booze, Bishop-Stall surfaces with a terrific book, evocative of the writing of Paul Bowles and Hunter S. Thompson. A surprising new talent who writes with verve, wit and insight about life on the urban margins.”
—Patricia Pearson, Maclean’s columnist and author of Playing House

“Superb writing, reporting, and story-telling make Down to This one long wild joy to read. It is a hilarious, heartbreaking, relentlessly honest celebration of survival. It may change you a little.”
—Ernest Hillen, author of The Way of a Boy