Recipe for Hate
The X Gang
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Dundurn Group Ltd
Published:18th Jan '18
Currently unavailable, our supplier has not provided us a restock date
How a group of Portland, Maine, punks defeated a murderous gang of neo-Nazis.
The X Gang is a group of punks led by the scarred, silent, and mostly unreadable Christopher X. His best friend, Kurt Blank, is a hulking and talented punk guitarist living in the closet. Sisters Patti and Betty Upchuck form the core of the feminist Punk Rock Virgins band, and are the closest to X and Kurt. Assorted hangers-on and young upstarts fill out the X Gang’s orbit: the Hot Nasties, the Social Blemishes, and even the legendary Joe Strummer of the Clash. Together, they’ve all but taken over Gary’s, an old biker bar. Then over one dark weekend, a bloody crime nearly brings it all to an end.
Based on real events, Warren Kinsella tells the story of the X Gang’s punk lives — the community hall gigs, the antiracism rallies, the fanzines and poetry and art, and what happened after the brutal murders of two of their friends.
Kinsella skilfully blends convincing depictions of both the punk scene and the racist underground with the hoary trope of a band of kids setting out to solve a mystery … a suspenseful page-turner that also gives considerable food for thought. * Quill & Quire *
Tension starts high and stays there in this unflinching page-turner, which offers a fascinating glimpse into the early punk scene and a moving testament to the power of friendship. * Publishers Weekly *
A compelling and jagged read. * School Library Journal *
Unlike anything he has written before. * Calgary Herald *
Raw and gritty and soaked in the passion for personal freedom, disdain for authority, and commitment to indie music * TheStorySanctuary.com *
Of interest to anyone interested in punk culture — not just the music, but the fanzines, art and writing of the period. * Toronto Star *
Kinsella’s book explodes off the page from the start...a dark and engrossing tale of punk-rock heroes fighting for justice. * Booklist *
Absorbing, jarring and raw. * Globe and Mail *
excellent * Edmonton Journal *
Kinsella’s book explodes off the page from the start … A dark and engrossing tale of punk-rock heroes fighting for justice. * Booklist (U.S.) *
a complex, multilayered mystery that highlights the energy and passion of youth while pointing a finger at issues like police misconduct, irresponsible journalism and the rise of the alt Right. * CM Magazine *
- Winner of Best Books for Kids & Teens, Spring 2018 2018 (Canada)
- Short-listed for White Pine 2019 2018 (Canada)
- Short-listed for White Pine 2019 (Canada)
- Short-listed for John Spray Mystery Award 2018 (Canada)
ISBN: 9781459739062
Dimensions: 203mm x 127mm x 19mm
Weight: 269g
304 pages