The Truth About Luck

A slyly entertaining encounter with the timeless. Is any divide greater than the one between young and old? How do we connect with those who, while still living, come from worlds that are gone? Iain Reid urgently needs to solve this issue, even as he resists that confrontation with all his might. The result is at times soothing, at times disquieting, and persistently likable throughout. * Ben Ryder Howe, author of My Korean Deli *
Told with charm, wit, and one of the most likeable voices going, Iain Reid’s The Truth About Luck falls somewhere between a slacker Tuesdays with Morrie and an intergenerational version of The Trip, with more sandwiches than scallops. Amid all the comic minutiae emerges a sensitive, thoughtful portrait of a ninety-two year old, as infectiously interested in the world as her grandson becomes with her. * Pasha Malla, author of People Park *
Reid’s style is so entertainingly self-conscious, and Grandma is so much the grandma we all ache to have in our lives, that the book sometimes feels like a beautifully rendered little off-Broadway play. -- Kathryn Borel * Globe and Mail *
Iain Reid continues to mine familial matters with humour and candour in his second book. -- Jessica Allen * Maclean's *
Iain Reid’s newest book rejoices in this blend of intergenerational familiarity and serendipity... those [familiar with Iain's writing] will recognize his trademarks — his unfussy language, his dry sense of humour, his sincerity. -- Stevie Howell * National Post *
What makes The Truth About Luck memorable is its blend of humour and gravitas... This funny, thoughtful memoir is highly engaging. Reid's interactions with [his grandma] are sometimes awkward, sometimes profound, but always entertaining. -- Graeme Voyer * Winnipeg Free Press *
... infinitely sweet. This is the sort of memoir that can only work if its main characters are compelling and likable; the nervous, self-deprecating Reid and his sassy, classy grandrna—”the LeBron James of old ladies born pre Depression”—are both. ...The Truth About Luck [is] a fun, light read. -- Chris Hanna * Maisonneuve *