Dangerous Memory: Coming of Age in the Decade of Greed

by Charlie Angus

A bold book of rage, hope, and challenge exposing how the political decisions of the 1980s continue to haunt us today.The 1980s is remembered with nostalgia as a harmless decade of big hair, colourful clothes, and catchy pop songs. It was anything but. In Dangerous Memory, Charlie Angus undertakes a major rethink of the cultural and political shifts of an era that unleashed an unprecedented looting of the economy, the environment, and the common good that continue to haunt North Americans today.But the 1980s was also a time of resistance, creativity, and hope. In a world that stood on the brink of global annihilation, millions of ordinary people stepped up to save the planet and fight for human rights. As an idealistic eighteen-year-old, Charlie Angus quit school to play in a punk band and work with the homeless and refugees in Toronto’s east end.Expertly weaving his story within the larger narrative of the times, Angus traces today’s economic, environmental, and social problems to their roots in the 1980s. Planting the seeds of change, he challenges us to take action to confront widespread injustice and massive systemic inequity to create a better world.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Canada, Audiobook, Biography, Autobiography

320 pages, Paperback

Published October 29, 2024

Reviews

[Joseph Schreiber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book over several months, a chapter or two at a time, with my book club who rarely get through an entire book. This one was an exception. The chapters are short and easy to read, and for a weekly get together, they are great for sparking conversation. Having said that, we are all older than the former New Democrat politician by a year or more, so in the 1980s we were also in our 20s or early 30s. So to revisit the social and political shifts of that era was really interesting.

In this book, very much geared at a general audience, Angus goes back to his years in a punk band and the roots of his own understanding of the importance of social justice issues. He then details the years of Angelus House, an ambitious project he and his wife created—a community and home for those who had no place else to go. At times they were in over their heads, but he reflects on the varied characters who made the house a family. The book ends with a look at the 90s, by which time he and his young family had moved to northern Ontario and he began his career in politics.

As an overview for those who were too young to remember the 1980s, this book is a good introduction to the music, the politics, and the social justice climate of the times and how they influenced Charlie Angus who is still outspoken and unafraid to address the serious concerns facing our world today. However, I can't help but think that both the memoir and the politics are sacrificed for the sake of brevity and readability. At times his stories seem glossed and over I would have like to have more.

[Enid Wray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short sweet and to the point.

This is an important book - and not just because he is writing my life (I checked, he is 11 months younger than me). We had to have crossed paths - and likely more than once in our younger days - at one or more of the haunts (i.e. clubs, bars, etc.) or protests he writes about.

The young’uns need to read this… Heck everyone needs to read this.

And after you read this, go out and read the new titles by Carol Off and Elizabeth Renzetti and share those with everyone you know as well.

[N · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read that pulls together the seeming disparate (but not really) neo-Liberal lies, moves and coercion by governments and the private sector in the 1980's and 90's and how we're paying for that today. A reminder that the worst thing you can do is give up hope, it may take time but resistence does eventually cause change.

If you were a certain age and involved with music and/or social justice issues in the 1980's you'll remember a lot of what happens here. A great collection of dangerous memories.

[Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's my birthday & I'm crying on the bus about corporate greed & the loss of mutual aid.

I didn't know enough about the true story of Angus' life to not be dazzled by this half-memoir half-history about running a non-denominational christian communal housing space in downtown Toronto in the 80s. I so much want the energy, the enthusiasm, and the optimism of this young man. And I do see him reflected in my contemporaries, often. And it is. It is inspiring. But also. Fuck. Yaknow? Fuck.

I love my friends so much. I love the unique projects and communities that can only emerge in high-density, low cost of living environments. I feel so lucky to be alive & like life is so fragile. Fuck. Ok. Bye.

[Danielle Vuong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most engaging, entertaining, educational books I have ever read. I was expecting it to be dry and political, but it was such a page turner I read it in two days!

I learned what it was like to come of age in the punk rock scene in the 1980s and live an extremely idealistic life based on serving others.

I also learned about trickle down economics (though he never explicitly called it that), and why the rich are getting even more wealthy.

Sometimes what is going in the world terrifies me, but this book was filled with reminders about how the world seemed like it was going to end in the past few decades but never did. There are definitely scary things happening, but hopefully we can pull together and make things better for everyone.

I also learned that when Joe Mihevic ran for Toronto City council in the early 2000s, the opposition smeared him by accusing him of antisemitism (even though he did his PhD in Holocaust studies). In the very same riding of Toronto St. Paul's, the same thing happened to now former MPP, Dr. Jill Andrew, simply for speaking up for Sara Jama and speaking against the genocide in Palestine. Mihevic retained his seat. If she'd had more help and this fact had been brought up during the last provincial election, maybe she would have retained hers too.

Every few pages I wanted to shout out facts from the book that I found extremely fascinating. If there is one book I read this year that I would recommend, it's this one.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a mix of memoir and history, putting the author's life into the context of the larger political and economic climate of the 1980s. As someone a few years younger than Mr. Angus, I remember many of the events as well as the general social and political climate of the 1980s.
It is worth a read if you are open-minded about someone's thoughts on the past as a left-leaning former federal politician (which Mr. Angus happens to be). If you are one of today's MAGA mindset types, don't even pick up this book, it will enrage you, you will find it impossible to accept that the right's hero of the 1980s, Ronald Reagan, his trickledown economics, his militant stance against the Soviet bloc, and his hidden but well known racism and homophobia, was the beginning of what we see today with so much wealth consolidated into the hands of the "one percent."
Read this if you want to see what life in Toronto and Canada was like for a young couple trying to make a difference for the better in a time when political and social attitudes were shifting away from them and driving us towards a new age of oligarchs, mega billionaires, neo-Fascism, white supremacy, and many other vile shifts in attitudes.
The book is not just based on Mr. Angus's recollections, not at all, it is thoroughly researched and well written.

[Nancy]

Part autobiography, part history, this book draws throughlines from the 1980s to issues we face today. As a young couple Charlie and his wife, Brit, knew they wanted to put belief into action. They found inspiration from the Catholic activist Dorothy Day. Day was the impetus behind the Catholic Worker Movement that had opened houses for the homeless across the United States. “At that time, Brit and I knew nothing about the social problems facing the poor in Toronto. We knew even less about the difficulties faced by people with addictions or young runaways or people in the prison system or women escaping abusive relationships…We would live with them, not as social workers but as friends. We figured we would learn while we were doing.” After nearly a decade of offering help to those in need, the couple moved their family to Cobalt, Ontario and Charlie found his way into politics. I loved the mixture of information and story in this book. Despite writing hard truths, Charlie inspires hope and action. “Dangerous memories remind us that these malignant forces have been fought and beaten before.”

[Nancy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerous Memory is part autobiography of Charlie Angus life growing into adulthood and part commentary on the tumultuous 1980s that shaped his - and many of us - beliefs and actions. Growing up in Toronto's punk rock scene - he was part of a band that played in dive bars by night and worked in kitchens by day - Angus came face to face with the realities of life: poverty and drug and alcohol addiction. Determined to do something about it him and Brit Griffin opened their home to the unhoused and learned first hand how devastating corporate greed and inadequate government support impacts people. He leaves no issue untouched - the peace movement , the environment, religious corruption all become personal to him. I found it very engrossing and very relatable - I to came of age in the 80's - and I feel anyone who wants to understand those times from a Canadian perspective should read this. I look forward to reading - hopefully! - the next part of Angus's life - how he was convinced by Jack Layton to enter into politics and his work in Canada's northern most regions.

[Jessica Hallam · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're like me and need some solid assistance connecting the dots between policy enacted over the course of decades with real-world outcomes, you might like this book. I'm still not sure how Angus managed to pull my brain through lessons on the Chicago School, Reagan and Chilean economics in a page-turning way but, here we are.
I was already a pretty big fan of Angus but his personal stories gave me an even greater appreciation of his contribution to Canadians, from the people he and his partner Brit took in, fed and clothed at their Catholic Worker house, to his work as an MP. I might not be Catholic, and I might not be a fan of punk, but I am a fan of people in politics for the right reasons. And, Charlie, he is that.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Charlie Angus is community-minded. He has spent his life advocating for the disadvantaged. His theory in this book is that the problems in the developed world today first started in the 1980s and he does a good job supporting this position. If, like me, you are more of a business person, dont poo-poo this socialist book. The idea that Thatcher and Reagan have brought us to Trump and the tech logical oligarchs rings true, and the fix, according to Charlie, needs to come from the community, from all of us.

[Lita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m never disappointed in Charlie’s books. He’s an accomplished historian bringing us through with ease and pace. Having lived through the 80’s, it all comes back. He pinpoints when this period of greed got its start, and reminds us that in spite of frightening times, grass roots movements matter. He continues to show us the way through The Resistance, his daily online post. I recommend subscribing.

[Yycdaisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably should rate this as 5 stars but just wasn't interested in the stuff about the punk bands and such. Guess that shows my own failings more than anything. However the rest of the book sure explained a lot about politics. This book would be a good introduction to young people who are just starting to learn about what happened since the 80s and the danger we're in now.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Joe Strummer left The Clash he ran for parliament and served for years without ever losing his integrity or passion. Imagine that! This is Charlie Angus, a Canadian parliamentarian, music legend, and all around dude. In the 80s, he was inspired by Dorothy Day to live with homeless people in a house in Riverdale. Punk rock idealism and plenty of good stories. I loved this book.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up in Canada in the '80s, this sure brought back memories and also introduced me to some issues I wasn't aware of, being a few years younger than Charlie Angus. Nice to see that the convictions he holds today of decency and empathy were part of his youth as well.

[Tony Wohlfarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Former MP Charlie Angus has written a very readable and poignant book on his time as a member of a punk rock band and social activist in Toronto. It is full of memorable anecdotes and excerpts from his journal. Highly recommended.

[Lucas Dolanjski · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really informative and interesting read. Although Angus was my MP in my federal riding for years- I never looked deep into his beliefs or actions, but this book has shown me the good he has brought forward. It's a shame he retired from politics at a time he is needed more than ever.

[Ron S · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at how the political decisions made in in the 1980s have lead to the mess we're living in today, by the front runner of The Grievous Angels and long serving NDP member of Parliament.

[Roz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great review of 'local' history (Toronto)

[Helen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. I learned a lot,

[Malcom VanArkadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about the 1980's and how they brought us to where we are today, Chernobyl, NAFTA the breaking of the unions it's all in here

[Jody Lund · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is an excellent read.

[Patsey]

How we got here, how we resisted and won, how we can unite and get through this too with “dread, luck and hope”. You’ve got my vote Mr. Angus

[Alan (the Lone Librarian rides again) Teder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovers in Dangerous Times 🍁
A review of the House of Anansi paperback (October 29, 2024) released simultaneously with the eBook.

August 31, 2025 Update Charlie Angus has posted an episode on his podcast Charlie Angus / The Resistance which features his background stories to the selections on the Top 40 Playlist which he assembled on Spotify for this book (see that link below under Soundtrack). The online text for the podcast episode links to 40 videos for the 40 songs. You can read and watch that at The Top 40 Songs That Matter From The 80s [NOTE: The page may take some extra time to load due to the number of video links that it contains].

Do not leave the task
of remembering
to the historians
they will do it, it is their job
they will sit in the archives
they will write the books
they will give the lectures
but remembering
is not a task that can be left
to the historians
for you are obligated
to remember as well.
—@plaguepoems, January 27, 2022. Used as the epigraph for "Dangerous Memory."

Canadian NDP politician Charlie Angus (1962-) has been the elected member for the Northern Ontario riding of Timmins-James Bay for the past 20 years while living in Cobalt, Ontario. In his youth though he was a member of the punk rock band L'Étranger in Toronto while also working as a dishwasher in restaurants. Inspired by the activism of bands such as England's The Clash, Angus became more socially active and eventually took on projects such as starting his own homeless shelter, newsletters and other campaigns. These were in partnership with his then girlfriend / later & present day wife Brit Griffin.

Dangerous Memory is a memoir that looks back on those formative years in the 1980s. It toggles between episodes of Angus & Griffin's lives in parallel with the world events of those years. There is a great deal of youthful hope and determination expressed in these pages despite the accumulative depressing historical record.

It is likely forgotten now that much of today's ongoing crises such as homelessness, migration, joblessness, globalization, big pharma, big corp / military industrial / corporate greed and manipulation made huge strides in those years. These were the years of Reagan, Thatcher & Mulroney who busted unions and sold out working people for greed via globalization get-rich schemes such as so-called "Free Trade", sending well paying jobs to slave factories overseas. The years of interference in South American politics. The years of the AIDS epidemic. The final years of the Cold War, with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Empire in the late 1980s. It all makes for sobering reading.

Although I'm somewhat older than Angus, much of this does resonate with my own youth growing up in Toronto. So this is admittedly a biased 5 star rating.

Soundtrack
As much of this book also tells the story of Charlie Angus and Brit Griffin's early relationship, I couldn't help but think of the Bruce Cockburn Lovers in a Dangerous TIme for which you can see the original video on YouTube here or a more recent live acoustic performance here.

Charlie Angus assembled a Spotify playlist for this book, comprised of songs from the 1980's which you can listen to here.

Trivia and Links
You can read an excerpt from the beginning of the book via the publisher House of Anansi website here.