Just Say Yes: A Memoir

by Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald, host of CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks, offers a personal and inspiring memoir of life-changing events in his early years through five decades in science journalism.

Revered science reporter and radio host Bob McDonald has devoted a decades-long career to turning our attention away from everyday perspectives and outward to the vast, intricate wonders of our planet and universe. Now, in this revealing and captivating memoir, he looks within, offering an intimate view of the path that brought him from a blue-collar background to his long-standing role as Canada’s foremost explainer of all things scientific.

It’s an engrossing and often jubilant story that allows McDonald to share powerful insights on overcoming fear of failure and tackling life-transforming challenges. Early on, he describes a childhood and youth plagued by difficulties in school that eventually convinced him to drop out of university. Yet, despite the academic obstacles, his love of science burned bright. Soon, through an innate stage sense and sheer enthusiasm, he landed a gig doing high-spirited demonstrations for the public at the Ontario Science Centre, which in turn led to self-produced TV spots.

And as each hard-won, never-certain success built on the last, he arrived at the role that would make him a national the witty, engaging, passionately curious host of the perennially popular CBC Radio show Quirks and Quarks, reporting from the frontiers of scientific exploration and rubbing elbows with such luminaries as Chris Hadfield, Buzz Aldrin and Stephen Hawking. Told with all of McDonald’s trademark pace and humour, Just Say Yes is bound to please, surprise and inspire his numerous fans in entirely new ways.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Canada

Kindle Edition

Published September 14, 2024

Reviews

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Bob McDonald is a regular part of my life, though he has no idea that I exist. I listen to his CBC radio program Quirks & Quarks every week and I enjoy his interviews with scientists who are doing interesting research. He makes it enjoyable (although he has a distressing tendency toward dad jokes). So when I heard that he had published a memoir, I immediately placed a hold at the library.

I am even more impressed with the man now. He has overcome a lot of disadvantages and still ended up very successful in his chosen field, science education. He is a man with limited formal education who has educated himself, especially about astronomy, space, and space exploration. I remember on the radio show that celebrated a milestone for Bob, one of the scientists who contributed confessed that they all strove to avoid Bob's patented clarification phrase: Let's see if I've got this right…. An immediate sign that they hadn't communicated clearly enough.

Mind you, there were some chapters that were tough sledding for me. There was a whole chapter on the various motorcycles McDonald had owned. Important to him, but a snooze for me. And then, Goddess help me, an entire section on his sail boats and sailing adventures, about which I couldn't care less. But if I was to write a memoir, it would include a lot of birding adventures that would bore casual readers, so I get that the bikes and the boats are a vital part of his identity.

For fans of the show, this is a highly recommended read. Anyone unfamiliar with Bob McDonald probably won't be interested.

[Janet Hutchinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, though it read like it had been dictated and transcribed, at least the early chapters. However, his rise from never receiving a university degree to being a journalist focussing on science, is a good example of, as he says, just saying yes. I found the space chapters to be particularly interesting - and since that was a passion, it is not surprising.

[Margo Allore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a delightful read by CBC's Host of "Quirks and Quarks".

McDonald outlined his life---child of uneducated parents, an alcoholic father, and growing up in small town Orillia. He dropped out of University but loved science. After getting a start at the Ontario Science Centre as a demonstrator, he had other opportunities that came his way. Opportunities that he felt were beyond him but he said yes and succeeded. A lesson in this book about saying "YES".

I enjoyed the many stories that McDonald told of his adventures and the people he encountered from the ordinary to the extraordinary. After a career of over 50 years, where he is the recipient of 13 honorary doctorates and has an asteroid named after him, he still going to continue to do what he loves as long as he can.

[Nora]

🇨🇦

[Franca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. McDonald put together an enjoyable memoir to read. An example of a life well lived, so far...

[PaulieW · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very disappointing read. I enjoy McDonald's science reporting on the CBC. He produces effective journalism that helps non-science people (like me) to understand the complex world of medicine, space, climate change, evolution, nature and a host of other science topics.
But I can't figure out what he was going for with this recounting of his life story. The early part on his extremely difficult childhood is well expressed. But as he gets into his career, well, the story is just not interesting.
And why, oh why, does he devote VERY long chapters to aspects of his life that have nothing to do with his career? The chapters on his passion for motorcycles and sailboats just didn't connect to what should be the reason for the book -- his work as a science journalist. And those chapters threw me so far off course, I found it hard to get back on track.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bob McDonald is familiar from being on CBC radio every week interviewing people -- who as he says -- are smarter than him. But the personal life is even more fascinating.

The chapter on his sailing adventures had me on edge, and gave me a clearer picture of his character. Then there are all those motorcycle stories. But along the way, he manages to tuck science facts into his stories, like easter eggs. I now understand something about an orbital rendezvous, and have a greater appreciation of space travel than I did before reading this book.

What a life; what a writer!

[Greg Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up watching Bob McDonald on Wonderstruck and listening to him on Quirks & Quarks. It’s nice to be able to get a peek behind the scenes of all that and find out how he got there. And it’s all just saying yes to the things that come your way even if you’re not sure how to make them happen. I’m gonna try saying yes to more things.

[Wayne Woodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling memoir of a life well lived with an insatiable curiosity and the motto to always say yes to an adventure. Bob is truly a unique individual and a great example for young people so I am ordering copies of this for my grandkids.

[Stephen Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good memoir of a journalist and science educator. Feel good sort of book, just say yes to opportunities. Nostalgic look back to when people cared about science and the crackpots were kept at arms length.

[Normand Girard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful and down to earth reading, this author's personal life account, shows you the positive aspects of a life well lived. Who knows what will happen next in this author's life.

[Simone Latham · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice to learn more about the Quirks and Quarks guy!! love the way he explains concepts in simple easy to understand language