Hard Road: Bernie Guindon and the Reign of the Satan's Choice Motorcycle Club

by Peter Edwards

The spiritual godfather of Canadian bikers tells the story of his fascinating life.

You could call Bernie Guindon the Sonny Barger of Canadian bikers (but not to his face). The founder of Satan's Choice, Guindon led what was in the 1960s the second-largest biker club in the world (after the Hells Angels, which Bernie would join briefly in the early 2000s) to national prominence and international infamy. His life wasn't all bikes and crime. He was also a medalist in boxing for Canada at the Pan Am Games. That tension between the very rough life he was born into and the possibility for success in the straight world (and how aspirations in each fed his success in the other) layer Guindon's story, one of the great untold stories in biker history. Friends from the biker world and Guindon's family have given extensive interviews for Hard Road , including his son, Harley, a convict and outlaw biker himself.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Biography, Crime, Canada

336 pages, Hardcover

Published May 2, 2017

About the author

Peter Edwards has written for The Toronto Star for almost thirty years, specializing in organized crime and justice issues. He’s the author of more than a dozen non-fiction books, nine of which are on organized crime.

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC of this ebook to review by Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada. My thanks to them and to the author, Peter Edwards.

I got little sleep while reading this book about Bernie Guindon and his wild life. He wore a lot of hats during his life and has been a great friend to many people. He was a son, a brother, a biker, a boxer, a fighter, a lover, a husband more than once. He's most well known as the now retired leader of what was at one time the biggest Canadian biker club, Satan's Choice and for his boxing skills in the ring and out. I found this a very entertaining look at him and his club, and how they fared through the years against the American clubs like the Outlaws and the Hell's Angels when the American clubs wanted to expand and things got violent between all the clubs. I've always enjoyed biker books, regardless of what country they were based in. This rates right up there with my favorite biker books.

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bernie Guindon's parents were from Quebec. They eventually settled in Oshawa, ON, where his father was a bootlegger and physically abusive to his family and his mother spoke very little English and had a grade one education. Bernie discovered at an early age that he was a good fighter and this was encouraged ... he eventually represented Canada in boxing in the Pan Am Games and was headed for the Olympics had he not landed in prison. He never went professional because he was concerned his fists would then be considered a legal weapon.

Bernie always loved bikes, especially Harley Davidsons, and started the Satan's Choice Motorcycle Club, eventually becoming president while still in his early 20s. By 1970, Satan's Choice was second largest biker club in the world (behind the Hells Angels). In those early days, he and his fellow riders were more rebels than criminals. But as Satan's Choice grew in size, it became more involved in crimes. Bernie himself served about 15 years in prison, first for an indecent assault on a minor and later for drug trafficking.

Bernie has been married four times and has between 11 to 16 children, all but two from different women, and some born in the same year. He was only actively involved in raising his son who he named Harley Davidson, who has done several stints behind bars.

This book is Bernie's story and the history of Satan's Choice (which eventually became part of Hells Angels). It was an interesting one, that's for sure. There are lots of pictures included in the book.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2017/06...

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read. I thought it started off a bit slow which isn’t unusual when writing a biography. Still I enjoyed the book. It was different than most I’ve read. It focuses more on his life and family. As opposed to every single criminal charge. The input of his family certainly made it unique.

[John H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, it was well written and well researched.

[Robert Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent biography of a biker and the gang he founded.

[Petra Morin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a fascination with these books and Peter Edwards is able to lay it on the line as far as these bikers behaviours etc.. but also lets you see the human side of these guys!!!! Loved it!

[Ian Coutts · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's not to like? Biker lit featuring Canada's preeminent biker. He could ride, box and procreate.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Life in gang, jail and south Oshawa.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Bernie l think it was well written

It was kinda all over the place and you left out a lot of stuff which was appreciated. So l think it was all in all a good book.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. Many different perspectives on his life and short chapters. A good read.

[Virginia Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

Growing up as the son of a bootlegger in Oshawa, Bernie Guindon grew up to be Captain of Canada's national wrestling team; but he also grew up to become a criminal and the leader of the Satan's Choice Motorcycle Club. The book also looks at the life of his son Harley Davidson who also spent time in prison, his life influenced by is father's notorious reputation. An interesting look at the culture of motorcycle gangs and the impact of poverty and violent upbringing on future lives.

[Matthew Parsons · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bought to read on a plane, this could be called 'Toxic Masculinity: A beginners guide' or 'Generational Violence and the impact it has.' Basically, a violent grandfather lead to a violent father, a violent man and then a violent son. Thoroughly depressing, something about the way it was written just didn't grab me, as there seemed to be a lot of missing bits and an endless procession of names.

Most interesting bit were the prison memories.

[Aggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE reading books about lives so different than mine that they actually make me fear for the protagonist. A hell of a life to lead! But write.... You get to say it was a life that was "lived"! Stories for the grandkids I can't even imagine. In my cousin K would love to talk about gangs and motorcycles, but there don't seem to be motorcycle hands here just yet. We have seen motorcycle meet-ups where 60-75 of them drive together down here, but I have no idea if it could be considered an outlaw hang. To many neon vacation shirts for that, I think (too hot for leather here- he'll, I'm a goth who can't wear black or makeup... I guess they could have been a hang adjusting to the weather. I have to duo the same!)

There is a gang problem here and the rival gang from over the border digits with the port city's gang and then they threaten tusk blew up the annual festival... It's no joke. We are at the crossroads- a bottleneck- of cocaine and marijuana growing farms are ask around us. You have to be careful. People turn on you. It's never too early to learn about gangs, the psychology - the allure.... 6th grade is enough, just get a bike and join us. Here do of this package for me... Next thing you know you are a drug dealer who could get thrown in prison for 7 years.

As a teacher there are many opportunities to use this, but On a personal level, I aldi found it fascinating and would like to thank the author and publisher for the ARC. I'm sorry my review is a little late. Life goes too fast these days...