I Heard the Turkki Call My Name

Growing up in a broken home during the turbulent 1970s wasn't easy, particularly if you were a city kid marooned in Northern British Columbia. One castaway, Mike Turkki, survived his childhood shipwreck and made it out alive. Now he's ready to share just how dysfunctional, confusing, and humorous his teenage years were.

In a bid to stay one step ahead of debt collectors and antagonistic relatives, the Turkki family-Mike, Kelly, Laina, Pat, and Olavi-left Vancouver and moved to Ootsa Lake in 1972 with little more than each other and the clothes on their backs. Eleven-year-old Mike was initially unimpressed by his new surroundings-why was everyone so distrustful of outsiders?-but soon became part of a ragtag group of boys intent on making money, chasing girls, and challenging authority in an isolated community on the brink of change. Though the bond between the boys weakened over time, their penchant for causing trouble never did.

A tale of fishing trips, first drinks, family outings, and other near-mishaps, Mike Turkki's coming-of-age memoir will have you laughing, crying, and reflecting on your own journey to adulthood.