In 1968 Montreal was unquestionably the most exciting city in Canada. It had just mounted a widely acclaimed world fair, Expo 67, and had been successful in its bid to stage the 1976 Summer Olympics. It was this buzzing city that welcomed a 23 year old Alan Bignell when he emigrated to Canada from the UK. This book recalls experiences and impressions from his first unforgettable 12 months in North America along with reflections on that period seen from the present day. The book's title comes from how, after arriving in Canada, Alan was never called anything else but Al.