I received an ARC of, The Mother of All Degrassi, by Linda Schulyer. I love watching Degrassi Jr. High when I was younger. Its nice to read about the history behind the series.

I loved this. As a person in the UK I found this show so good. So relatable. So reading a memoir of the creator was amazing.

Being an American fan of all Degrassi television shows, I wasted no time in downloading and reading Linda Schuyler's memoir! I was not familiar with Linda's backstory as the creator of the Degrassi shows, so I came into it with a fresh mind. I was touched and taken aback at the elements in Linda's history that influenced so many wonderful storylines from the various shows- from LGBTQ, sex, women's rights, car crashes, teen pregnancy, etc. What's even more delightful is that Linda herself was a school teacher originally, so no doubt this contributed to such believable characters and stories on the shows. I also have not followed a lot of Canadian history at all, so I loved that Linda highlighted major events in Canada throughout her life that influenced her compassion and worldview- from the Montreal Massacre to discussing the country's universal healthcare, to discussing how attitudes differed from the neighboring country of the United States (emphasis placed on group success rather than individual success). Also, what's even more profound is that Linda herself struggled with infertility and never being able to have her own children, which makes it even more symbolic that she became a "mother" to so many lost teens in creating such thought-provoking shows and films. While Linda talked about pivotal moments on each Degrassi show and what sparked the idea for those stories, a lot of detail went into her talking about how she got funding for her shows and movies, as well as how her romantic and friendly relationships bled into her working relationships. I did find a lot of the details about the business side of things not as interesting. We heard a little about some of the actors on the shows, including Aubrey Graham, aka Drake. She had such complimentary things to say about Drake, including she had no idea the reason why he was so tired and sometimes late on set was because he would stay up all night working on mixtapes. She also talked about Kevin Smith, and how that collaboration started. I wish there were more stories of interactions with actors, and experiences writing various episodes. All in all, I really enjoyed this book- it kept me wanting more, and opened my eyes to issues and things in Canada I was not aware of.

The Mother of All Degrassi by Linda Schuyler did not disappoint. I absolutely adored it. The memoir chronicled all aspects of her life from early childhood in Britain to her recent retirement and sale of her company. I learned about her life in college and her start in the film industry. I also learned that she was a teacher, her first few years were in Junior High and that definitely set the stage for the rest of her life, directors and producers are really just teachers in a way, especially if they are working with teenagers! I loved learning about the Canadian media industry before I was born and how it has evolved into the streaming services we know and love today. I carefully studied the history of Degrassi as told by the creator, learning all about the first few series that came before my time. I loved Linda's open discussion of the challenges she faced as a woman CEO in Canada in the 1970s, and her description of the many waves of feminism that she was in some way connected to over time. I felt heartbreak and fear when negotiations with broadcasters meant risking everything for what she believed in. Thank you Linda for standing up to them about that and going on to create a show I love. And thank you to NetGalley and EWC Press for giving me the chance to relive my angsty teen years with way less angst by reading and reviewing this wonderful book.

Do you know Linda Schuyler? Okay...
We'll try again: do you remember The Kids From Degrassi Street and Degrassi Junior High? As a child of the 1980s, I remember seeing both of these TV series on British TV. Just about. There was a lollypop man who was shouted at? A voiceover in which a father gradually revealed to his son that his mother would never return from hospital? An East European girl trying to find her feet in the USA? The theme music was quite melancholy. I remember the sequel, Degrassi Junior High being livelier and punchier. I dimly remember learning the phrase "stereotyping" after hearing it used on one episode and a storyline about a snooty girl who forced her younger brother to keep their relationship secret from everyone else. That's about it! It was a long time ago.
The show was a very big deal in its native Canada (and elsewhere) and endured in various forms (Degrassi: The New Generation etc) long into the 21st century.
Linda Schuyler, a former teacher created and oversaw the whole thing. She has lived an interesting life - a life of car accidents, marriages which have failed, marriages which have been successful. Not to mention the heady world of Canadian TV politics.
The book would benefit from being trimmed a bit. There are a few too many flashbacks. But overall its a good story and Linda Schuyler knows how to tell it.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, ECW Press and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

For fans of Degrassi, this is an essential addition to your library.

I’d like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I’ve been a fan of Degrassi since I was a little girl in the 80s so this book was great, offering behind the scenes stories and information and how and what was going on with her life at that time.