Friday at the Branches: The Good Doctor

The Good Doctor by Vince Agro 2011

The book is set during the onset of WW II and revolves around neighbourhood in the north end of Hamilton which was populated primarily by immigrants from a small town in Sicily. Through the eyes of his young nephew, it tells the story of the neighbourhood doctor, who was the community leader for these immigrants. As a leader, he tried to guide and protect his fellow immigrants from the influences of fascism and the ramifications of being a fascist in Canada during this time in our history. The narrator also describes the day to day lives of immigrants during this time. He tells stories of him and his friends growing up in the neighbourhood, the lives of the adults around them, the clubs and associations which were typical of the Italian community at this time.  Throughout the book, references and analogies are made to operas. The book would be of interest to those interested in local history, especially if you lived in the North End of Hamilton.