Book Talk

Today launched a new CBC Radio One afternoon programme: The Next Chapter. It started in great style: Shelagh Rogers is back as the host in relaxed and intelligent conversations with authors, readers, bookstore people and all those 'ordinary Canadians' who love literature, reading and books. Rogers, has learned, if we may say so, the art of the pause in an interview... giving the subject time to think, to reflect on the questions. Her colleague Wachtel is a Pause Artiste. It makes for very very meaningful radio. The opener with Donna Morrissey was terrific as they drove around Donna's childhood haunts in Newfoundland. The conversation was authentic and spontaneous. Listening to Morrissey as she moved in her memories was poignant and meaningful: I kept thinking - no wonder this person became a writer. By the way, The Globe and Mail ran a review today written by De Soto on her latest novel What They Wanted. One of the TRS group has just started it and is reportedly loving the voice. De Soto gushed to put it mildly. Morrissey teaches at Memorial U when not writing (probably still can't make enough $$$ writing in Canada which is not an unusual story. More on this later.) and thus will not be with the TRS this fall...but stay tuned. We're still hoping.
Rogers also interviewed Richard Florida who spoke about his new work Who's Your City? Gee, it sure was a darn pity that old blue (snake) eyes himself Stephen Harper had not been part of that conversation. Richard Florida spoke about the cultural economy and how that defines where people choose to live and how that defines where the economy grows. Not the other way around, Stephen. But then, I am just an ordinary Canadian, so what do I know??? I do know that Florida writes just as he speaks: with an ease and passion that engage you immediately.
What a pleasure The Next Chapter is. Perfect for a Saturday afternoon. Looking forward to many more. Well done CBC, Rogers et al.
Returning to that new phrase "Ordinary Canadian." Give a listen to the latest on Jian Ghomeshi show, Q also on CBC Radio One. Check out his pod cast from Wednesday September 24 and Thursday September 25. Great discussions about the cultural economy and cultural infrastructure (love that term) regarding the short sighted, wrong headed, philistine-like tax cuts to the arts. Very very interesting arguments and engaging listening.
TRS people are tucked in for a rainy weekend with our books: Shanghai, What they Wanted and Watership Down.
More to come...
TRS Group (we're a group, not a team...we don't wear uniforms or big sox, chant or throw things. We don't view life, work, anything as a win or lose game. It's all life...or Life)