thecommentary.ca

The acclaimed author Joshua Whitehead discusses his new work of non-fiction Making Love with the Land (Knopf, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Making Love with the Land

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Joshua Whitehead joins me now. From the time his debut novel Jonny Appleseed was published in 2018, he has become one of the most exciting literary voices in Canada. He continues to enlighten and provoke with a new work of non-fiction that was recently published, Making Love with the Land. In the book he explores Indigeneity, queerness, as well as the body, the land, language, creativity, sleep, and various genres of writing. It’s a serious, important book, that is often leavened by the author’s humour. Joshua Whitehead is an Oji-Cree/nehiyaw, Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer member of the Peguis First Nation (Treaty 1). Jonny Appleseed was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award in Fiction. His poetry collection full-metal indigiqueer was shortlisted for the inaugural Indigenous Voices Award for Most Significant Work of Poetry in English, and the Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry. Currently, he’s working on a PhD in Indigenous Literatures and Cultures at the University of Calgary. He joined me from Toronto nearly one month ago. Making Love with the Land is published by Knopf Canada. The website for more is at www.joshuawhitehead.ca. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program Joshua Whitehead; Professor Whitehead, good morning.

The post Joshua Whitehead first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The author and comedian Charles Demers discusses his new novel, the second installment in the Doctor Annick Boudreau Mystery Series, Noonday Dark (Douglas & McIntyre, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Noonday Dark

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Charlie Demers joins me again. He’s got a new book coming out later this week, the second installment of the Doctor Annick Boudreau Mystery Series, Noonday Dark. I’m about halfway through it and I’m enjoying it a great deal, not just for the mystery at the heart of this book: the disappearance of a political campaign staffer, to the newly elected bike-riding mayor of Vancouver. Our hero, Dr. Boudreau, gets the call from police as to the missing Danielle, because she was her patient. She’d been treated for a major depressive episode but had been doing well. Dr. Boudreau sets out to find out what really happened, and joins, Danielle’s estranged father Ivor, a former radical journalist turned right-wing blogger. We’re drawn into the world of a motorcycle club, with a strong presence on the waterfront, who are confronted by the new mayor’s plan to reduce port traffic along the Knight Street, Clark Drive corridor. Mr. Demers in his writing, as usual, reflects the changing city, the intricacies of a metropolis, and tackles those usual questions of ownership; who does the city belong to? And who can change it? Charles Demers is an author, comedian, actor, playwright, screenwriter, and political activist. He is frequently heard on CBC Radio’s The Debaters. His 2009 book Vancouver Special, which he first appeared on this program with in 2010, was shortlisted for the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize. Other books include Property Values, The Horrors, and Primary Obsessions, the first in the Boudreau series, which like this new book is published by Douglas & McIntyre. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Charlie Demers; Mr. Demers, good morning.

The post Charles Demers first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The award-winning New York cabaret and recording artist Jeff Harnar discusses his new album I Know Things Now: My Life in Sondheim’s Words (PS Classics, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Jeff Harnar joins me now. The acclaimed, award-winning New York cabaret, concert and recording artist has a new album out in a couple of weeks, I Know Things Now: My Life in Sondheim’s Words. It’s a marvelous collection of the music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim as performed by Mr. Harnar, who finds in a tapestry of twenty-five disparate songs in the Sondheim canon meaning and understanding about his life. I’ll ask Jeff about the genius of Sondheim’s music and lyrics, the lyrics especially, which after so long as a performer finally gave him the story of his own life. The songs are performed in pairings or groupings from different shows, and eras of Sondheim’s musicals, and they all speak universally, as well as more importantly, specifically to Jeff’s outlook on life, love and the pursuit of happiness. This all began as a one-man stage show that he performed, which was directed by the legendary actor and teacher Sondra Lee. This new album, expands and preserves a show that Sondheim not only saw, but endorsed and encouraged. The arrangements on the album are by Jeff Harnar and Jon Weber, who did also did the orchestrations. There’s a big 20 piece orchestra and it’s lush and rich accompanying Mr. Harner so beautifully. The album is from PS Classics, which releases the album 17 June 2022. Visit www.jeffharnar.com for more information, as there will be various tour dates in the United States in June and beyond. And www.psclassics.com is the website for more information on the album, like how to get it. Jeff Harnar was described by the New York Times as “the most important cabaret performer to emerge since Michael Feinstein.” He has won many awards like the MAC Award, from the Manhattan Association of Cabaret, I counted at least seven, as well as multiple Broadway World Cabaret awards, and the Bistro Award, several times over. He joined me from New York City last week. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Jeff Harnar; Mr. Harnar, good morning.

The post Jeff Harnar first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The award-winning director, playwright and actor Rod Carley discusses his new short story collection Grin Reaping (Latitude 46 Publishing, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Grin Reaping

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Rod Carley joins me again. He’s got a new collection of short stories coming out in a couple of weeks, Grin Reaping. I’ve only started reading it, and it’s already funny. It’s described as a collection of humour, and that it is, but it also has a lot of heart. We meet the fictional Boyle family, first our central character Rudy Boyle, who is stuck in middle age and in the middle of his five siblings. They confront life and all that it entails, including getting older. There are fourteen interconnected stories and they reflecting what we’re all thinking about, life, mortality, gender, climate change, human nature, and the grief of losing family. The characters are rich and enjoyable to be around. I’ll get Rod to tell us about these stories, these characters, and the sort of life stuff he’s thinking about. Rod Carley was first on the program in 2020 upon the publication of his second novel Kinmount. It won the Silver Medal for Best Regional Fiction at the 2021 Independent Publishers Book Awards, and was one of ten books longlisted for the 2021 Leacock Medal for Humour. His first novel, A Matter of Will, was a finalist for the Northern Lit Award for Fiction. He is an alumnus of the Humber School for Writers and resides in North Bay, Ontario, where he joined me from this past weekend. His website is at www.rodcarley.ca. This new book is from Latitude 46 Publishing, and will be available 18 June 2022. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Rod Carley; Mr. Carley, good morning.

The post Rod Carley first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and poet Theresa Kishkan discusses her new memoir Blue Portugal and Other Essays (University of Alberta Press, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Blue Portugal

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Theresa Kishkan joins me now. The acclaimed writer and poet has just published a new book Blue Portugal and Other Essays. The form these pieces take on is what’s described as “braided essays.” They show the writer as she thins deeply about the natural world, the aging body, genealogy, history, textiles, music and Ms. Kishkan’s many intellectual pursuits. We get a sense of her home on the Sechelt Peninsula, from where she joined me from last week. I’ll ask her about the house, where she works and what it means to her. I’ll also ask Theresa about the trip she made to The Ukraine, something she writes about in the book, as she seeks information about her family; her roots. That was in 2019, just before the pandemic, and before the invasion by Russia. Theresa Kishkan is the author of more than a dozen books, including poetry, fiction, and collections of essays. Visit her website at www.theresakishkan.com, where she blogs regularly. This new book is published by the University of Alberta Press. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Theresa Kishkan; Ms. Kishkan, good morning.

The post Theresa Kishkan first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The bestselling author and CBC broadcaster Grant Lawrence discusses his new memoir Return to Solitude: More Desolation Sound Adventures with the Cougar Lady, Russell the Hermit, the Spaghetti Bandit and Others (Harbour Publishing, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Return to Solitude

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Grant Lawrence joins me again. The award-winning author and broadcaster has just published a new memoir Return to Solitude: More Desolation Sound Adventures with the Cougar Lady, Russell the Hermit, the Spaghetti Bandit and Others. It’s a followup to his bestselling and acclaimed book Adventures in Solitude, which he was first on the program with in 2010. He brings us back to Desolation Sound in British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. We’re introduced once again to colourful, unforgettable characters that Grant knew growing up spending time with his family there summers. It’s an isolated place, one you can reach only by boat, so it attracts unique personalities. People who are wanting solace from the big city or escape from the law. People like the Cougar Lady was brought up there, and lived and worked off the land. Another character we meet again is Russell the Hermit, who had a profound effect on Grant’s life. We also meet Bernard the German, and a phantom-like squatter known as the Spaghetti Bandit. I’ll ask Grant about them, and writing their lives as it were in his books and broadcasting them on the radio. I’ll also get Grant to reflect on what Desolation Sound has meant to him in the decade or so since the first book, as he’s since gotten married and become a father of two children. Grant Lawrence’s previous books include The Lonely End of the Rink, Dirty Windshields, and a children’s book Bailey the Bat and the Tangled Moose. He is the winner of two BC Book Prizes, the first author who’s received the Bill Duthie Booksellers Choice award twice. The website for more is at www.grantlawrence.ca. This new book is from Harbour Publishing. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Grant Lawrence; Mr. Lawrence, good morning.

The post Grant Lawrence first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The scholar and activist Susan Boyd discusses her new book Heroin: An Illustrated History (Fernwood Publishing, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Heroin

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

One of the more readable and engaging books is Heroin: An Illustrated History. Its author Susan Boyd joins me now. In the book, she takes a historical look at heroin regulation over two centuries, from when the opioid was discovered in 1898 to today. She looks at the political policies that criminalise and pathologise drug users, leading to a failure today of addressing the overdose death epidemic. She looks critically at the evidence as to the harm of heroin, and how its prohibition has been tied up with colonisation and systemic racism, as well as class and gender injustice. Susan also looks at the cultural history of heroin, from its early use to its depiction in popular culture, like films, going back to 1930s movies like Narcotic and Reefer Madness to later films like Sinatra in The Man with the Golden Arm, and Panic in Needle Park which co-stars Al Pacino. There’s remarkable cartoons and art that’s showcased in the book that shows how the public was influenced. Susan C. Boyd is a scholar and activist and distinguished professor emerita at the University of Victoria. Her previous book was Busted: An Illustrated History of Drug Prohibition in Canada. This book is from Fernwood Publishing. We spoke last week. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Susan Boyd; Professor Boyd, good morning.

The post Susan Boyd first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The author and editor Jen Sookfong Lee discusses the new collection she’s co-edited with Stacey May Fowles, Good Mom on Paper: Writers on Creativity and Motherhood (Book*hug Press, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Good Mom on Paper

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Jen Sookfong Lee joins me now. The acclaimed author is the co-editor with Stacey May Fowles, of a new collection of essays, Good Mom on Paper: Writers on Creativity and Motherhood. The pieces look at whether a devotion to literary life can co-exist with parenthood. Does the artist have to sacrifice art for love, or vice versa? I’ll ask Jen about working with Stacey May, and about the work they did as co-editors working with the authors they did who are: Heather O’Neill, Lee Maracle, Jael Richardson, Carrie Snyder, Alison Pick, Meaghan Strimas, Sofia Mostaghimi, Rachel Giese, Lorri Neilsen Glenn, Erin Wunker, Jónína Kirton, Jennifer Whiteford, Teresa Wong, Nikkya Hargrove, S. Lesley Buxton, Amber Riaz, Adelle Purdham, Harriet Alida Lye, and Kellee Ngan. The essays in the book are enlightening, enraging at times, and almost always engrossing. They provide insights that everybody needs to read about, whether one is a guy, a fellow parent, or just a reader. A portion of sales will be donated to the Mothers Matter Centre, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering isolated, at-risk mothers. Jen Sookfong Lee is the author of critically acclaimed books The Conjoined, The Better Mother, The End of East, The Shadow List, and Finding Home. She acquires and edits for ECW Press, and is the cohost of the literary podcast Can’t Lit. Ms. Fowles and Ms. Lee co-edited the anthology Whatever Gets You Through: Twelve Survivors on Life After Sexual Assault. Visit www.sookfong.com for more information. This new book is published by Book*hug Press. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Jen Sookfong Lee; Ms. Lee, good morning.

The post Jen Sookfong Lee first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The bestselling author Iona Whishaw discusses the success of her Lane Winslow Mystery series, and the latest Framed in Fire (TouchWood Editions, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Framed in Fire

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Iona Whishaw joins me now. She is the popular and critically acclaimed author of the Lane Winslow Mystery series. The books, they’re up to nine now, are bestsellers and have garnered a devoted following. At the centre of the books, is Lane Winslow, a woman who in the mid-20th century leaves England for a fresh start. She ends up in the British Columbia interior, in a small town called King’s Cove. It’s a fictional place, but it feels like it’s in the Kootenays. Lane, a war-weary young intelligence officer hopes to put her past behind her, but when there’s a murder, she works alongside the town’s inspectors. One of them is Inspector Darling, and by the ninth book, out just this past month, Framed In Fire, they are married. I’ll ask Ms. Whishaw about writing these books, about readers and their interest in mystery and crime. I’ll ask her about how she conceives of her characters, and what about Lane Winslow keeps her interested. Iona Whishaw is a former educator and social worker. Her mother and grandfather were both spies. Iona was also a school administrator, and was principal at my old high school Sir Charles Tupper Secondary, though in the years after I was there. Visit www.ionawhishaw.ca for more information. The eighth book in the series A Lethal Lesson was recently shortlisted for a BC Book Prize, the Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award. These books are published by TouchWood Editions. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Iona Whishaw; Ms. Whishaw, good morning.

The post Iona Whishaw first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The acclaimed writer Eugene Marten discusses his new novel Pure Life (Strange Life, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Pure Life

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Eugene Marten joins me now. The acclaimed novelist has just published a new book, Pure Life. It’s described as a sports saga and sprawling thriller. Its central character is called Nineteen. He makes his way to the pros, becomes the quarterback, and takes on mythic proportions. He marries the owner’s daughter, and reaches the sort of greatness that aspiring athletes aspire to. He retires, and assumes he’ll be playing golf, with celebrity endorsements and real estate investments. But as the market tanks and his family disintegrates, he’s contending with a brain that he feels isn’t all there. He ends up going to the Mosquito Coast of Honduras in search of restoration. It’s a miracle brain damage treatment that’s forbidden in the United States, and it soon plunges him into darkness, violence and a lot of horror he couldn’t have imagined. I’ll talk to Mr. Marten about our hero, and what he depicts in the book, like the world of professional sport, capitalism, fame, and myths. Eugene Marten was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and at the age of two, emigrated with his parents to the United States. His works include the novella Waste, and the novels In the Blind, Firework, and Layman’s Report. This new book is published by Strange Light, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Mr. Marten joined me from Cleveland, Ohio two and a half weeks ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Eugene Marten; Mr. Marten, good morning.

The post Eugene Marten first appeared on thecommentary.ca.