thecommentary.ca

The literary agent and poet Brian Wood discusses his new collection of poetry, Zen in Beverly Hills (Equation Books, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Zen in Beverly Hills

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Brian Wood joins me again. The literary agent and poet has just published a new collection of poetry, Zen in Beverly Hills. It’s a collection that reflects what’s in the author’s mind and heart. You have ruminations on grief, the losing of a pet, how we react to loss, how we mourn, even those we’ve never met. I’ll ask Brian about faith, the part that religion has played in his life, and how it’s influenced his writing and his use of language. We’ll talk about writing poetry, and how he finds the time amidst his successful career as a literary agent. I’ll ask him how the book business is doing as well. The website for more is at www.brianjwood.com. This new book is published by Equation Books. He joined me from Guelph, Ontario, ten days ago. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Brian Wood; Mr. Wood, good morning.

The post Brian Wood first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The filmmaker Jeremiah Hayes discusses his new documentary Dear Audrey, a film that looks at the life and work of filmmaker Martin Duckworth and how he cares for his wife, the photographer Audrey Schirmer after her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease, with Joseph Planta.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Jeremiah Hayes joins me now. His new film, which he directed, wrote, co-produced, shot, and edited, Dear Audrey is currently available for streaming as part of the DOXA: Documentary Film Festival. You have until this Sunday, 15 May 2022 to get tickets and stream it online. The film follows the filmmaker Martin Duckworth as he narrates his own life story to Jeremiah’s camera, as it also chronicles his caring of his wife, the photographer and artist, Audrey Schirmer after her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. Duckworth is also caring for an adult daughter who has autism. His commitment, and love of both comes through as we see him navigate daily life in and around his Montreal home. I’ll ask Jeremiah about Duckworth’s work as a filmmaker, which he reveals over the course of the film. I’ll ask him about the various techniques he as a filmmaker employs like animation, in telling the story. The film is very moving. I enjoyed it a lot, and bawled a couple of times. While we all wish for ourselves to be loved and cared for, you see in the movie, hopefully learn from Duckworth as to how to love and care for another person. Jeremiah Hayes is an award-winning film director, writer and editor. He received the Gemini Award in 2010 for co-directing the documentary Reel Injun, which won other awards including a Peabody. He received a Canadian Screen Award for editing the 2017 award-winning documentary Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World. The website www.dearaudrey.ca will have information on how to see the movie, as well as has resources on Alzheimer’s, video clips, as well as Audrey Schirmer’s photos. I spoke to Jeremiah last week, just before a theatrical screening of the film as part of DOXA. It is a Cineflex Media and National Film Board of Canada co-production. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Jeremiah Hayes; Mr. Hayes, good morning.

The post Jeremiah Hayes first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and critic Martha Schabas discusses her new novel My Face in the Light (Knopf, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: My Face in the Light

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Martha Schabas joins me now. She’s just published a new novel, My Face in the Light. In the book, our main character Justine has just passed her thirtieth birthday and she’s uneasy about her life, her marriage to Elias, and her career as an actress. I’ve only read a part of the book, so I’ll get Martha to tell us as much as she’d like about what happens in the story. It’s rather engaging. Justine also has a scar on her face, from a childhood accident that shapes how she sees herself as much as how others see her. Martha Schabas is a writer and critic. Her first novel Various Positions was shortlisted for the Evergreen Fiction Award, and named a book of the year by the Globe and Mail, Quill & Quire, and NOW Magazine. She was the Globe and Mail’s dance critic from 2015 to 2020, where she also wrote about theatre and books. Her writing has appeared in various publications including The Walrus, Hazlitt, and the New Quarterly. Her Twitter handle is @marthaschabas. My Face in the Light is published by Knopf. We taped this interview ten days ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Martha Schabas; Ms. Schabas, good morning.

The post Martha Schabas first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer R. Bruce Macdonald discusses his new book Never Say P*G: The Book of Sailors’ Superstitions (Harbour Publishing, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Never Say P*G

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

There’s that episode of The Office, the American version, where Michael Scott looks into the camera and says he’s “stitious” but not superstitious. There’s a terrific new book out that you didn’t know you needed, Never Say P*G: The Book of Sailors’ Superstitions. It’s a compendium of everything superstitious having its derivation from things maritime and marine. There’s a lot in here that goes back to references in The Bible, some that seem far fetched, some that seem outrageous. Naturally with most myths, there’s a lot that doesn’t make sense, some things herein that are contradictory, and some that are outright outmoded thanks to time and today’s cultural mores. It still makes for great fun, fascinating reading. Our captain of this voyage of superstitions is R. Bruce Macdonald, the book’s author who joins me now. He complied this collection of marine insurance as it were. As he says near the beginning of the book, a lot of it might not make sense, but why tempt fate. And when venturing near or in the water, you need everything to be on your side. R. Bruce Macdonald is a writer, sailor, and artist with a passion for Canadian history. He has logged over 100,000 nautical miles, and for many years now, has lived along the BC coast aboard North Star, where I reached him late in March, docked near English Bay here in Vancouver. He is the author of previous books North Star of Herschel Island, and Sisters of the Ice. @arcticship is his Twitter handle. This new book is published by Harbour Publishing. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Bruce Macdonald; Mr. Macdonald, good morning.

The post R. Bruce Macdonald first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer Madeline Sonik discusses her new memoir Queasy (Anvil Press, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Queasy

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Madeline Sonik joins me now. She’s just published a new memoir Queasy. It’s a terrific book of her years coming-of-age in the England of the 1970s. Madeline grew up in Windsor, Ontario, but when her father dies, her mother, her and her brother move to the England of her mother’s birth. Naturally, it’s a very different Britain, but for Madeline, there’s so much that she experiences, that she reflects upon, that one could easily spend hours talking to her about the various things in this book. For example, as an outsider, Ms. Sonik is able to look at the cultural, political, and historical of Britain, and give it the perspective of a North American. And she does so often in the book, with a clarity and perspective afforded her with the passage of time. So, its also timely as well. We see with such vivid recall and clarity, the lot of the working class in the 1970s, a time where there’s widespread trade union unrest, mass unemployment, IRA violence, inflation and high taxes. We see this through Madeline’s work as a chambermaid, and meet the friends and workmates along the way, a few who remain in her mind, some who have a formative influence on her life and work. I talk to Madeline about reading and writing, and more. Madeline Sonik is the award-winning writer of fiction, short fiction, and children’s writing. Her previous volume of personal essays Afflictions & Departures received the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize in 2012, and was a finalist for the BC National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction, and the Charles Taylor Prize. This new book is from Anvil Press. She joined me from Zurich, Switzerland. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Madeline Sonik; Ms. Sonik, good morning.

The post Madeline Sonik first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer, designer, and maker Leanne Prain discusses her new book The Creative Instigator’s Handbook: A DIY Guide to Making Social Change Through Art (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Creative Instigator’s Handbook

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Leanne Prain joins me again. She has just published a new book, The Creative Instigator’s Handbook: A DIY Guide to Making Social Change Through Art. It’s a terrific book, marvelously designed and engaging too. Leanne looks at how even in a pandemic, when people are self-isolating, so much creativity can be manifested. She also points out in the book, the connection between art and activism. That’s something important to consider, not just of contemporary movements but protests in history. The book is a showcase of the artwork of so many of the people that Leanne has interviewed not just close to home like the poet Kevin Spenst, who launched his recent book of poetry doing distanced readings across the city. As well, Leanne looks at artists in the United States who found inspiration in the Black Lives Matter movement, or around the world, like in Copenhagen, where she talks to Thomas Dambo who upcycles materials and makes remarkable sculptures. The book is also helpful in terms of providing encouragement and ideas as to what activist endeavour one might wish to tackle, with checklists, or many other examples of people who’ve taken on an artistic pursuit for themselves and/or the wider world. Leanne Prain is a writer, speaker, and certified design professional. Her previous books include Yarn Bombing (co-written with Mandy Moore), and Strange Material: Storytelling with Textiles, which she was first on the program with back in 2014. Like that book, this new one is from Arsenal Pulp Press. Visit www.leanneprain.com for more. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Leanne Prain; Ms. Prain, good morning.

The post Leanne Prain first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and poet Carolyn Gammon discusses her recent collection On Her Own Terms: Poems About Memory Loss and Living Life to the Fullest (Harbour Publishing, 2021), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: On Her Own Terms

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

A remarkable poetry collection recently published, another in a series of collections we’re featuring as part of National Poetry Month is the one from writer Carolyn Gammon: On Her Own Terms: Poems About Memory Loss and Living Life to the Fullest. In this collection are poems that confront the memory loss of Carolyn’s mother, Frances Firth Gammon. But it’s more than that. As we read in the book, Carolyn’s mother led a full and fascinating life; she co-founded The Fiddlehead. We see glimpses of the later, as we see daughter reflect on her mother’s role in the family, and what she did before she had a family. The poems reveal the intimacy of mother-daughter relations, as well each poem ends with dialogue from Carolyn’s mother, giving her voice. The book is often funny. It also shows us that though Carolyn’s family experienced her mother’s memory loss, it gained something. We’ll talk about that and more. Carolyn Gammon is the author of Lesbians Ignited, Johanna Krause Twice Persecuted, and The Unwritten Diary of Israel Unger. She was born and raised in Fredericton, and lives in Berlin, Germany, where she joined me in early April. This book is from Harbour Publishing. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Carolyn Gammon; Ms. Gammon, good morning.

The post Carolyn Gammon first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and director Valerie Methot discusses Some Assembly Theatre’s latest production, The Wait List Experiment, with Joseph Planta.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

The folks over at Some Assembly Theatre Company are presenting the world premiere of a new play, The Wait List Experiment. Its writer and director Valerie Methot joins me again to talk about the production, what it’s about, and what audiences can expect at the Roundhouse Performance Centre (181 Roundhouse Mews) April 29th to May 3rd 2022. The two evening performances on the 29th and 30th are free. Visit www.someassembly.ca for reservations. And the other two performances on the 2nd and 3, day shows, are for school groups. I’ll get Valerie to tell us more about the show; the content that was born from conversations had between Metro Vancouver youth and industry professionals about the pressures they feel going through life on a regular basis if you will, not to mention during a pandemic. There’s a focus on mental health and addiction, and the show is both dramatic as well as comedic, with original music, movement, mask work, and visual design. Some Assembly Theatre Company is in its 22nd year. I’ll get Valerie to reflect on the mandate of the company, and the tireless work she has done in the theatrical community, as well as the city as a whole. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Valerie Methot; Ms. Methot, good morning.

The post Valerie Methot first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The distinguished poet Lorna Crozier discusses the posthumous collection of Patrick Lane’s poetry, The Quiet in Me (Harbour Publishing, 2022), which she complied and edited, with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Quiet in Me

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Lorna Crozier joins me again. A posthumous collection of Patrick Lane’s poetry has just been published, and Lorna has complied, edited, and introduced the collection: The Quiet In Me. The poems in it are often moving, they’re meditations on existing, and they’re laments for the world around us, the outdoors that Patrick revered and loved. These are poems that Patrick composed in recent years, before his death in March 2019. Patrick appeared three times on this program, and once after an illness, he made mention of having to compose some poetry typing one finger at a time. I’ll ask Lorna about Patrick’s love of poetry, about receiving a folder of poems, ones that ended up in this collection, and the process to which she undertook to edit them without her beloved Patrick around. Lorna Crozier is author of eighteen previous books of poetry, receiving the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry for Inventing the Hawk. Three additional collections were finalists for the same prize. She received the Hubert Evans Award for Creative Nonfiction for her memoir Small Beneath the Sky, which she was on this program with in 2009. She is an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in this province has received the BC Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence, and the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award. She is Professor Emerita at the University of Victoria. Visit www.lornacrozier.ca for more. Whilst Patrick appeared on the program three times, this is Lorna’s fifth appearance. She was last on in 2020, when her remarkable memoir on her life with Patrick was published. Through the Garden: A Love Story (With Cats) is one of the more remarkable books of the decade. Patrick’s collection The Quiet in Me is from Harbour Publishing. We spoke ten days ago. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Lorna Crozier; Professor Crozier, good morning.

The post Lorna Crozier first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer Alexander MacLeod discusses his new collection of short fiction Animal Person (McClelland & Stewart, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Animal Person

Text of introduction of Joseph Planta:

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

Alexander MacLeod joins me now. He’s just published a new collection of short fiction, Animal Person. This book comes out on the heels of one of the stories therein being excerpted by the New Yorker magazine to great acclaim, which I asked him about. The book itself has been released to great notices, and I’ll get Alexander to reflect on how the stories came about, like what inspires some of the stories. The collection is described as startling, suspenseful, and deeply humane. The stories themselves are often gripping, and I found them concerned with people and their desire for connection, whether its others, sometimes those closest to them physically or emotionally, or sometimes people who just want to connect with themselves and their identity. Alexander MacLeod’s previous book, his debut collection Light Lifting was a national bestseller, the recipient of the Atlantic Book Award, and a finalist for the Giller Prize, and the Commonwealth Book Prize, among many other accolades. In 2019, he received the O. Henry Award for his story “Lagomorph,” which opens this collection, and was originally published in Granta. He holds degrees from the University of Windsor, Notre Dame, and McGill. He teaches at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, and joined me from his home in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, this past weekend. This new book is published by McClelland & Stewart. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Alexander MacLeod; Professor MacLeod, good morning.

The post Alexander MacLeod first appeared on thecommentary.ca.