The author and journalist, editor of BC Bookworld [1] Alan Twigg, discusses his new book Tibetans in Exile: The Dalai Lama and the Woodcocks (Ronsdale Press, 2009), the story behind George ang Ingeborg Woodcock and their founding of the Tibetan Refugee Aid Society and Canada India Village Aid after meeting the Dalai Lama in 1961.
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Tibetans in Exile: The Dalai Lama and the Woodcocks by Alan Twigg. (Ronsdale Press, 2009) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Tibetans in Exile [2] |
Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.
George and Ingeborg Woodcock were fascinating people. He was a noted writer, essayist and poet, much published throughout his career as an academic. He was awarded the Governor General’s Award for The Crystal Spirit in 1966. He was also an anarchist. She was a Buddhist, and indispensible to his life and career. Alan Twigg does a fine job in a new book, Tibetans in Exile: The Dalai Lama and the Woodcocks, recovering (I love that word) their story, how the met the Dalai Lama in 1961 and how they helped found the Tibetan Refugee Aid Society and Canada India Village Aid, both of which are still very active today. The Woodcocks had been travelling in Northern India, and saw first hand the appalling conditions of Tibetan refugees. Alan Twigg joins me now to tell us about the Woodcocks and this part of their life that’s actually quite fascinating. He knew them in their later years, and the portrait of them is utterly charming. Alan Twigg is a prolific writer himself, having written a biography of Bill Vander Zalm, as well as a soccer memoir, his last book, which he was last on with, was called Full Time. He’s written many historical books, as well as other memoirs on his travels and his health. He is also the publisher of the absolutely necessary BC Bookworld, which we will talk about, as it’s in a bit of trouble. Tibetans in Exile is published by Ronsdale Press. His website is www.alantwigg.com [1]. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Alan Twigg; Good morning, Mr. Twigg.
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