The author, comedian, and activist Charles Demers discusses Vancouver and how he views it in his recent book Vancouver Special (Arsenal Pulp, 2009), with Joseph Planta.

Vancouver Special by Charles Demers. (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2009) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Vancouver Special

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.

I’ve been talking for months now about the very fine book from the author, comedian, activist, and television personality Charles Demers. When Sean Cranbury was on before Christmas, I mentioned that I’d recently gone to the People’s Co-Op bookstore on Commercial Drive for the first time. It was the only place that weekend that was carrying the newly released Vancouver Special, which was one of two books that Mr. Demers had just released. The second is a novel, Prescription Errors, which I took with me on vacation, but unfortunately didn’t have time to read. Vancouver Special, which I have read, is a fantastic book. It is at times vivid, honest, witty, brash, generous, brutal, sentimental, unsentimental; it’s a complete portrait of Vancouver. With his eye for detail, history, and humour, what Charles Demers has wrought is a book that captures the Vancouver of today. It is not a static city¸ and with this look now, the author and reader realise that. This book chronicles the times and is nostalgic about the not-so distant past. Last week, it was announced by the West Coast Book Prize Society that Vancouver Special, published by Arsenal Pulp Press, has been nominated for the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize. It’s up against some fantastic books, but Vancouver Special is a tremendous book, it’s special and it’ll go up there with some of the best books about Vancouver. Charles Demers appears on CBC Radio’s The Debaters, and was co-host of CityTV’s The Citynews List. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Charlie Demers; Good morning, Mr. Demers.

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