Strange Bedfellows: The Private Lives of Words by Howard Richler. (Ronsdale Press, 2010) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Strange Bedfellows

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Years ago, I flunked a first-year course in linguistics. I suppose I was uninterested or bored, or I simply didn’t apply myself. However, one of the more delightful books to hit my desk this season is Strange Bedfellows: The Private Lives of Words. Its author Howard Richler joins me now. It’s a fascinating, informative, and engrossing book on a great number of words, their origin, original meaning, and for some of them, where the English language has stolen them from. It’s also often amusing, and I find myself still—weeks after getting the book—dipping into it. Howard Richler is a lifetime logophile, who was a language columnist for many years. He’s written five other books on language including The Dead Sea Scroll Palindromes, Can I Have a Word With You?, and Take My Words: A Wordaholic’s Guide to the English Language. Strange Bedfellows, the latest, is published by Ronsdale Press. I’m very pleased to welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, from Montreal this day, Howard Richler; Good morning, Mr. Richler.

The Flight of the Patriot: Escape from Revolutionary Iran by Yadi Sharifirad. (Thomas Allen, 2010) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Flight of the Patriot

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

An astonishing book is The Flight of the Patriot: Escape from Revolutionary Iran. Its author Yadi Sharifirad joins me now. He was born and raised in northern Iran, and always wanted to fly like the eagles that he saw. He became a fighter pilot, and he was a hero during Iran’s war with Iraq. He flew dangerous missions and was shot down over enemy territory. Saddam Hussein had a bounty out for him, yet he survived thanks to some sympathetic Kurdish rebels. They made a movie about his life and he was a celebrity in Iran. He became a military attaché to Pakistan, however due to the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini; he was subjected to some unpleasant treatment culminating his arrest in late 1987. He was accused of spying, and was arrested, interrogated, and tortured. He was held captive for more than a year then released. He then decides to flee to Canada, and that journey from there to here is worthy of a film itself. The book reads like a novel in some parts, and it’s a useful and much needed view on to the Iran of then and now. It’s a remarkable, moving story, and it’s published by Thomas Allen. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Yadi Sharifirad; Good morning, Mr. Sharifirad.

Illustrado by Miguel Syjuco. (Hamish Hamilton, 2010) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Illustrado

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

One of the most highly awaited and critically acclaimed books of the season, Illustrado is out now. Its author is the much talked about Miguel Syjuco, whose first novel has already won the Man Asian Literary Prize and the Palanca Award, and did so before it was published. The book has also been well received in Canada, the United States and in the Philippines, whose culture, popular and otherwise, is at the centre of this book. My parents are Filipino, but I was born here, and so I’ve never identified myself as anything but a Canadian, perhaps a British Columbian, certainly a Vancouverite. But my culture is something I’ve discussed on this program, whether it’s been with authors like Nam Le, Judy Fong Bates, Wayson Choy or Denise Chong, as well as Mable Elmore, the first Filipino-Canadian elected to the BC Legislature. And it’s fitting, after a short vacation there earlier this year, and discussing the recent elections there on this show with Winnie Monsod, that all of this thinking about who I am comes together with Mr. Syjuco’s book, an astonishing, introspective look at Filipinos and the Philippines. It’s a novel, yet its gift is its ability to give a view that’s useful, whether you’re like me and you have some roots, or you’re looking for great writing. It’s often funny as well. www.syjuco.com is his website for more. Illustrado is published in Canada by Hamish Hamilton. I’m very pleased to welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, from his home in Montreal, Miguel Syjuco; Good morning, Mr. Syjuco.

Bennett: The Rebel Who Challenged and Changed a Nation by John Boyko. (Key Porter, 2010) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Bennett

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

A tremendous book out this season is the biography of Canada’s 11th Prime Minister, Richard Bedford Bennett. John Boyko, the book’s author, has written one of the first major biographies of R.B. Bennett, who was in office during the worst years of the Great Depression. We learn more about Bennett’s politics and policies, and see how he’s gone down in history, whether fairly or unfairly in this highly readable, relevant book. I particularly enjoy the author’s grasp of history, how he connects various events and people in Canadian political history to Bennett, either in contrast or comparison. This, I think makes the book lively, and the history contextualised. John Boyko is the Dean of History and Social Sciences and Director of the North Cote Campus at Lakefield College School in Lakefield, Ontario. He’s written other books: Into the Hurricane: Attacking Socialism and the CCF, and Last Steps to Freedom: The Evolution of Canadian Racism. He joins me now from Lakefield. The book, Bennett: The Rebel Who Challenged and Changed a Nation, is published by Key Porter. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, John Boyko; Good morning, Mr. Boyko.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

A few months back there was some talk in the trade papers, as well as the mainstream press, certainly on the internet like on Facebook and Twitter, about a forthcoming project by Linda Richards and David Middleton: The Greatest 100 Books of British Columbia. Ms. Richards and Mr. Middleton are culling together a list and publishing a book next year. We’ll talk about how they’re doing this, the considerations being taken, as well as how we can get involved. I’ve already come up with my own list. It’s a great conversation to start, and you can read more at their website: www.greatest100books.com. Linda L. Richards is the editor and co-founder of January Magazine, as well as a regular contributor to The Rap Sheet. She is also a novelist. Some of her previous books include Death Was the Other Woman, Calculated Loss, The Next Ex, and Mad Money. Her last book was Death Was in the Picture. Her website and blog can be found at www.lindalrichards.com. She joins me from the Gulf Islands this day. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Linda Richards; Good morning, Ms. Richards.

The Truth Shows Up: A Reporter’s Fifteen-Year Odyssey Tracking Down the Truth about Mulroney, Schreiber and the Airbus Scandal by Harvey Cashore. (Key Porter, 2010) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Truth Shows Up

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Next week, Mr. Justice Jeffrey Oliphant delivers to the government his commission’s report on the financial dealings between the well-connected and wealthy German businessman Karlheinz Schreiber and former prime minister Brian Mulroney. Schreiber lost his legal battle to stay in Canada, and last July was surrendered to Germany, where he subsequently faced charges of bribery, fraud and tax evasion. Earlier this month, he was found guilty of tax evasion and sentenced to eight years in prison. Just published is a fascinating book: The Truth Shows Up: A Reporter’s Fifteen-Year Odyssey Tracking Down the Truth about Mulroney, Schreiber and the Airbus Scandal. Its author Harvey Cashore joins me now. The award-winning producer at the fifth estate began his journalistic career as a research associate on John Sawatsky’s The Politics of Ambition, one of the first biographies on Brian Mulroney. He co-wrote The Last Amigo, a book that looked at Karlheinz Schreiber almost a decade ago. He is the head of CBC’s Investigative Unit. In The Truth Shows Up, he provides a fascinating overview of the whole Airbus scandal, as well as provides insights on how he’s covered the story with his colleagues at the CBC and elsewhere. It’s been said of the book, that his story, family matters as well, ‘makes All the President’s Men look like a weekend walk in the park.’ It’s highly readable and instructive, often riveting, and awfully timely as we await the Oliphant report. The book is published by Key Porter. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Harvey Cashore; Good morning, Mr. Cashore.