The award-winning and bestselling author Elizabeth Hay discusses her new novel, His Whole Life (McClelland & Stewart, 2015), the mother-son relationship at the heart of the book, and its backdrop of the Quebec referendum of 1995, with Joseph Planta.

His Whole Life by Elizabeth Hay (McClelland & Stewart, 2015). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: His Whole Life

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Elizabeth Hay joins me again. The bestselling and prize-winning author has a new book out, His Whole Life. The book opens with a family taking a road trip. Jim, a ten-year old boy asks his parents ‘What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?’ The book is a coming of age story set in the mid-1990s, and soon takes the reader into various areas, like the bond between mothers and sons, families coming apart, the Quebec referendum of 1995, forgiveness, and regret, of course. I’ll get Ms. Hay to tell us about this book, and these characters. I’ve started it and it’s riveting stuff. Elizabeth Hay was last on when her Giller Prize winning novel Late Nights on Air was published. Her other books include Alone in the Classroom, A Student of Winter, Garbo Laughs, and Small Change. She is a former radio broadcaster. Her website is at www.elizabethhay.com. The book is published by McClelland & Stewart. She will be appearing at least three times at the Vancouver Writers Fest this October. Visit www.writersfest.bc.ca for tickets and information. She lives in Ottawa. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, in Vancouver today, Elizabeth Hay; Ms. Hay, good morning.

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