The novelist and poet Thomas Trofimuk discusses his new novel, Waiting for Columbus (McClelland & Stewart, 2009), with Joseph Planta.

Waiting for Columbus by Thomas Trofimuk. (McClelland & Stewart, 2009) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Waiting for Columbus

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

I’m joined now by Thomas Trofimuk. His newest novel is Waiting For Columbus. It has been described as a richly imagined, dazzling novel, ‘rich with all the emotional intensity of the English Patient.’ It’s also been described as cinematic, which is good, because there’s already been talk of a film. It is set in a mental institution in Spain in 2004. A man there thinks he’s Christopher Columbus. A nurse at the hospital, Consuela listens to the man’s talk. They’re drawn to one another, while the guy who thinks he’s Columbus is hardly heroic, and in the midst of his mental fog is convinced that a terrible tragedy is to come. Based in Edmonton, Thomas Trofimuk’s previous novels, The 52nd Poem and the bestselling Doubting Yourself to the Bone were prize winners. His website for more is http://www.thomastrofimuk.com/. He will be participating in the Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival later this month. Waiting for Columbus is published by McClelland and Stewart. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Thomas Trofimuk; Good morning, Mr. Trofimuk.

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