Jean-Benoît Nadeau and Julie Barlow’s new book, The Story of French (Knopf, 2006), is a study of the life of the French language, its development, spread, history, and future, and just how the French language has survived despite English’s prevalence, as well as other languages. Nadeau joined Joseph Planta to talk about the book, how he learned English, how Barlow learned French, and their plans to adopt twins from Haiti.

Internationally-renowned thinker and bestselling author (The Ingenuity Gap), Thomas Homer-Dixon, Director of the Trudeau Centre for the Study of Peace and Conflict at the University of Toronto, talked to Joseph Planta about his timely and highly readable new book, The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity, and the Renewal of Civilization (Knopf, 2006).

CTV’s Ben Mulroney made a return appearance to the Planta: On the Line program to talk with Joseph Planta about his recent mission to Malawi, which he undertook as a National Ambassador for UNICEF.

Full Circle: Death and Resurrection in Canadian Conservative Politics (Key Porter, 2006) is a new book by conservative insider and public policy specialist, Bob Plamondon. Recently, he talked with Joseph Planta about the book, that for the first time sets forth a definitive account of the events that lead to the rebirth of the Conservative Party of Canada. He discussed the players involved, Stephen Harper, Peter MacKay, Preston Manning, Joe Clark, Belinda Stronach, and Brian Mulroney.

Bestselling and acclaimed author Wayne Johnston recently spoke with Joseph Planta about his latest novel, The Custodian of Paradise (Knopf, 2006). As well, Johnston talked about how he wrote, and how he created his most remembered characters.

The indomitable Christopher Gaze talks with Joseph Planta about the 17th season of Bard on the Beach, the plays they’re putting on (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Measure for Measure, The Winter’s Tale, and Troilus and Cressida), and other things Shakespeare.

Spirit of the West’s John Mann, opening tonight as the Emcee in Cabaret, talked with Joseph Planta about his starring role in the Arts Club Theatre Company’s latest. Mann discussed the Kander and Ebb musical, performing on the stage, his tour-de-force performance in last year’s Miss Saigon, and the legendary role that won Joel Grey a Tony and an Oscar.

Journalist Julian Sher recently spoke with Joseph Planta about his new book, Angels of Death: Inside the Bikers’ Global Crime Empire (Knopf, 2006), which he co-authored with William Marsden, a timely look at the Hells Angels, and other bikers who’ve met the attention of the public, not to mention law enforcement.

Film and television producer Brian O’Dea talked with Joseph Planta about his past, which includes prison stays for drug smuggling, cocaine addiction, and more, which he writes about in his new compelling book, High: Confessions of a Pot Smuggler (Random House, 2006), soon to be a major motion picture.

A couple of years ago, NBC News and Today Show correspondent Mike Leonard decided to take his elderly parents and his children on a RV trip across the United States. He talked with Joseph Planta about the journey, its foibles, hilarity, bonding, and more, which are recounted in his new book, The Ride of Our Lives: Roadside Lessons of an American Family (Ballantine, 2006), soon to be a major motion picture.

Political pundit and former bureaucrat Bob Plecas talked with Joseph Planta about his new book, Bill Bennett: A Mandarin’s View (Douglas & McIntyre, 2006), a memoir on the former premier of British Columbia (1975-1986).

Satirist and bestselling author Tony Hendra talked with Joseph Planta about his new novel, The Messiah of Morris Avenue (Henry Holt, 2006), a funny and insightful novel about what would happen if Christ came back to walk amongst a nation where the religious right dominates every aspect of American life. Hendra also offers his thoughts about the current political climate in the United States, and his previous memoir, Father Joe, is also discussed.

What are the issues that most concerns the world today? The gap between the rich and poor? Terrorism? Hunger? Jean-Marc Leger, President of Leger Marketing was on to talk with Joseph Planta about a new worldwide survey he’s directed, a remarkable poll of 53,749 citizens in 68 countries on what the world is concerned with. Accompanying the survey is a new book which reports on their findings, Voice of the People 2006: What the World Thinks on Today’s Global Issues (Transcontinental, 2006).

Michael Kwan talked cars and his new website, michaelkwan.com, with Joseph Planta.

Acclaimed journalist and conservationist Terry Glavin talked with Joseph Planta about his new book Waiting for the Macaws: And Other Stories from the Age of Extinctions (Viking, 2006), a fascinating and well-written book on his travels around the world encountering peoples attitudes toward plant and animal species, as well as languages that are seemingly fading away.