Thanks to Freehand Books for asking me to host their Spring Bash at the Gladstone Hotel last night.
Terrific performances (yes, performances — “readings” wouldn’t quite do it justice) by Ian Williams, Alex Leslie, and Julie Wilson, and great to see such a big crowd out for books on such a rainy night (well, it was the spring bash, so what did we expect).
Ballroom at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier. Photo: Steve Gerecke
On April 25, the Politics and the Pen gala, held at Ottawa’s Fairmont Chateau Laurier and attended by 500 guests from the political and literary arenas, raised $300,000 to support Writers’ Trust of Canada programmes.
The $25,000 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing was presented to Richard Gwyn for Nation Maker, the second volume in his biography of John A. Macdonald.
The Cable Public Affairs Channel was there to capture some of the atmosphere at the cocktail reception before the main dinner: “A who’s who of Canada’s political and literary communities.” Watch the video.
It’s the one night of the year where we get to really celebrate writing, and political writing in particular…It’s always a great night and celebration.” — Bob Rae, Interim Leader, Liberal Party of Canada
What I like about this prize is it’s the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize. Shaughnessy Cohen was a really lovely person…and she was a person of quality…and Shaughnessy Cohen’s quality affects this whole outfit.” — Richard Gwyn, winner, Shaughnessy Cohen Prize
Well it’s fun, number one … It gives people in the political world a chance to talk to people who have the time and the intelligence, the intellect and the ability to use the English or French language to communicate important ideas. And frankly I think all politicians would do a lot better if they read more and talked less.” — Elizabeth May, Leader, Green Party of Canada
On the award:
The Globe and Mail talked to Richard Gwyn and Max and Monique Nemni in advance of the announcement about what makes a great PM.
The Huffington Post ran excerpts from the five nominated books.
Open Book: Toronto did a Q&A with each of the nominees.
Samara Canada ran Q&As alongside a contest and online poll for their readers’ favourite (which Gwyn also won).
On Politics and the Pen:
The Ottawa Citizen, Hill Times, Ottawa Magazine, Maclean’s and iPolitics were all there, cameras in hand.
Oh, and the co-hosts, Ambassadors both, had a boxing match and engaged a little good-natured ribbing of Canada/USA stereotypes at the top of the event. The Ottawa Citizen captured the “fight” on video.
Co-hosts David Jacobson, Ambassador of the USA to Canada, and Gary Doer, Ambassador of Canada to the USA, arm wrestle at the Politics and the Pen gala. Photo: Jake Wright
Ten years after it was first published, Hana’s Suitcase — the story of a Czech girl murdered during the Holocaust and, 50 years later, of a Japanese educator’s search to find out what happened to the “Waisenkind” whose suitcase came into her possession — remains a school staple and family favourite. Its author, Karen Levine (along with Fumiko Ishioka, the Japanese educator, and George Brady, Hana’s older brother who survived the Holocaust and settled in Toronto) has travelled the world talking to school children about the lessons to be learned from Hana’s story — of history, of acceptance, of speaking up to protect others.
On the tenth anniversary, Second Story Press released Hana’s Suitcase Anniversary Album, adding new stories: letters from children around the world who have been inspired by Hana’s Suitcase; reflections from Karen, Fumiko and George on how reaction to the book changed their lives; images of drawings and a quilt inspired by the book and created by school children; covers and posters from the book’s dozens of foreign editions and stage and screen adaptations.
The new book, Hana’s Suitcase Anniversary Album, launched on April 19, 2012, Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Second Story publisher Margie Wolfe noted:
With Fumiko’s determination and desire to do the right thing … She transformed a story that would only have been for George and in his memory … to one with a message that is for all ages, all peoples, all cultures.”
Karen and Margie talked to Quillcast about their journey with Hana’s story, and an interview with Karen on CBC’s The Next Chapter will air on May 14 and 19.
On launch day, Karen gave a presentation to 150 enrapt school kids (and their teachers) at the Barbara Frum Library in Toronto.
NYU sociology professor Eric Klinenberg examines the life of the “singleton” in Going Solo.
I read the book for the National Post and found it perhaps a little too focused on North American city life, but overall a meticulously researched and thought provoking examination of the reasons we might choose to live alone at any stage of our adult lives.
Read my review here.
The perfect Chandler-esque cover doesn’t always point to the perfect Chandler-esque crime story.
In today’s National Post I review Love Alone by Emmanual Kattan and find it a strong finisher with a weak start. The end is a goodun’, but will you manage to even read that far … ?