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Linda SolomonAward-winning journalist and publisher of the online newspaper The Vancouver Observer thevancouverobserver.comPhoto by Brian Powell Photo Whatcha readin’? Stupid to the Last Drop: How Alberta Is Bringing Environmental Armageddon to Canada (And Doesn’t Seem to Care) by William Marsden. What’s it about? It’s about how Canadians are selling their energy reserves to Americans at bargain-basement prices, with no thought to conservation or the long-term needs of the nation—much less to global climate change. Desert island material or doorstop? Reads like an adventure thriller; it’s full of urgent, get-off-your-butt information. Who should read this book, and why? No. 1: Stephen Harper. No. 2: Alberta premier Ed Stelmach. No. 3: Canadians and Americans who vote. It describes a quiet corporate-governmental collaboration. The effect of this partnership on ordinary citizens amounts to a complex and chilling violation of human rights, loss of jurisdiction over private property, and degradation of health. If we looked at your bookshelf we’d be surprised to see… really dumb stuff like The Sexy Years by Suzanne Somers. Guilty pleasure time. What kind of mind candy do you sometimes read? This is going to make me feel so busted, but here I go: I occasionally pick up Star magazine. Those celebrities are just so bad they’re good. If you could spend 30 minutes with any author—alive or dead—who would it be? The author of the Ten Commandments. Just kidding. Isaac Bashevis Singer. I’ve read every one of his books, and through him I’ve learned so much about myself and my lost history. He writes about the Jewish culture that got wiped out in Poland during World War II. He never mentions the war, just tells the most wonderful stories about life as it was. He makes it come alive. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature, and it was extremely well-deserved. When he died, I cried. How would you spend those precious 30 minutes? I’d thank him. I’d also ask what he thought of the world right now. Is it the same as it’s always been, or different, as we imagine? His stories are about a lost world, but reading them, one has the feeling that the nature of human struggles and the source of human joy hasn’t changed at all. They say that everyone has one great novel in them. What would yours be about? It would be about what every great novel is about: the human condition. —Erica Gehrke Budding writers: Join Linda at Hollyhock this summer for her five-day workshop, “Writing Start to Finish.” E-mail registration@hollyhock.ca for more information. 
Editor's Picks |
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STIRING IT UP: How
to Make Money and
Save the World (Book) Gary Hirshberg, the “CE-Yo” of Stonyfield Farm Organic Yogurt, doesn’t just talk sustainability; he walks it—all the way to the bank. The former eco-activist recounts Stonyfield’s history in this lively, engaging page-turner, from its modest beginnings on a seven-cow farm in New Hampshire to a $300 million-a-year business that has actually increased its profits by incorporating environmental practices. But Stirring It Up is also a call-out to other business owners to get off their assets and colour their companies green—and fast. For as Hirshberg maintains: “Business is the answer to the planet’s predicament.” —Tamara Letkeman |
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The Happiness
Prescription: The
Secret to Experiencing
a Joyful Life Deepak Chopra is one of those rare, wise elders who has the gift of making himself accessible to nearly anybody who has the slightest inkling of wanting more out of life. This time he tackles the pursuit of happiness in his warm, storytelling style and, astutely, includes a second DVD that leads the student through “getting in touch” exercises (he uses a group setting that lends a nice comfort level). The take-home message: being happy is a skill anyone can acquire. Ultimately, it’s about deeper fulfillment, but not the kind you get from acquiring one more bright and shiny thing. |
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Buddha~Bar X (CD)
by various artists The Buddha~Bar series of avant-garde lounge and chill-out compilations originated from the exclusive Buddha Bar restaurant in Paris. Buddha~Bar X is the tenth CD in 10 years, and DJ Ravin has blended an exotic mix of acoustic electro vibes from the four corners of the globe. The two-disc set (32 tracks total) offers up a juicy mix of world rhythms and vocals, cyber-ethnic riffs, and down-tempo club beats that will appeal to a wide audience. After a decade of addictive venue compilations, Buddha~Bar has given the world another gem destined for iPods and Zunes all over the world. |
