Oprah soap-rah continues

CBC.ca on Oprah; Slate on Oprah

Yesterday James Frey appeared on Oprah's show to apologise for "lying": "Frey said Thursday that 'most of what [the site] wrote was pretty accurate,' and that the Smoking Gun writers who found the discrepancies did "a good job.'" Oprah is pissed and regrets any words that defended Frey: "I made a mistake and I left the impression that the truth does not matter and I am deeply sorry about that. That is not what I believe." So, the truth does matter. But why does Oprah feel that she had confront him publicly? Couldn't she have condemmed the book or the author in a press release? I've got two words in response: publicity stunt. Let's see how many copies of Million Little Pieces are sold now.

Snow threatens election day

Political analysts were optimistic about voter turnout for Monday as most of the country was enjoying unseasonally balmy temperatures. However, in Ottawa and, I suppose, most of Eastern Canada, disaster: Well, not really, but it is definitely the worst blizzard I've seen this year. If the snow continues until Monday and it is extremely difficuly to get about town, half-assed voters might just think it isn't worth it. It's too bad, really, especially since the hearty Westerners, who are used to such weather, will probably still vote in droves and will probably vote Conservative. Ideally, only NDP voters will continue to vote in force and Jack Layton will become "The Snow Scandal" Prime Minister. It must be a boring election campaign if this is how I amuse myself. Going back to the Conservatives, even though I disagree in principle with much of Harper's social policy, he seems to be the only leader worthy of leading this country. Martin is embarassing himself with every speech, Duceppe is not in the running and Layton, though he would do some good, bases his platform on the premise that he won't get in. It is sad to see Martin fall so hard. I feel a little bad for him, but then I remember that he is the head of a crony network who will do anything to stay in power and is so arrogant about his worth to Canadians that he campaigned on a platform of fear rather than real policy. Remember to vote, even if the weather is the worst weather you've ever seen: it will always be worth it!

First Noteworthy Album of 2006

I picked up the new Strokes album, First Impressions of Earth, a couple of weeks back but I didn't blog about it for various reasons; actually, only one: I was lazy. But now I am blogging about it to tell others that it is a very good album, one that should be mentioned come year-end list time next year. I say "noteworthy" and not "great" because it isn't a great album: it's a solid album that won't disappoint current fans but likely won't attract new ones. It's more aggressive, as though Julian Casablancas is through with his bouncy, happy-go-lucky songs of the past and now deals with harsher things. Rolling Stone will tell you that he comments on "God and fate and the meaning of the universe" and Spin reports that Casablancas "may incur accusations of terminal flameout." The lyrics are conveniently vague, but the music is darker, heavier, harder ("beefier") than the previous two albums; this album has some weight to it. Key songs are "Juicebox," "Heart in a Cage," "Razorblade" and "Ize Of the World." I'll give it three and a half meditative singers out of five.

Million little topics of discussion

I know this is an old story, but if you haven't read about the controversy surrounding James Frey's Million Little Pieces, read The Smoking Gun article here. It raises many questions about authorial intention blah blah blah, but if you like to see what gets Oprah squiriming, read all about it. Slate's take can be found here, or read about the book's "emotional truth" here. I really have no opinion, except that a good read is a good read, even if the author seems to misrepresent him-/herself. Would you enjoy a book any less if you knew more about the life of the author? Should you?

Update, finally

Sorry about the lack of posts lately - we've been a bit busy. My dad visited us from Manitoba last week. We showed him the sights as best we could, but due to unpredictable weather, we mostly stayed in and watched the first season of Lost (thanks Jess and Mark!). Now, we've stayed away from Lost for a few reasons, the main one being that we missed the first episode. This show is good. At least, it kept our attention for six straight nights. Now we have to catch up on Season 2. My dad and I also went to see Munich on Friday. It is a great film. Some people don't like him for his "Hollywoodization," but he makes enjoyable films: that's the bottom line for any paying customer. Anyhoo, it was a great visit with my dad. It was really good to see him and we enjoyed having him at our humble abode. I've also been working a lot in the last few days, and as such am a bit rundown: I've got that nasty cold everyone seemed to get over the holidays. Not to worry, the blogging should be back to normal now.

The Biggest of 2005: The 200 Bestselling Books of the Year

As an employee of Chapters, I am familiar with most of these titles. It is an interesting contrast to any "best of" list, though there will inevitably be some crossover. Check it out, but kindly disregard the incorrect use of "it's" in the first paragraph - I'm sure the editors of this site need not be reminded of the irony of a grammatical error on a top-selling books list. Or perhaps it's indicative of the growing divide between "literary" and "popular". You decide.
The Biggest of 2005: The 200 Bestselling Books of the Year

Quick! Buy books!

The advent of the Sony Reader may change the book industry - for real, this time. For years, book purists have been lamenting the "death of the book" in the face of digital technology; for years, the paper book has thrived nonetheless (evidence at Chapters is overwhelming). The drawbacks of digital technology, such as the low-quality reading screen of computers, have prevented ebooks from replacing published books. I, for one, feel that the paper book will never become obsolete. However, Sony is making me question my confidence. The new Reader, a hand-held screen about the size of trade paperback, may just change the way people think about books and reading. Read this article from David Derbyshire of The Daily Telegraph; then check out the Reader's main site. Will the book become obsolete? I hope not.

Starbucks revealed

I used to think that Starbucks was just an overrated product, an easy and convenient way to get coffee without much consequence. However, two things have changed my outlook: one, I now work for The Second Cup; two, I've had some decidedly bad cups of coffee at Starbucks lately. Since I also work at Chapters, it is difficult to not go to Starbucks, but I feel that even the trip to Tim's is worth it over a cup at Starbucks. Tim Harford, I think, agrees with me: his recent Slate article examines the economics of the "tall" cappuccino. At the Second Cup, our regular size is smaller than the SB's tall, making it a better drink (we also add a touch of love). Coffee drinkers and economists, and especially coffee-drinking economists, will enjoy this article.


Starbucks Economics

Yay Canada!!!

We may complain about the weather, but we're not complaining about Canada's junior team - a perfect 6-0 for the second straight year and a second straight gold medal. The Canadians beat the Russians soundly, convincing those naysayers that Canada is always in the hunt for the gold. Yay hockey!

Farewell, Irving

No, not John Irving but Irving Layton - one of Canada's most important - and controversial - poets. He was a Jewish writer from Montreal, contemporary with Mordecai Richler, A.M. Klein, Al Purdy, as well as mentor to later poets, particularly Leonard Cohen. He is a great favourite of mine, as he is, I feel, the Canadian equivalent to D.H. Lawrence. Read more about him here and here. In tribute, here's a favourite Layton poem of mine:

Whatever Else Poetry is Freedom

Whatever else poetry is freedom.
Forget the rhetoric, the trick of lying
All poets pick up sooner or later. From the river,
Rising like the thin voice of grey castratos - the mist;
Poplars and pines grow straight but oaks are gnarled;
Old codgers must speak of death, boys break windows,
Women lie honestly by their men at last.

And I who gave my Kate a blackened eye
Did to its vivid changing colours
Make up an incredible musical scale;
And now I balance on wooden stilts and dance
And thereby sing to the loftiest casements.
See how with polish I bow from the waist.
Space for these stilts! More space or I fail!

And a crown I say for my buffoon's head.
Yet no more fool am I than King Canute,
Lord of our tribe, who scanned and scorned;
Who half-deceived, believed; and, poet, missed
The first white waves come nuzzling at his feet;
Then damned the courtiers and the foolish trial
With a most bewildering and unkingly jest.

It was the mist. It lies inside one like a destiny.
A real Jonah it lies rotting like a lung.
And I know myself undone who am a clown
And wear a wreath of mist for a crown;
Mist with the scent of dead apples,
Mist swirling from black oily waters at evening,
Mist from the fraternal graves of cemeteries.

It shall drive me to beg my food and at last
Hurl me broken I know and prostrate on the road;
Like a huge toad I saw, entire but dead,
That Time mordantly had blacked; O pressed
To the moist earth it pled for entry.
I shall be I say that stiff toad for sick with mist
And crazed I smell the odour of mortality.

And Time flames like a paraffin stove
And what it burns are the minutes I live.
At certain middays I have watched the cars
Bring me from afar their windshield suns;
What lay to my hand were blue fenders,
The suns extinguished, the drivers wearing sunglasses.
And it made me think I had touched a hearse.

So whatever else poetry is freedom. Let
Far off the impatient cadences reveal
A padding for my breathless stilts. Swivel,
O hero, in the fleshy grooves, skin and glycerine,
And sing of lust, the sun's accompanying shadow
Like a vampire's wing, the stillness in dead feet -
Your stave brings resurrection, O aggrieved king.

"O Layton, your dead feet will never be so alive now that you are one with the earth. Breathless! It is the mist and the wind, blowing the mist across my face with such aggression and jealousy that I do not fall and bow. Whatever else, Layton, your poetry is freedom, and we your subjects."

Great news for the New Year

The previous post documented some of the moments that made our weekend so great. But one such moment requires its own post. Lindsay and Monique came back from Australia (where they spent Christmas) engaged to be married. Congratulations! Bonnie and I are extremely happy for the happy couple, who will most certainly have a wonderful life together.

New Year's festivities galore!

This year's New Year's celebrations were by far the best I've ever experienced. We had a full house - the Prairies were well represented by Bonnie, Scott, Lindsay, Monique and I. We went to three major museums: National Art Gallery, Canadian War Museum, Museum of Civilization. We hit a hockey game, walked around Parliament Hill, went to a Scottish pub, replete with piper, for New Year's Eve. Everyone left today and Bonnie and I are certainly sad. We will never, ever, forget this year - our first Christmas away from home was joyous and fantastic (though we still missed going home for Christmas). As I said, we'll never forget it; with the following pictures, nor will you:

This is the War Museum. The building is tremendous - a great tribute to our past, present and future soliders.

Here's Bonnie putting on her happy face at The Highlander. She pretty much smiled the whole night, except after doing those tequila shooters.


Here's me, Bonnie, Lindsay and Monique shortly before New Year's. We enjoyed ourselves immensely.


This is Scott's happy face talking to Ben at Saskatchewan New Year (we celebrated twice).

Well, there you have it. Those are just some of the moments of our weekend that made it most memorable - Bonnie and I are lucky to have such wonderful friends. Happy New Year, everyone!