HUMAN WRU LES Andrew Robulack planet of the arts p 9 The reason I clobbered Your door like that Is cause it’s time We had a chat. -Dennis Lee, “With My Foot In My Mouth” “Their eyes are cameras. Their Ears are tape recorders. Their minds are sometimes overdosed on reality and sometimes they are off on gossamer flights of fancy, but mostly they are steel traps.” -Bob Stall. The Province: October 25, 1990 The writers are coming! The writers are coming! And whether or not you’re well read, Emily Carr, you’re gonna have to deal with it, because the whole fourth annual Vancouver In- ternational Writers and Readers Festival takes place right under your nose, here on Granville Island. For five days, from Oct. 23 -27, your lovely little warehouse community is going to be invaded by writers! And readers, and revolutionairies, and political activists, and feminists, and comic strip weirdos, and artists of all descriptions (as though there aren’t enough of us already). Yep, you’ve got it. This festival isa heckuva lot more than just a bunch of stodgy authours lecturing out long-winded latinas to masses of university intellectuals. There will be music. There will be loud political discussions. There will be childrens’ book readings. There will be personal accountsof surviving under governments’ regimes, of being artists in exile, and how this can relate to the creative process. There will be Poetry! It will be agreat gathering of creative people who think a lot and have decided to write their thoughts down on paper. This is a young and growing festival (as fast as its audience has grown, so has its name: in 1988 it was known as the Vancouver Writers Festival - the following year it became “International”, and this year the phrase “and Readers” has been added to this ever expanding monicker). It was founded four years ago by Easterner Alma Lee, who has long been deeply committed to Canada’s literary community: she was executive director of the Writer’s Union of Canada for eight years and has worked as a literary agent. Single-handedly she designs the program of events each year and takes care of inviting the authors. Since it began, the festival has put a strong emphasis on international participation and has presented many talents from abroad. Japanese poet Kazuko Shiraishi has visited in the past, Gcina Mholphe from South Africa, Goh Poh Seng from Malaysia, British novelist Martin Amis, and Bharati Muherjee, the Indian-American novelist, to name only a very few. Equally important as the participants from around the world are the Canadians. In the past, we've seen Margaret Atwood, Mordecai Richler, Anne Cameron, Neil Bissoondath, Evelyn Lau, Roy Kiyooka, W.O. Mitchell, and Pierre Berton- again, to name only a few. These writers and multitudesofothershave all intrigued, enthused, and affected festival au- diences over the last three years by partaking in panel discussions, audience participation sessions, and sometimes just straight-out readings of their work. Issues such as “Are Canadians Racist?”, “Women Speak Out”, “Windows On Other Worlds”, and “Speaking Out in Troubled Times” have been tossed to the merciless intellects of festival participants in the past. There have been writing workshops, tea and coffee minglings, and cash bars. Great. Neat; excellent, So what’s happen- ing this year? Latin America Well, to start off with, we’ve got a Latin American theme to deal with. “La cucaracha”, etc., eh? No seriously, the festival’s focus ison that vast and mysterious place of diminishing rain- forests, civil and political unrest, spicy food, revolutions, and intriguing foreign accents. Aren’t these Central and South American locales dan- gerous? Doesn’t one have to be careful down there? A number of writers will be arriving in Vancouver to tell us about it. Several events will involve these writers in discussions which will range in subject from how aperson develops undera totalitarian government, to the meanings of the words ‘freedom’ and ‘jus- tice’ within that system of rule, as well as to just what humanity can represent. Nancy Morejon from Cuba and Giaconda Belli from Argentina, Carmen Berenguer from Chile, Liliana Heker photo - Lincoln Clarkes Sheri-D Wilsor. from Argentina and Alfonso Quijada Urias from El Savador/B.C., among others, will ponder these questions and much more as they explore and present their own cultures. (It may bea good idea to brush up on your Spanish for some of these events). Oh Canada Of course Canada will place very promi- nently in several events. There will be gatherings of Native writers (Jeannette Armstrong, for one), poets (look below), crime writers (Kit Pearson), and French culturalists (Gaetan Brulotte). And they will always be joined by international par- ticipants whenever they appear. There are two events I want to mention in particular: The yearly Tribute Brunch will honour the wonderful post P.K Page as one of the greatest _ contributors to Canadian literature (and beyond). She’s written books for children, a novel, and vol. seven, issue no. two received the Governor-General’s Award, but she is probably best know for her lifetime of poetry. And what poetry... Bell rings and they go and the voice draws their pencil like a sled across snow; when its runners are frozen rope snaps and the voice then is pulling no burden but runs like a dog on the winter of paper. The Stenographers (13-16) Michael Ignatieff will be the Duthie Lec- turer. He’sa novelist and former history professor at U.B.C. who won the Governor General’s Award _ for his book The Russian Album. He’ll probably talk yer ear off. Poetry Aha! Poetry. I’ve been saving this man to put down here even though he also belongs elsewhere: Michael Ondaatje. He’s written a number of novels and made a film but, as a Canadian (born in Sri Lanka) he is ultimately important to this country’s poetry. Your voice sounds like a scorpion being pushed through a glass tube like someone has just trod on a peacock like wind howling in a coconut like a rusty bible, like someone pulling barbed wire across a stone courtyard, like a pig drowning, a vattacka being fried a bone shaking hands a frog singing at Carnegie Hall. Sweet like a Crow (1-9) An invaluable comic flair. Not to cast a shadow on his other works, however, Coming Through Slaughter, for example) which, combined with his poetry, account for a brilliant and fasci- nating reading feast. He'll be appearing in two events: go see him. Splitting at the beam; the Annual Poetry Bash. Certainly I’m speaking with a certain amount of prejudice when it comes to poetry-maybe not authority but with great...inclination. So, I'll expound somewhat here. There’ll be Canadian great Lorna Crozier, Patrick Friesen, Patrick Lane, Susan Musgrave, P.K. Page, Nadine Shelly (the 18-year old prodigy) and Sean Virgo (and don’t forget Ondaatje, eh?) joining American Sharon Olds, Alastair Reid from U.K./Dominican Re- public, Nancy Morejon and Carmen Berenguer to show the festival what poetry is made of. If you miss that there’s spontaneous live energy of five performance poets in Off The Page. Steve Herrick from Australia joins Canadians Sheri-D Wilson, Joe Rosenblatt, Mary Howes, and Robert Priest and together they'll knock metaphorical block off and make you wonder what ever happened to the days of Keats and Shelley. And, don’t forget, you can take your neigh- bours kids for your own kids or your sister’s kids, or any kid off the street, for that matter) to see the ‘illustrious Dennis Lee be his crazy self in several events. I’ve heard that he’ll be serving Alligator Pie wherever he goes. Well, I’ve hardly begun to touch on what you can expect this year at the writer’s fest- go get a guide and check it out for yourself. And re- member, the whole thing is close at hand, all here on Granville Island. So as television becomes more and more useless, take the money that you'll save by cancelling your cable and invest in a couple of tickets. Even though prices have gone up somewhat (due, in part, to the G.S.T.) you’l] find it ultimately more stimulating than ‘Grow- ing Pains’ or ‘Married with Children’, I’m sure.* e planet of the arts p> HUMAN WW ROW LES Andrew Robulack The reason I clobbered Your door like that Is cause it’s time We had a chat. -DennisLee, “With My Footln My Mouth” “Their eyes are cameras. Their Ears are tape recorders. Their minds are sometimes overdosed on reality and sometimes they are off on gossamer flights of fancy, bur mostly they are steel traps.” -Bob Stall. The Province: October 25, 1990 The writers are coming! The writers are ‘coming! And whether or not you're well read, Emily Carr, you're gonna have to deal with it, because the whole fourth annual Vancouver In- temational Writers and Readers Festival takes place right under your nose, here on Granville Island. For fivedays, from Oct. 23-27, your lovely litele warehouse community isgoingtobeinvaded by writers! And readers, and revolutionairies,and political activists, and feminists, and comic strip weirdos, and artists ofall descriptions (as though there aren’t enough of us already). Yep, you've got it. Thisfestival isaheckuva Jot more than just a bunch of stodgy authours lecturing out long-winded latinas to masses of ‘university intellectuals. There will bemusic. There will be loud political discussions. There will be childrens’ book readings. There will be personal accountsofsurvivingunder governments regimes, ofbeing artists in exile, and how this can relateto the creative process. There will be Poetry! It will bea great gathering of creative people who think a lot and have decided to write their thoughts down on paper. Thisisa youngand growing festival (as ast asitsaudience has grown, so has tsname: in 1988 itwas known asthe Vancouver Writers Festival the following year it became “International”, and thisyearthephrase “and Readers” hasbeen added to this ever expanding monicker). It was founded four years ago by Easterner Alma Lee, who has long been deeply committed to Canada’s literary community: she was executive director of the ‘Writer's Union of Canada for eight years and has worked as a literary agent: Single-handedly she designs the program of eventseach year and takes care of inviting the authors. Since it began, the festival has put astrong ‘emphasis on international participation and has presented many talents from abroad. Japanese poet Kazuko Shiraishi has visited in the past, Gcina Mholphe from South Africa, Goh Poh Seng from Malaysia, British novelist Martin Amis, and Bharati Muherjee, the Indian-American novelist, to name only a very few. Equally important as the participants from around the world are the Canadians. In the past, we've seen Margaret Atwood, Mordecai Richler, Anne Cameron, Neil Bissoondath, Evelyn Lau, Roy Kiyooka, W.O. Mitchell, and Pierre Berton again, to name only a few. These writersandmultitudesofothershave all intrigued, enthused, and affected festival au diences over the last three years by partaking in panel discussions, audience participation sessions, and sometimes just straight-out readings oftheir ‘work. Issues such as “Are Canadians Racist?”, “Women Speak Out’, “Windows On Other Worlds”, and “Speaking Out in Troubled Times” have been tossed to the merciless intellects of festival participants in the past. There have been writing workshops, tea and coffee minglings, and cash bars. Great. Neat; excellent, So what's happen- ing this year? Latin America Well, to start off with, we've gor a Latin ‘American theme to deal with. “La cucarac! cetc.,ch?No seriously, the festival's focusison that vvast and mysterious place of diminishing rain- forests, civil and political unrest, spicy food, revolutions, and intriguingforeign accents. Aren't these Central and South American locales dan- gerous? Doesn't one have to be careful down there? A number of writers will be arriving in ‘Vancouver to tell us about it. Several events will involve these writers in discussions which will range in subject from how person developsundera totalitarian government, to the meanings of the words freedom’ and ‘jus- tice’ within that system of rule, as well as to just what humanity can represent. Nancy Morejon from Cuba and Giaconda Belli from Argentin Carmen Berenguer from Chile, Liliana Heker from Argentina and Alfonso Quijada Urias from ElSavador/B.C.,among others, will ponder these questions and much more as they explore and present theirown cultures. (Itmay bea good idea to brush up on your Spanish for some of these events). Qh Canada Of course Canada will place very promi- rently in several events. There will be gatherings of Native writers (Jeannette Armstrong, forone), poets (look below), crime writers (Kit Pearson), and French culturalists (Gaetan Brulotte). And they will always be joined by international par- ticipants whenever they appear. There are two events I want to mention in particular: The yearly Tribute Brunch will honour the wonderful post P-K Page as one of the greatest contributorsto Canadian literature (and beyond). ‘She's written books for children, a novel, and Vol. seven, Issue no. wo received the Governor-General’s Award, but she is probably best know for her lifetime of poetry. ‘And what poetry... Bellrings and they go and the voice draws their pencil lke a sled across snow; then its runners are frozen rope snaps and the voice then is pulling no burden but runs like a dog on the winter of paper. The Stenographers (13-16) Michael Ignatieff will be the Duthie Léc- turer. He’sa novelistand formerhistory professor atU.B.C. whowontheGovernor General's Award for his book The Russian Album, He'll probably talk yer ear off. Poerry Aha! Poetry. I've been saving this man to put down here even though he also belongs elsewhere: Michael Ondaatje. He's written a number of novels and made a film but, as a Canadian (born in Sri Lanka) he is ultimately imporeant to this country’s poetry. Your voice sounds like a scorpion being pushed through a glass tube like someone has just trod on a peacock like wind howling in a coconut like a rusty bible, like someone pulling barbed wire across a stone courtyard, like a pig drowning, a vatacka being fried a bone shaking hands 4 frog singing at Carnegie Hall Sweet like a Crow (1-9) An invaluable comic flair. Not to cast a shadow on his other works, however, Coming Through Slaughter, for example) which, combined with his poetry, account fora brilliant and fasci- nating reading feast. He'll be appearing in two ‘events: go see him. Splitsing atthe beam; the Annual Poetry Bash Certainly I'm speaking with a certain amount of prejudice when it comes to poetry-maybe not authority but with great..inclination. So, I'll expound somewhat here. There'll be Canadian sgreatLorna Crozier, Patrick Friesen, Patrick Lane, ‘Susan Musgrave, P.K. Page, Nadine Shelly (the 18-year old prodigy) and Sean Virgo (and don't forget Ondaatje, eh?) joining American Sharon Olds, Alastair Reid from U.K/Dominican public, Nancy Morejon and Carmen Berenguer to show the festival what poetry is made of. If you miss that there’s spontaneous live ‘energy offive performance poetsin Off The Page. Steve Herrick from Australia joins Canadians Sheri-D Wilson, Joe Rosenblatt Howes, and Robert Priest and together they'll knock metaphorical block off and make you wonder what ever happened to the days of Keats and Shelley. ‘And, don’t forget, youcan take your neigh bours kids for your own kids or your sister’ kids, “orany kid offthe street, for that matter) tosee the illustrious Dennis Lee be his erazy self in several events. I've heard that hell be serving Alligator Pie wherever he goes, Well, I've hardly begun to touch on what you can expect this year atthe writer'sfest-go get ‘a guide and check it out for yourself. And re- member, the whole thing is close at hand, all here on Granville Island. So as television becomes moreand moreuseless, take the money that you'll save by cancelling your cable and invest in a couple of tickets. Even though prices have gone up somewhat (due, in part, to the G-S.T.) you'll find it ultimately more stimulating than ‘Grow- ing Pains’ or ‘Married with Children’, I'm sure.*