Swingin'-Jim-Shepherd-Blues: Thursday, October 22nd!

Think for yourself and question authority. -Timothy Leary, psychologist and writer (22 Oct 1920-1996) 

Scene from Korczak, the 1990 film about Janusz Korczak’s last few days.

Jim Shepard is the author of seven novels and four story collections, including Like You’d Understand, Anyway, a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of The Story Prize. His new novel, The Book of Aron, set in the Warsaw ghetto, is another historical fiction, but a departure of sorts. Where Shepard’s short fiction often features the bit players and hapless sidemen of disaster, The Book of Aron brings to life an indisputably great man, the child advocate Janusz Korczak, who ran an orphanage and followed his charges to Treblinka. He lives in Williamstown, Massachusetts and teaches at Williams College. jimshepard.wordpress.com

Patrick, Where are you? Are you back from India? We were in Vancouver for a couple of weeks and missed you! Dawn 

Hello Terrace! Just wanted to let you know we are stranded on a desert island, somewhere in the Indian Ocean. fortunately, the life-raft was filled with cases of Okanagan wine and single malt so we are surviving quite well. We plan to stay "Lost" until the hootch runs out and then we will send up a signal flare!

Well, Kids, that's most of the news that 's fit to print. Just wanted to say hello and bring you up to date on the stranded dipsomaniacs. Fondestos from Cora Lee, off to buy a VWF ticket for Chloë for an event on Sunday. I'm off to ride shortly. All the best to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pic: Lonnie, Sara, Yrsa and Denise

Hello CCs - Our Friday meeting will be at 3:00. I'm still looking for location.
Craig - Can you be at this meeting? Sue - Will meet with you as soon as you can get to Granville Island.

When Heideh tells me what she thinks should happen on Sunday, I can see her "vision." But I keep reminding her that we are working with many Volunteers, so sometimes our plans don't go as planned. And I'm still working on getting her vision into some coherent printed notes. I'll have those, and the Sunday plan timeline similar to last year's, at Friday's meeting. Sun's coming out this morning and will be here on Sunday too :-)  

We'll be meeting at the Revue Theatre. See you there at 3:00. CathyA Sue - Let's meet at the Festival office. I'll be there right after the meeting. You come when you can. Hi CathyA, et al! I'll be there. Cheers, Patrizzio! I'll be there Jo


Hello Portland! Sorry that I never returned your call, Michaelo! No excuses but plenty or reasons! Fondestos from Cora Lee to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!
Patrick, Thanks for the update. The photo of your new premier Trudeau was of him, bare-chested, being weighed in at a charity boxing match several years ago (a Putin-like image). The Wrightson Cup is this weekend. Whirlygig (George Maddison) wll be here. If you know where I can get a Danish version of the crime novel or Yrsa Sigardurdottir, please let me know. Thanks, Mike

Hello Portlandians! Trust you are both well and that Wrightson went well. How did Whirlygig and Carlos the Jackal do? I'll keep an eye out for a Danish version of Yrsa's works. I will be writing to our close friend, Margareta, in Århus, so I'll ask her about them. She is the one who brought a number to give to me in 2010.

Fondestos, from Mme Coriandre to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio! 

Dear Diary: Had loads and loads of messaging to catch up on, yesterday, so didn't actually leave my home-away-from home until around 1:30 pm. I could see, from JT's wonderful apartmento, that the day was bright and sunny so I dispelled any notion of not going out for jaunt even though it meant that an even greater email backlog would accrue, let alone falling even further behind in The Gunga Din Diaries! Once on Lamey's Mill Road I knew I'd made the right decision as it was simply one of those wonderfully blustery fall days with the leaves swirling every which way, driven like dervishes by the staccato gusts. I felt like a kid jumping into piles of orange crinkles, shouting with glee and abandon. Vancouver at its finest and I could go wherever I chose.

Again, knowing I needed to be back by 4:00 pm, or thereabouts, I knew another "flatlander" was in order so I decided I'd stitch together a version of the last two day's rides. Instead of going all the way to Stanley Park, (I felt the glorious day would bring out too, too many dozy riders and inattentive dog walkers, clogging the Seawall!), I headed over the Burrard Bridge and made for Kits Point. Dizzified myself here until I could stand the dipsy-ddoles no longer and then made for Point Grey, turning around at Brock House to retrace my steps. As always, enjoyed the changing LED sign/art installation outside the Eggman's house, (The banality, as I passed, was "They are cooking."), and then back to Kits Point for the tad more loopage I needed and then over the Burrard Bridge again to take back  the Seawall from the lolly-gaggers. 

Didn't even need to twist and turn around Olympic Village as my trusty odometer was ticking over like a Swiss watch. Back at the Heartbreak Hotel just before 4:00 pm so right on schedule, even if my AVG wasn't as high as I had hoped. However, the sun and sea air, feeding the blood that pumped through my heart and brain had given me a high that was so intoxicating that I couldn't even begin to be annoyed about the red-necks in pick-ups who roared past me on Lamey's Mill Road, seemingly outraged that they had to wait a millisecond until I cleared the intersection at Alder Crossing. "If I had a rocket launcher..." Thanks Bruce! Stats for ride:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/935409848#.Vio_BxYK96I.email

Found Mrs Patmore in the kitchen, preparing a delish stew for the slow cooker. Helped peel a few turnips before I showered and changed. Lady Mary left before me as she wanted to pop downstairs to see Jaxon, the latest edition to Clan Sutherland's ball team. When I arrived at the Festival Office, Mme Coriandre started barking out orders and I was dispatched to collect the two buckets of ice from Cat's Social House. Upstairs with my heavy load to meet Julia Pileggi, our "Shadow" for the evening. Lovely, lovely young woman, recently arrived from Toronto to follow her dream of becoming an actor. Had a great time chatting while we showed her the ropes of setting up the bar, checking inventory etc. 

The first session, Buying a Better World, was full but not so full that we weren't able to obtain comp tickets so shortly after we closed down the bar we trundled into the theatre. Certainly delighted that we were able to do so as what an experience, having the unique opportunity of hearing from Anna Porter about her dealings with George Soros. "The 85-year-old billionaire, [He has donated 14 billion to charity while his net worth, only 27 billion, I think, keeps increasing all the while!], philanthropist came to public attention when he broke the Bank of England by short-selling the pound. After that, Soros set out to influence the course of history based on the premise that by spending enough money and intervening at the right moment, an individual can buy a better world. In Buying a Better World, former Canadian book publisher and the award-winning author of four non-fiction books Anna Porter looks at the success and failure of this hard-headed man she first encountered 20 years ago. Intrigued by Soros’ idea of private social activism, Porter tallies the cost of his one-man crusade at about $12 billion so far. Has he achieved what he was seeking?"

Session was moderated by Kirk LaPoint, journalist and politician, a fascinating individual in his own right, of course, and the interplay between the two was simply wonderful. Anna is so articulate and passionate, yet always hyper-critical, in an evaluative sense, and balanced in her approach, that to hear her thoughts and views and insights into the life and psyche of this über rich eccentric was nothing short of mesmerizing. I had a chance to chat briefly with them, before the session, when I took them both a glass of wine, and they are such down to earth, friendly, open individuals that it was refreshing just to make their acquaintance and be in their company, if only briefly. A session filled with both wonderment and puzzlement over the enigma that is George Saros and his tight-lipped consiglieri. 

After having Anna sign her book, ("Thanks for the hospitality" was her kind remark on the title page.), I went back to the bar to find Sylvia Banks there, having a drink. She had been at the Waterfront Theatre earlier so popped by to say hello. After a brief chat, Julia and I dashed to Performance Works for more red wine while Cora Lee continued to tend the bar. Earlier that afternoon she had parked our car near this venue as she couldn't find a space closer to our building. I loaded the case into the back seat, along with more plastic glasses, and we drove back to Studio 1398. After I took the wine upstairs, Julia, with the glasses, joined Cora Lee and I drove back to Lamey's Mill Road in search of a closer spot. Found one near Alder Crossing so as soon as I'd parked, I hoofed it back to the venue.

The session, An Intimate Evening with Jim Shepard, was sold out so we didn't think we would be able to attend. However, but a few minutes before the event was to begin, we managed to score three tickets so we were chuffed indeed. According to the program notes, Jim Shepard "is one of the best writers you’ve never heard of. Self-described as 'semi-obscure,' he’s been a tenured professor at Williams College in the United States for 32 years. He’s also the author of six previous novels, four collections of stories and a National Book Award finalist. Says Richard Ford, 'His writerly eye is acute. His instinct around a sentence is virtuosic and masterful.' Joshua Ferris says Shepard is 'one of the US’s finest writers, full of wit, humanity and fearless curiosity.' His new novel, The Book of Aron, is breathtaking, a fearless entry into the Holocaust and the children whose lives were caught up in it."

Aside from scintillating wit and ferociously articulate speech, he is almost a stand-up comic! [In fact, I asked him, during audience question period, if he had ever done this. He replied that when he told people he was a writer they usually asked him if he did anything else!] Another session that reminds me, over and over again, about how the VWF introduces one to writers that I, (although I'm embarrassed to admit it), have never even heard of before. Could have spent hours listening to him and was immensely grateful, it goes without saying, to have discovered his incredible voice.

Cora Lee and Julia balanced the cash and closed down most of the bar while I had Jim sign his book. Said goodnight and thanks to Julia for her help. (Her only shifts with us but hope to see her again, over the rest of fest.), and then we headed home to enjoy Mrs Patmore's piping hot stew with a bottle of 2013 8th Generation Syrah, 13.2%, filled with so much pepper on the finish that we didn't need to add any of same to our portions. What a way to end such a stimulating day. Life is grand in Vancouver at the VWF so more than fortunate are we!  

hi again everyone, another warm fall Okanagain day, 11 of us explored the hill above twin lakes, a tough grind but on the other hand we are not just called o/f 's but a  tough bunch of o / f  's. thanks again rick Hello Fabulous Nature Photographer, Karlos the Shutterbug!

Thank you for the wonderful, wonderful pictures of the hikes! I'm green with envy but consoled by your snaps as I feel I'm almost there, with the gang! Please send along fond regards to one and all. Thanks as well, for dating the fridge. Much appreciated. I'll tell Henryk, when he comes to collect it that you want another $500! Regards to Patricia. All the best to you, Karl. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hi Patrick & Corinne Hope you're enjoying the writer's fest. We're missing you! It's lonely here without your cheery faces in the morning. We would love to go to hear Ian Rankin if you still have the tickets available. If they are already spoken for, not to worry. We really enjoyed the election night at Chloe's. Great food, great company and almost great results - was hoping for a better show for the NDP. Thanks for all. Cheers Elaine 

Hello Bayswater People!! Delighted that you wish to attend the Rankin reading. Sylvia Banks will have the tickets under her name, at Will Call. Apparently Robo Man is too, too busy tutoring to attend BUT I'm riding with him tomorrow morning so I'll confirm what he wishes to do. If he can't go I'll let you know and perhaps there will be another ticket. On another mater, did we leave a package in your fridge. If so, it is my Dukoral and one of us will be by to collect it otherwise I may well contract Cholera! I believe Lady Mary left it on purpose!!!
Well, dear friends, that's most of the news that's fit to print. I'll be in touch once I talk to Raymondo. Fondestos and Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics:  Chloë's place and The Dunn/Durston Bedroom!

Hi Elaine, it was great to see you guys as well. Thanks so much for the great breakfasts. Patrick has arranged the tickets for Rankin. Should be an interesting evening. Take care, Chloe