Word nerds enjoy myth-breaking, merry-making

It was a week of pithy remarks and eloquently posed questions. The Banff-Calgary International Writers Festival, also called WordFest, took place at venues spanning both cities this month. Guests included three of the five shortlisted nominees for this year’s Giller Prize; Joseph Boyden, Rawi Hage, and Marina Endicott. Other best-selllers in attendance were Austin Clarke, Nino Ricci, Bill Gaston, Richard Wagamese, Sheree Fitch, Donna Morrissey, Deborah Ellis, and Ronald Wright, as well as the powerhouse behind Random House, Anne Collins.

Festival-goers uniformly shed their usual conservative business attire in favour of an upscale but casual (and even slightly nautical) look, as if taking their lead from Wordfest opener John Ralston Saul whose navy blazer, baby blue socks and double-buckle shoes sent spirited ripples of approval through his sold-out audience. However, looks can be deceiving, as authors in one panel discovered after several failed attempts at light-hearted political humour.

“Give Stephen Harper a book and he’ll use it to prop up the legs of his table,” writer Jaspreet Singh couldn’t resist joking during a panel discussion. The small audience was silent.

The Vertigo Theatre was Saul’s first stop on a national tour to promote his new book, A Fair Country: Telling Truths about Canada. The book aims to unmask the cultural assumptions underlying Canadian life, and expose a dangerously out-of-touch and elite strata of decision-makers.

Having spent a few years in Calgary, first as a young student, then later as policy advisor to Maurice Strong (founder of Petro-Canada), Saul had no hesitation weighing in on Alberta’s unique place within Canada. Of course, he had no invitation to do so, either.

“No-one has asked me about the economy yet!” he gasped, during the question and answer period following his lecture, “Well, I’ll talk about it anyway, just briefly. Canada, and Alberta, is about to be faced with the juggernaut of Europe and the United States who will see the oil sands as the enemy. This is a precarious economy, built primarily on raw goods which cannot sustain their value or quantity. And the myth that Ottawa is the enemy … is leaving this province dangerously exposed to a crises that has been brewing for some time. You have not had a sensible premiere since Peter Lougheed.”

Later in the festival, another literary heavyweight bestowed words of wisdom on politics of different kind. Anne Collins, publisher and vice president of Random House Canada, gave insight into the sometimes tumultuous relationship between editors and writers. The panel discussion included her latest protégé, Andrew Davidson. His first novel, The Gargoyle, garnered an advance of 1.2 million dollars and ignited a global bidding war for the international rights. That spectacular story had aspiring writers on the edge of their modern deco seats in the Art Gallery of Calgary, where the talk took place.

A final event under the WordFest banner takes place on October 27, when Bill Richardson will discuss his new book at the John Dutton Theatre.

Published in National Post, October 25 2008

Seven Questions for Anna Porter

Anna Porter is the author of seven books including the recently released Kastner’s Train: The True Story of Rezso Kasztner, Unknown Hero of the Holocaust. It is the story of a Hungarian lawyer who negotiated with Nazi officials to aid in the forced emigration of Jewish citizens, thereby saving over fifty thousand lives from certain death. She began her career in New Zealand, working in a book store owned by a publishing company. Eventually Anna became the co-founder and CEO of Key Porter Books, a mid-sized publishing house based in Toronto. She is the mother of two journalists, and continues to serve on the boards of several national organizations including PEN Canada and SoulPepper Theatre. In 1991 Anna was awarded the Order of Canada in recognition of her efforts to promote Canadian literary talent abroad. She holds honourary doctorates from Ryerson University, St. Mary’s University and the University of Toronto. She will be appearing at public literary events across Canada between October and December 2007.

TDR: Your childhood years were spent in the midst of the Hungarian Revolution; what was that like and how did these early experiences inform your career?

Growing up I saw a lot of bad and morally abhorrent behaviour, and I’ve always been interested in it. I grew up in a time when betrayals were everyday events. You never knew who you were talking to. People grew up much faster in those times. You couldn’t trust anyone. Also, where I grew up the Holocaust was not taught in school so when I found out about it, I was fascinated. I mean, what does a moral person do in that situation? What does on do when there are is a time of complete moral uncertainty? What do we now about Darfour? [Katsztner’s Train] is specific to its time, but the issue is timeless.

TDR: When, why, and how did you begin to write?

We tried to escape from Hungary on foot when I was six years old and we were caught. I spent eight months in jail with my mother, and she tried to be light-hearted about it all. I always wrote stories and poetry. It was either very funny or very dark, or both. When we arrived in New Zealand, I could not speak English. There was a convent boarding school which accepted one refugee per year, and they chose me. The nuns were kind enough to take me in, and they taught me to speak English; that’s about all I can really say for them. You can imagine, not having any religion and coming from a Communist country, that it was not easy. On the other hand, after escaping the revolution, learning English from nuns, and scrubbing toilets in a mental institution to pay for schooling afterwards, I’d say I was somewhat prepared for publishing; I was tough enough by that point.

I loved stories, and had always written poetry. At an early age my poems were published in Hungary. W.H. Auden always appealed to me … I did my Bachelors of Arts and Masters of Arts in English Literature at the University of Cantebury; my thesis explored issues of light and dark in American literature. Then I worked in a bookstore which was owned by a small press. I became a proofreader, and learned that it is a very detailed job. Then after graduation I went to England, which was the thing that people from New Zealand did. I slept in a hostel and stayed with a step-sister for a while. Just as I was becoming a little desperate I got a job in book sales, and then on the editorial staff at Cassell’s.

I wrote The Storyteller: Memory, Secrets, Magic and Lies for my children, to explain who my family was and what we had lived through. Then when I was fully working in publishing and my kids were growing up I wrote three more novels which were murder mysteries. They were dark, but they were meant to be amusing. They were also a great relief – there is nothing more satisfying than killing someone in a book when you are frustrated with them in real life.

TDR: Why decide to stay in Canada? How did your role in publishing evolve and what were some of the highlights and difficulties?

I decided to stay in Toronto because of the people I met here, including Jack McClelland and my husband. Jimmy Porter (he’s a lawyer) saw my picture in Toronto Life Magazine and called me at my office. The picture was taken at a launch party for a book by Pierre Burton. Anyway, he called me and asked me to go for coffee and I said no. He called and called and provided references of friends and so forth, and so I finally said yes. We have two children and they’re great. I can’t say anything more about them; they are wonderful.

I became a managing editor at McClelland & Stewart and then finally launched Key Porter Books. It was the only thing I could do; I knew everything about publishing by that time. Like any other trade, you learn it a bit at a time. We started with a few books and it grew and grew. I am proud of publishing Jean Chretien’s book, and doing the publicity tour. That was a highlight and it was a top seller in both languages.

TDR: Is there a style of publishing or writing that is uniquely Canadian?

There are many styles in Canadian literature, not a single style. It's hard to see what Mordecai Richler's and Margaret Laurence's styles have in common - except, perhaps, clarity.

For the head of a publishing house to have a personal relationship with the authors is quite unusual, and I am proud that I became good friends with many of them. That’s something I learned from Jack McClelland. Leaving it was the most difficult thing.

TDR: Why did you decide to write it at this point in your life and career?

AP: It is difficult to focus on something when you have a full time job. So first of all, I had the time required to dedicate to this project. My kids are grown up and I have resigned completely from Key Porter Books. It is now in the hands of a brilliant young man who is thirty years old, the perfect age to be running a publishing house.

These things kind of grow on you. I’ve always been interested in how the Holocuast could have happened, and what people chose to do in their individual lives when faced with the overwhelming moral problems. When I learned about this story, from my friend Peter Munk whose parents were saved by Kasztner, I was totally taken by it. I was beginning to attract this kind of story. There were so many contradicting accounts; the more I learned about this man the more I wanted to learn. Finally, I had to write the story all in one piece.

TDR: What distracts you and/or encourages you as a writer?

I am distracted by my past lives as a publisher - by people with manuscripts who would like help, who need to find a publisher, who do not know how to package their own work so it will be looked at by an agent, etc. All those years in the business have
accustomed me to being helpful when and where I can be. I am inspired by people's stories; written and spoken.

TDR: What was the process like in writing this book and how does it differ from your past experiences?

AP: I have tried really hard with this book. I don’t think I have ever tried so hard with anything in my whole life. I read more than 300 books in 3 languages, and traveled around the world to interview dozens of people for this book. It’s still not over; the American version requires one hundred additional footnotes which I am finishing now. The weight of this book has not yet lifted.

The story is also very controversial – even today people have a lot of problems with what he did and how he did it. I am sometimes invited to speak about him just so that the audience can yell at me. I expect some survivors whose families were murdered in Auschwitz will continue to attack Kasztner for not doing more. In Israel, after the war, he was sentenced to death for his actions and then the ruling was overturned years later.

I believe that I know more about him and what happened than anyone in the world, including his friends and family. He is a hero, and his actions can teach us something very valuable. I am very passionate about this, and it will be a great relief to have the book out in the world. The Canadian publication will give me a good idea of what to expect and then next year it will be published in Hungary, Germany and the United States. And the film rights have just been bought by the same man who did Shake Hands with the Devil. So I will be very happy to have it done. This is my seventh book, but it is my most important work, and may be my last.

Published Danforth Review, October 29 2007

Anna Porter: Publishing Political

If you are jailed as a political prisoner at the age of 6, escape on foot from a totalitarian state, attend Catholic boarding school in a foreign language, and scrub toilets at a mental hospital to pay for your higher education, you may be tough enough for the world of publishing, considers Anna Porter. These experiences, among others, certainly helped her to prepare for a successful stint as CEO and founder of Key Porter Books, and are also behind her recent foray into non-fiction.

The newly released Kasztner's Train, is an engaging, thoroughly-researched work of non-fiction, and Anna's 7th book. It is an examination of personal courage in a time of overwhelming moral ambiguity.. The subject matter is weighty and sobering – sentiments that are evident in her voice as she explains the final processes.

"I have tried so hard with this book," she says, "I don't think I have ever tried this hard at anything in my professional life. This book is so important. The questions raised here are timeless – what does a moral person do when faced with injustice? What are we doing about the genocide in Darfur? These are timeless issues, unfortunately. "

Anna moved to New Zealand in 1956 to escape the Hungarian revolution, after living under its increasingly tense and brutal foreshadowing. The family's first attempt to escape the country landed both six-year old Anna and her mother in prison for a few months. Anna was 12 years old when her family successfully walked out of their country.

A Catholic boarding school in New Zealand, administered by nuns, accepted her as their only refugee student. She learned the English language and some semblance of religious training through an unpleasant immersion. At 18 she left the convent school to attend the University of Canterbury. There she completed Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts degrees, both in English Literature. She loved poetry and hers was published in Hungary at a young age.

While a university student, Anna worked first as a maid in a mental hospital and then at a bookstore, owned by a publishing company in New Zealand. Her first job was as a proofreader. She then moved to England and worked in marketing and sales for a larger publishing house, which would prompt a trip to Canada.

She never meant to stay in Toronto, but it has been a successful stint. It was here that she assumed her first editorial role, with McClelland & Stewart at the age of 25. Here she also met her husband to be - a lawyer who, after seeing her photograph on the society pages of Toronto Life magazine, called her repeatedly (even providing references!) until she consented to meet for a coffee. She also became very close to publisher Jack McClelland; an influence and mentor to her throughout her career.

In her first ten years of Canadian life she became president and publisher of Seal Books, a company partially founded by McClelland & Stewart. Like her mentor and friend Jack, Anna developed close relationships with Canadian authors, most of whom remain her friends today. By 1979, Anna knew every facet of the industry and was at ease when launching her own business, Key Porter Books.

Her most recent book, Kasztner's Train, required Anna to read over 300 books in 3 languages, find and read primary documents, and to travel all over the world for interviews. The film rights have been bought, and she is working on 100 additional footnotes for the American release. Anna is convinced that she is more familiar with the subject of her book than anyone in the world, including his own family. That subject is Rezso Kasztner, who directly negotiated for the lives of 1684 Jewish Europeans, and saved an additional 20 000 more during the Holocaust. Like many issues surrounding the topic of genocide, the means and extent to which Kasztner acted is controversial. Anna is convinced that he is a hero. But she is ready for the acclaim and accusations that will come.

Her own dedication to personal ethics is evident in the grand array of Canadian associations with whom she is involved. Soulpepper Theatre, Schulich School of Business, World Wildlife Fund and PEN Canada continue to benefit from her input and intellect. In 1992, Anna Porter was awarded the Order of Canada for her efforts to promote Canadian literary talent abroad. She has been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees from Ryerson University, St, Mary's University, and the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Published Women's Post, October 5 2007

Scream Literary Festival & World Green Building Council 2007 Galas

In a magnificent meeting of high intellect and rock music, the 15th annual Scream Literary Festival Gala took place in Toronto on July 7 at the trendy Hugh's Room. The event was dubbed "Spontaneous Combustion" and featured performances by Rock Plaza Central and The Carbonas, among others.

The festival attracts roughly 1200 attendees annually; this year it benefited from the quirky, bookish glamour of Dennis Lee, Leon Rooke and George Elliot Clarke. Aside from the curious, and the general seekers of good times, audience members included hipster parents, verbose executives and word-nerd students. For those eagerly awaiting the string of Word on the Street Festivals scheduled to hit cities across Canada this fall, the Scream Festival is a highly anticipated indulgence. The final evening of the festival draws an incredible crowd; Over a thousand people gathered on July 9 to hear poetry flung high into the stars from an outside stage. Spontaneous Combustion was an early release for this electric passion. An early, invite-only cocktail reception preceded the more raucous affair, which lasted well into the evening.

While the literary community was heating up the dance floor, the World Green Building Council [WGBC] has been struggling to keep things cool, so to speak. On July 10, WGBC hosted its gala reception at the Liberty Grand, as part of the 7th international Congress. The Congress will encourage strategies and solutions that address carbon emission issues on a global scale. Recent research shows that buildings are the source of 40 per cent of carbon emissions worldwide. Toronto is celebrating its new status as the permanent home of the WGBC Secretariat. Gala dinner attendees included Hon. Donna Cansfield (Minister of Transportation), Hon. Greg Sorbara (Minister of Finance), Toronto Mayor David Miller, and renowned architect Peter Busby. O.C. Sponsors included Direct Energy, St. Lawrence Cement, Metrus Developments, Enbridge, Industry Canada and the Clinton Foundation.

Published in the Women's Post, July 20 2007