Stories about storytellers : publishing Alice Munro, Robertson Davies, Alistair MacLeod, Pierre Trudeau, and others

Spotlighting An Extraordinary Career, This Autobiography Reviews The Author's Accomplishments Working--and Playing--alongside Some Of Canada's Greatest Writers. These Humorous Chronicles Relate The Projects He Brainstormed For Writer Barry Broadfoot, How He Convinced Eventual Nobel Prize Contender Alice Munro To Keep Writing Short Stories, His Early Morning Phone Call From A Former Prime Minister, And His Recollection Of Yanking A Manuscript Right Out Of Alistair Macleod's Own Reluctant Hands--which Ultimately Garnered Macleod One Of The World's Most Prestigious Prizes For Fiction. Insightful And Entertaining, This Collection Of Tales Provides An Inside View Of Canadian Politics And Publishing That Is Rarely Revealed, Going Behind The Scenes And Between The Covers To Divulge A Treasure Trove Of Literary Adventures.--pub. Desc. Stephen Leacock 1869-1944 -- Hugh Maclennan 1907-1990 -- R.d. Symons 1898-1973 -- Harold Horwood 1923-2006 -- Barry Broadfoot 1926-2003 -- Morley Callaghan 1903-1990 -- W.o. Mitchell 1914-1998 -- Robertson Davis 1913-1995 -- Jack Hodgins 1938- -- James Houston 1921-2005 -- Charles Richie 1906-1995 -- Pierre Trudeau 1919-2000 -- Mavis Gallant 1922- -- Peter C. Newman 1929- -- Brian Mulroney 1939- -- Robert Hunter 1941-2005 -- Alistair Macleod 1936- -- Paul Martin 1938- -- Peter Gzowski 1934-2002 -- Val Ross 1950-2008 -- Alice Munro 1931-. By Douglas Gibson ; With Illustrations By Anthony Jenkins. Includes Bibliographical References. Issued Also In Electronic Formats. Title Page......Page 2 Copyright......Page 3 Dedication......Page 4 Table of Contents......Page 6 Introduction by Alice Munro......Page 8 1: Stephen Leacock, Professor, Humorist, and Immigration Agent (1869-1944)......Page 12 2: Hugh MacLennan, Teacher, Novelist, Essayist, and Cottager (1907-1990)......Page 31 3: R.D. Symons, Cowboy, Writer, Artist, and Conservationist (1898-1973)......Page 54 4: Harold Horwood, Newfoundlander, Novelist, Naturalist, and Neglected Genius (1923-2006)......Page 62 5: Barry Broadfoot, Newspaper Guy, and Oral Historian (1926-2003)......Page 80 6: Morley Callaghan, Novelist, Short Story Writer, and Torontonian (1903-1990)......Page 101 7: W.O. Mitchell, Character, and Creator of Characters (1914-1998)......Page 118 8: Robertson Davies, Man of Letters, Oracle, and Ugly Duckling (1913-1995)......Page 131 9: Jack Hodgins, Islander, Teacher, and Inventor of Worlds (1938-)......Page 153 10: James Houson, Artist, Author, Hunter, and Igloo Dweller (1921-2005)......Page 174 11: Charles Ritchie, Diplomat, Diarist, and Charming Dissembler (1906-1995)......Page 195 12: Pierre Trudeau, Prime Minister, Author, and Haunting Icon (1919-2000)......Page 207 13: Mavis Gallant, Short Story Writer, Canadian, and Parisienne (1922-)......Page 217 14: Peter C. Newman, Refugee, Journalist, and Poer-Seeking Missile (1929-)......Page 237 15: Brian Mulroney, Boy from Baie Comeau, Prime Minister, and Author (1939-)......Page 256 16: Robert Hunter, Greenpeace Founder, Writer, and Very Merry Man (1941-2005)......Page 276 17: Alistair MacLeod, Teacher, Fiction Writer, Stone Carver, and Dancer (1936-)......Page 291 18: Paul Martin, Successful Businessman, Very Successful Finance Minister, and Prime Minister (1938-)......Page 310 19: Peter Gzowski, Writer, and Voice (1936-2002)......Page 330 20: Val Ross, Journalist, Author, and Maker of Rules (1950-2008)......Page 349 21: Alice Munro, Not Bad Short Story Writer (1931-)......Page 354 Epilogue: "What Happens After My Book Is Published?"......Page 374 Afterword and Acknowledgements......Page 382 Ill kill him! said Mavis Gallant. Pierre Trudeau almost did, leading him (Run!) into a whizzing stream of traffic that almost crushed both of them. Alistair MacLeod accused him of a home invasion to grab the manuscript of No Great Mischief. And Paul Martin denounced him to a laughing Ottawa crowd, saying, If Shakespeare had had Doug Gibson as an editor, there would be no Shakespeare! On the other hand, Alice Munro credits him with keeping her writing short stories when the world demanded novels. Robertson Davies, with a nod to Dickens, gratefully called him My Partner Frequent. W.O. Mitchell summoned up a loving joke about him, on his deathbed. Stories About Storytellers shares these tales and many more, as readers follow Doug Gibson through 40 years of editing and publishing some of Canadas sharpest minds and greatest storytellers. Gibson is a terrific storyteller himself, and through his recollections we get an inside view of Canadian politics and publishing that rarely gets told. From Jack Hodgins Vancouver Island to Harold Horwoods Labrador, from Alice Munros Ontario to James Houstons Arctic, Doug Gibson takes us on an unforgettable literary tour of Canada, going behind the scenes and between the covers, and opening up his own story vault for all to read and enjoy. The legendary Canadian book editor presents this “remarkable, four-decade romp through the back rooms of publishing” (Toronto Sun). Scottish-born Douglas Gibson was drawn to Canada by the writing of Stephen Leacock—and eventually made his way across the Atlantic to find a job in book publishing, where he edited a biography of none other than Leacock. But over the decades, his stellar career would lead him to work with many more of the country’s leading literary lights. This memoir shares stories of working—and playing—alongside writers including Robertson Davies, Mavis Gallant, Brian Mulroney, Val Ross, W. O. Mitchell, and many more. Gibson reveals the projects he brainstormed for Barry Broadfoot; how he convinced future Nobel Prize winner Alice Munro to keep writing short stories; his early-morning phone call from a former prime minister; and his recollection of yanking a manuscript right out of Alistair MacLeod’s reluctant hands—which ultimately garnered the author one of the world’s most prestigious prizes for fiction. Insightful and entertaining, this collection of tales goes behind the scenes and between the covers to divulge a treasure trove of literary adventures. “He makes his life in publishing sound like great fun.” —The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Spotlighting an extraordinary career, this autobiography reviews the author{u2019}s accomplishments working#x97;and playing#x97;alongside some of Canada{u2019}s greatest writers. These humorous chronicles relate the projects he brainstormed for writer Barry Broadfoot, how he convinced eventual Nobel Prize contender Alice Munro to keep writing short stories, his early morning phone call from a former Prime Minister, and his recollection of yanking a manuscript right out of Alistair MacLeod{u2019}s own reluctant hands#x97;which ultimately garnered MacLeod one of the world{u2019}s most prestigious prizes for fiction. Insightful and entertaining, this collection of tales provides an inside view of Canadian politics and publishing that is rarely revealed, going behind the scenes and between the covers to divulge a treasure trove of literary adventures