Barbara Gowdy/Steven Heighton, Brig

After hearing Barbara Gowdy on the CBC, how could I resist heading down to Harbourfront for the Celebrating Barbara Gowdy event that took place last week, March 8, 2006.

Who knew she grew up a lyricist??? I love hearing her talk about everything, she's so interesting! I like the sound of her voice, and she is one of Canada's most innovative, respected and best-loved authors.

International Readings at Harbourfront Centre and Descant celebrate Barbara Gowdy's work with the launch of Entering the Other: The World of Barbara Gowdy (Descant 132). Gowdy's fans will be treated to a special preview of her upcoming novel. Paying tribute to Barbara Gowdy will be Catherine Graham, Steven Heighton, Marni Jackson, Karen Mulhallen, Mary Newberry, T.F. Rigelhof and Shyam Selvadurai.
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When I went to hear her read last time, I went to Indigo. And the boys from Book TV thought I was hosting, when indeed it was Mr. Daniel Richler himself (did I have cool pants on or WHAT), and I was just writer girl audience member... Although I noticed he had not done his homework and she was annoyed with him (you could tell they are friends).

I asked her "WHY, why on earth are you a writer? Why do you it?"
And she gave us a really eloquent answer about falling into it and being unable to do anything else. She said "I never went every where furtively writing everything in my notebook" gesturing back at me, and I really felt like I was sitting at the table and we were chatting. And it was a really great discussion and I still wish someday to watch book tv because I think HE rocks and I think the idea rocks.
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I've also seen Steven Heighton at Harbourfront before:

I like a guy whose musical tastes put Edith Pilaf in bed with John Prine, and then go on to range from Roy Orbison to Brian Ferry. A punk poet turned U of T professor who makes a musical trivia game and reads it as a poem/pop quiz as part of the Harbourfront Reading Series. This is what Governor General's Award-finalist Steven Heighton did recently appearing at the Harbourfront Centre, with Michael Holmes, Sue Goyette and August Kleinzhaler. His signature blend of emotional fierceness and linguistic beauty were well showcased in excerpts from The Address Book, a poetry collection of well crafted love letters, and lyrical moments of loss and complaint, which often use music, and always intelligence as the best guards against grief.
He is the author of seven books, including essay collections, the bestselling novel, The Shadow Boxer; and poetry. Kudos to Anansi for supporting Heighton’s artistic (if not commercial) development and progression. It’s too bad the art opening in the York Quay Centre (the building surrounding the Brigantine Room) wasn’t until the following day and that for his reading, the new exhibits and installations were all under construction, because the usually worth the trek venue as gallery did not do justice to his elegiac, tender, and angrily heart-felt poems of total conviction.

Brigantine Room, York Quay Centre, $8, Wed. Apr 28/

http://loguelikevogue.blogspot.com/2006/03/cbc-radio-one-991.html