The Book Broads

The Murrayville Library presents Dr. John Sloan, author of A Bitter Pill: How The Medical System Is Failing The Elderly. It will be at The W.C. Blair Recreation Centre at the corner of Fraser Highway and 221 Street (Langley) at 7 pm on Wednesday, April 14th. (Please note the talk is NOT at the library itself)

Dr. Sloan will be covering:

	Are you one of the "FRAGILE ELDERLY"?
	What does the healthcare system really do for us?
	What do we WANT from the system?
	Is there a way to get what we want?

Below is some information about the book and Dr. Sloan. He is knowledgeable and passionate about our elderly and brings insight to their needs.

As the baby boomers grow older, health care for the elderly has become an increasing concern. Advocating a shift from invasive treatment and hospitalization to palliative care, Dr. John Sloan provides clear solutions to a problematic system.

Medical treatment of elderly people, says Sloan, is not working. Worse, it is often harmful. In A Bitter Pill, he examines why medical treatment—from modern medicine’s one-size-fits-all prevention strategy to hospital stays that don’t benefit anyone—is failing them.

In clear, accessible language, Sloan argues that we must understand what people in poor health at the end of their lives really need: comfort, dignity, and quality of life. He also argues that caregivers, sons, daughters, nurses, doctors, and social workers—all of us—must assume responsibility for what happens to the elderly and give these loved ones the kind of care we hope, one day, someone will give us.

John Sloan, MD  is a senior academic physician in the Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia and has spent most of his thirty years of practice caring for the frail elderly in Vancouver. He has lectured throughout Canada and in Europe and the United States, and is sought after as an inspirational speaker on geriatrics. He lives in Vancouver and Roberts Creek, B.C.

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The lovable Margaret Atwood fans her eyes delightfully from under the brim of a sunny hat, in the photo attached to the article March 24th on the Vancouver Sun’s website.

Atwood won the prize because judges recognized that she is …”a versatile and prolific writer who in her novels has explored both Canadian and transnational issues of the 20th century, such as colonization, feminism, structures of political power and oppression, and the violation and exploitation of nature.”

Atwood shares the prize with Indian-American novelist Amitav Ghosh. Both winners must share at least 10% of their award with academic scholarships.

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Random House Canada sent The Book Broads an advance copy of Paris In The Spring With Picasso written by Joan Yolleck and illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. The Broads love children’s books… and so do our kids. My daughter, Ella Rose, aged 5, currently takes art classes, is learning to read and dreams of Paris (she is the Fancy Nancy of B.C.), so we thought she would be the perfect wee one to give us some thoughts on this new book.

Paris In The Spring With Picasso is based in Joan’s imagining of what Gertrude Stein’s friends did during the day, before they went to her house for a soiree. In this colourful book we get to meet some great characters from the beginning of the twentieth century – people like Guillaume Apollinaire, Marie Laurencin, Alice B. Toklas, Pablo Picasso and more. We learn about art, poems, some french and more about some interesting people from our past – the ones who certainly have influenced us today.

Here are some things Ella Rose says about the book – please note she goes to a fantastic art class and has learned a lot about artists, hence she has an art knowledge that astounds me:

“It looks like Jackson Pollock when I open the book”. (Indeed it does).

“The Eiffel Tower is the same as Mark Chagill’s” (She did a Mark Chagill painting  at her art class last month – I know I am her mom, but, holy doodle, she is good).

“Can we have a soiree like Gertrude Stein?” (I think we will, but an earlier one that is appropriate for her age group).

“Mommy what colour is Zinzolin?” (Max Jacobs favourite colour – and it is stunning and now we want dresses of that colour).

Paris In The Spring With Picasso is available now at your favourite bookstore. It is a juvenile fiction hardcover from Schwartz & Wade (Random House of Canada Ltd). 978-0-375-83756-2.

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Last weekend Peggy, Angela and moi, Kim, had a work retreat on Gabriola Island. We talked books, drank booze, ate great food and met with children’s book illustrator and author, Dianna Bonder. We had the great pleasure to hang out at her abode, peruse her studio and check out some of her new art work – we LOVED the pirate theme. Arrrrr!

Check out Dianna’s website at www.diannabonder.com. She does do some book store visits and she is a popular author for schools around Canada – she is heading to the Kelowna area soon… lucky kids who get to hear her talk about her work.  She is also a featured author/illustrator at Nanaimo’s Bookfest this Spring. More info to come on that.

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Check out this great interview we did back in September at Word on the Street at the Vancouver downtown library.

Yarn Bombers, UNITE!

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 Sarah Dunant [9:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (93)

I admit I am an author groupie – in the very biggest way. When I had a chance to meet Sarah Dunant, I was beside myself. She is the woman behind some fascinating books – the international bestseller The Birth of Venus, which has received major worldwide acclaim, In the Company of the Courtesan and most recently Sacred Hearts. What an honour to meet with her and talk about her research, writing and how to beat a cold when on book tour.

Sarah with touring North America and was doing interviews, book events and connecting with fans. It was a delight to see how gracious and open she was with everyone. It was very clear she had a great love for Canada and she does enjoy spending some quiet time on Hornby Island as often as she can.

You also get a taste of the music that was inspired by the book. Oh, so lovely.

Peggy Richardson and I (two of The Book Broads) caught up with Sarah in Nanaimo, BC before she headed to Denman Island for their Writers Festival. She actually had to record the interview twice due to some crazy technical thingy (don’t ask, I am not savvy with technology). Peggy Richardson, interviewed Sarah and I hope you enjoy the chat they had. I certainly did.

All the best,

Kim

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We had a ball today being interviewed by Dr. David Newman on RoseHeartRadio.com. Thanks for listening! There will be more podcasts on the way soon, don’t worry!

If you would like to hear podcasts about a particular topic, just drop us a line. We might be able to give you exactly what you’re looking for.

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