THEME:	LITERARY SECTON THEME

PAUL:	Well, just in time.  That familiar music can 
	only mean one thing: it's 
	time for WordWorks, our 
	review of current literary 
	goings on, and I'm thrilled as 
	ever to have with me popular 
	author and critic, Kathleen 
	Hanrahan.  Kathleen.

KATH:	Paul.  Good to be back.

PAUL:	Yes, you were on tour with the Bookmobile.  
	Where to this time?

KATH:	All over Conception Bay, Paul, and it was a real 
	thrill to see so many  eager young readers ...


PAUL:	What, what, did something happen ?

KATH:	Unfortunately, the Bookmobile was stolen just outside Whitbourne.

PAUL:	You're kidding.

KATH:	No.  No, we stopped for a bite to eat at the Irving station, 
	and when we came out it was gone.

PAUL:	That's awful.  And it hasn't turned up?

KATH:	Fraid not, Paul.

PAUL:	That's outrageous.  I mean, what would anyone want with a bunch of 
	books?  ( PAUSE )  Anyway.  What do you have for us this week?

KATH:	Well, I got back just in time for the big stir over the John Cabot book.


PAUL:	Right.  The memoirs, due to be released next month, I believe?

KATH:	Not his memoirs exactly.  It's actually the eagerly awaited 
	translation of the ship's log from Cabot's 1497 voyage to the 
	new world, when -- of course -- he discovered Nfld.

PAUL:	Now this document was itself a kind of revelation, wasn't it?

KATH:	That's right.  It was only discovered in 1991 in an attic in Milan.  The 
	find created a lot of excitement everywhere, but 
	nowhere of course more than here, what with preparations 
	already well underway for the 1997 celebrations.  

PAUL:	I'm making preparations, that's for sure.

KATH:	The Provincial government's 500th anniversary commission paid a 
	wopping 4 million dollars to get this translated and published in time to 
	whip up some interest in the big event.

PAUL:	Well, it may have cost a bundle, but it certainly is a lovely edition.  I 
	couldn't help thinking, looking at the frontispiece 
	here, that our John Cabot was quite a flashy dresser, eh 
	Kathleen ?  So why the big fuss?

KATH:	Well, it turns out that Cabot didn't have much good to say about 
	anything to do with the great voyage of discovery.  The log 
	is virtually non-stop griping.

PAUL:	About what?

KATH:	You name it: they were beset by freak storms, icebergs, an unusual 
	infestation of the ship's stores by flying fish, the mysterious 
	suicide of the lookout, and on and on and on...

PAUL:	What a drag.

KATH:	Well, the real drag, for the Anniversary Commission, comes on p. 114, 
	and it's quite a bomb.  Are you ready for this, Paul?

PAUL:	Drum roll.

KATH:	(reads) "Would that this Terra Infirma had remained a Terra Incognita.  
	The churning of these black seas and the sour wind off the 
	land torments my crew.  Three men of seven returned 
	from the desperate island their faces a witches mask of 
	hideous boils.  When the ship's doctor did lance these 
	boobs, there was an issue of lively yellow maggots.  The 
	crew believe we are in the very Kingdom of the Antichrist.  
	I am stricken with a fear that my sad discovery shall be a black 
	legacy hanging from my name."

PAUL:	Wow.  That's it?  Things didn't take a turn for the better?

KATH:	No, that's basically it.  That's really the only mention of Newfoundland 
	in the entire volume.

PAUL:	Well, that is a disappointment.  But, I mean, he still discovered 
	Newfoundland, no matter how much he wished he hadn't, right?  We 
	still get to celebrate it, right ? 

KATH:	I guess so, but there're a couple of lawsuits in the works.  The 
	Commission now insists that the log is a forgery.  They've 
	sued the Italian media consortium that sold it to 
	them.  Release of the book has been postponed indefinitely.  
	Now a group of academics here are complaining that the 
	Commission is engaged in a cover up.

PAUL:	What a mess.  It really kind of casts a black cloud over the whole 
	anniversary.  What do you make of it all?

KATH:	Oh, I think the log's authentic.  I mean, all these explorers were 
	hardened mercenaries in search of glory and treasure.  
	They got what they deserved. I think the book should serve 
	as a classic cautionary tale, an emblem of the fact that 
	1997 is an anniversary of violation and not one of discovery.

PAUL:	Hmm.  I see what you mean, but, I don't know, they took Columbus to 
	the cleaners there a couple of years ago, and now this about 
	Cabot. I was really looking forward to a celebration, parades and 
	tall ships sailing through the harbour and all that stuff.  Some sort of 
	positive affirmation that, damn it, we're here despite it all.  
	I don't know.  Nothing's simple any more, is it?


KATH:	Well, our List of New Releases is simple.

PAUL:	Great, let's turn to the new titles from local authors.

KATH:	First we have the No Fish Cookbook.

PAUL:	Timely.

KATHLEEN:	Put together by some graduate students at the 
	Food Sciences Dept at the university. With the help 
	of a DFO summer grant.  Really imaginative, and some 
	of these recipes are quite delightful.


PAUL:	So you've actually tried some?

KATH:	The Mushrooms and Brewis left me a little cold, 
	but the Tofu and Chips is a real winner.

PAUL:	Almost looks like fish in the picture.

KATH:	Paul, I know you're not one to plug your own 
	material, but any bookwatcher in the province is 
	going to want to know about The Rocky Road to Recovery, 
	by our very own Paul Moth.

PAUL:	Well...

KATH:	I won't embarass you, Paul, but personally I think 
	it's a fabulous self-help book, and I think it's going 
	to give a lot of people hope.  I understand you have a 
	speaking tour lined up in conjunction with the release?

PAUL:	Yes, I'll be out in Gander on Wednesday night, at 
	Gander Collegiate auditorium, if anyone's interested.

KATH:	Great.  Know what you'll be talking about?

PAUL:	I don't know.  Gander's kind of a prescription drug town.  
	I'll probably talk about my problems with pg's.

KATH:	Good idea.  Finally, I have to mention the controversial, 
	"Monkey Business".

PAUL:	Yes parents were complaining that this "pop up" book 
	might be too .... mature, I guess, for young readers.

KATHLEEN:	Well, I've brought a copy.

PAUL:	Good, I haven't had a chance yet to .....wooooow!  
	Mature indeed.  But .... ahhhh very well made, great ... 
	popping up effect.

KATHLEEN:	This really isn't for kids.  It's an adult book 
	using the form.  I thought this should have been made more clear 
	in the advance publicity but you can see it's fun and kids might 
	be intrigued if they saw it lying around.

PAUL:	Just look at that will you.  My goodness this is really 
	amazing.  (turns page)   AHHHHHHH!

KATHLEEN:	Comes right at you doesn't it.

PAUL:	It sure does.  Well, Kathleen, always a pleasure.  Thanks for 
	popping by, and we'll see you next week at the same time.

KATHLEEN:	Great.