Thursday, October 17, 2013

Alice Munro and Peter Gzowski


What a treat!  Peter Gzowski interviewing Alice Munro on a CBC Rewind program from 1996. Listen to it here on CBC.

It was an absolute delight hearing Munro: thoughtful, modest but confident .  And it was vintage Gzowski in a conversation with a friend - full of pauses, digressions, good humour, interest in the guest, and, well, sheer grace and charm.  

I love CBC's The Current with Anna Maria Tremonti, but gosh I miss Gzowski's gravelly voice on Morningside in that time slot.  I remember a time when I was trying to seduce Gzowski to be involved in the upcoming Globe and Mail's book site.  Being awakened by his gravelly voice on the phone in early morning Calgary just thrilled me to bits!  Gzowski, not on the radio, but talking to me!

Addendum:  A friend just forwarded me a great review in The New York Times by Jonathan Franzen of Alice Munro's collection of short stories Runaway.  In it, Franzen pokes fun at the Nobel Academy for not recognizing Munro - too many Nobels for Canadians and for short story writers! Definitely worth reading this old review.

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