English Professor has found a new way to indulge her passion for the written word. She is now a reviewer for Radio Canada International, talking, of course, about all things bookish and Canadian.
On various Wednesdays between 11 and 11:30am, including tomorrow, Uppal will discuss what she has been reading lately as part of 鈥淏iblio-file鈥, a segment on the 鈥淭he Link鈥, a live radio show broadcasting out of CBC鈥檚 Montreal studio with host Mark Montgomery, although Uppal will be ensconced in the Toronto studio.
It鈥檚 a perfect fit. Uppal says she 鈥渂asically reads so many books anyway and loves to talk about them鈥 that this just gives her another opportunity to do so, and at the same time 鈥渋nfluence an audience,鈥 introducing people to great Canadian literature and quirky items with which聽they may not be familiar.
For her first show, Uppal spoke about her favourite Canadian playwright, George F. Walker, and his six-play cycle Suburban Motel, set in the same rundown motel room. It was the first time 鈥淏iblio-file鈥 has featured a playwright鈥檚 work. 鈥淚t gave me an opportunity to reread his plays,鈥 says Uppal. 鈥淗e鈥檚 just a whiz with words. His narratives are filled with desperate people鈥hey鈥檙e just really trying to get themselves out of a hole鈥t鈥檚 great though, because he鈥檚 able to see tragedy as absurd.鈥
Tomorrow, she will discuss Jessica Grant's debut novel Come, Thou Tortoise 鈥 Uppal was on the jury that awarded Grant鈥檚 book the 2010 Amazon First Novel Award. Talking about it on air gives her the chance to explain why the book was chosen and what鈥檚 so great about it.
Left: Priscila Uppal
On Dec. 22, Uppal will look at the poetry collection 38 Bar Blues by blues, hip hop, folk and rock musician . 鈥淚 would think most people wouldn鈥檛 know he writes poetry,鈥 says Uppal. Most people think of him as a spoken word artist and he is also not considered a mainstream poet. Not only that, few poetry titles actually make it into a bookstore where people can come across them on their own.
And this is what really excites Uppal 鈥 she will be able to bring not only mainstream titles, but more obscure novels, plays and collections of short stories and poetry to her audience鈥檚 attention. Works they should pay attention to, works that will intrigue, fascinate and inspire.
鈥淭he Link鈥, a two-hour daily radio show aimed at connecting people to Canada and Canada to the world, includes daily current affairs and culture stories, from 11am to 1pm,聽via the Internet, short wave and satellite radio. It is rebroadcast from 2 to 4am as part of CBC Radio One's overnight programming.
To listen to 鈥淭he Link鈥 or the 鈥淏iblio-file鈥 segment, visit the 鈥溾 website.
You can on George F. Walker鈥檚 Suburban Motel.
By Sandra McLean, YFile writer
Republished courtesy of YFile鈥 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.