Saturday 27 February 1999 Fictional book listby Andy Riga

Don't judge an online book listing by its cover. You may think a book-vendor Web site is highlighting a title because an in-house bibliophile curled up with it and found it to be a page-turner.

But it turns out that, on some sites at least, cash from publishers fuels the prominent placement of books.

Internet pioneer Amazon.com set off alarm bells for online shoppers recently when it admitted it accepts payments to include books in its "Bestseller," "What We're Reading" and "Destined for Greatness" sections.

But you don't have to look south of the border to find such practices.

Take ChaptersGlobe, the online partnership of the Chapters bookstore chain and The Globe and Mail.

The Talk on the ECONOMY in Books-StockMkt.htm

Monday,October 19, 1998 The book trade's big bet on the Net Canadian retailers are gambling that on-line is the way to go. Surely someone will turn a profit soon. Elizabeth Renzetti Matthew Sylvain is the point where Gutenberg meets Gates. As an "information architect," the 26-year-old Toronto resident wades around in cyberspace every day, writing for sites on the World Wide Web. He also loves books, however, and the stores that sell them. [ full story ]

SITE LINES

Friday 24 April 1998 A new page on books Premier Bouchard has made reading a personal cause. In addressing the two-day summit on books that opened Wednesday in Quebec City, he said that of all the summits over which he has presided, "this one is the one that gives me the most emotion.(saved)

Barry Lazar ["Tea with Mister George and other Adventures in Montreal"] compared the coverage in the Gazette and La Presse of the StatsCan figures on the number of people who speak English at home. The Gazette mournfully declared that the number of Anglophones was diminishing while La Presse joyfully announced that bilingualism was increasing!

Passport's Guide to Ethnic Montreal : A Complete Guide to the Many Faces & Cultures of Montreal by Barry Lazar, Tamsin Douglas


Order, P.S. : A Memoir by Pierre D. Salinger Today!
link from ../westweb & we split commissions

[Pierre tells us that there is a lot of sex in this book, and that he has done a lot of fooling around. This he admits up front so the media won't attack later. Now that he is married to 'Nicole II' - Poppy - .. no more!?? well, at our age...DTN]

ANTOINETTE TADDEO AND THE ALLOPOHONES

Donat Taddeo, Executive Vice Chairman of the Concordia Capital Campaign was introduced by Michael Price, and in turn introduced his sister, Antoinette Taddeo, a teacher at Villa Maria and author of the recently published (by Michael Price) "Canada con Passione". Antoinette then introduced her colleague from Villa Maria, Helen Lanthier. David Nicholson commented that Antoinette's recent book launch at Loyola was a revelation. There were some 500 people present, almost all from the Italian community and wonderfully supportive of her and her book.

EDUCATION

Antoinette presented an educator's point of view stating that French nationalists are causing great harm to the future of their "country" by denying English-Language education to Francophones. The bilingual Francophone is of course as mobile as the Anglophone. Allophone numbers are increasing, both in real terms and as a percentage of the population. Allophones are often tri-lingual. The Catholic Church has been unfairly blamed for past weaknesses in education.

Another guest, raised in Montreal in French, commented that in his opinion the Catholic Church did indeed dominate society until the Quiet Revolution. But now, the French universities are doing so well that they surpass the English ones in many areas. Why? Because they modernized, copied the English system and collaborate with English universities. Dialogue is the key to success as well as understanding!

A comment was made that we must not forget that the Sovereignists often ensure that their own children acquire bilingual capabilities that are not available for the population at large.

We were reminded that the French Canadians never supported public schools. Their tradition was to confide their children to the Church-run schools where parents had little input. Therefore, there was no participation in school boards or other authorities. The excellence of the English schools is the result of the Anglo-Scots tradition of educating the people of all classes.

Because of the policy of confessional school boards, access to the French Catholic system was restricted to a limited number of immigrants whereas the Protestant School Board (predominantly English) accepted anyone else and of course, the Jews (another community with strong traditions of education) sent their children to the Protestant Board.

Julius Grey takes issue with some of the traditional views of French Canada and underlines that Quebec has not uniformly been to the Right. He ridicules and deplores the tone and stands taken by the "Suburban". Nationalism is not necessarily wrong or stupid; there are degrees. Extreme nationalism, like any extreme stand is neither healthy nor good. Unfortunately at present we have vocal extremists on both sides.

David Nicholson suggests that in any debate in one's second language, one is generally at a disadvantage and feels frustrated by not being able to express one's views as clearly as in one's maternal language. He hopes to have some Wednesday Night sessions in French only to balance the advantages. Several people voice their approval; others feel that it is better that Wednesday Night be truly bilingual and that each person be able to express him/herself in whichever language (s)he prefers in the assurance that everyone around the table will fully comprehend.

Philippa Rispin, an Anglo Catholic, born in England, emigrated to Canada at an early age and was raised "British" in Montreal. Only later did she come to realize that being bilingual was an important part of her "Canadian" identity. She suggests that French Canadians view native-born English speakers differently from Anglophones born somewhere else - there is more tolerance for errors or traces of accents in the latter case.

"Power" has two different connotations in the discussion of the decline of the English community. Does power flow from language/education, or economic/business sources? Can these be divorced from one another in the context of North America?

In the view of several, Economics is the key, not Language. If problems related to the economy were solved, including those directly stemming from the Separation proposals, other issues would fall into place.

CHATEAU CANDIAC

Marie-Thérèse Belmont described her project briefly. She is setting up a foundation in Canada to acquire, restore and operate the home of Montcalm, Chateau Candiac, in France. In response to the statement that the most interest and enthusiasm for the project, as well as the best archives, are at Fort Ticonderoga, William Weintraub remarked that the Americans had hoped that Montcalm would win so that they might in the future purchase Quebec from France (as they did Louisiana).

CONCORDIA

Following a quick review of Concordia's history, the predecessor schools and their merger, Don Taddeo emphasized that the University's budget has suffered cuts of 25%. Therefore the Capital Campaign is indispensable if Concordia is build on its excellences. But it is also necessary to reassess its strengths, goals and what programs are needed by and for students in the coming years. Strengths include Fine Arts, Commerce, Cinema, Engineering and Computer Sciences.

Thirty-seven million dollars has been raised. The Toronto alumni are very strong and supportive.

• Saturday 12 September 1998 - Norman Webster - Don't write off Charest (saved)
  
  
• Saturday 8 August 1998 - Column - Norman Webster - Clinton scandal a dirty joke
  
  
• Saturday 4 July 1998 - Norman Webster - Changing China Old China Hands, used to the Orwellian country of a generation ago, are amazed at the transformation shown during Clinton's visit by NORMAN WEBSTER (saved)
• Saturday 27 June 1998 - Norman Webster - Much to celebrate Canada Day
  
  
• Saturday 20 June 1998 The joys of being anglophone in Quebec by NORMAN WEBSTER

  MUNICIPAL POLITICS

  December 6, 1997 One hell of a deal by Norman Webster .... Dion has got himself in a spot of bother with activists here by suggesting they put their energy into pushing the advantages of Canada, rather than emphasizing possible partition of Quebec after secession.(saved)

  I think he's got it right. The partition people have sewn confusion in separatist ranks by underlining that borders, too, would bennegotiable in the event of secession.
  Norman Webster is a former editor of The Gazette.
  
  also by Norman Webster

• Saturday 13 June 1998 - Norman Webster - Changing times in Russia NORMAN WEBSTER (saved)
• It's time to vaunt the glories of Canada
• A base on which to build and Saturday 21 March 1998 - Norman Webster - Charest is his own best publicity Beauty-Contest Polls (saved)

"Bourque doesn't have a chance of being reelected". He has become a subject of ridicule - as indicated by the increasing viciousness of the political cartoons. Anyone who runs against him could be elected. Lisa Frulla still appears to be hesitating between the run for Mayor and staying with the Liberals. The MCM is falling apart and will probably split into two parties.

Meanwhile, the saga of the download continues. Expect some kind of an announcement from Bouchard any day.

Robert Stewart's 'Duty of Civility'... plus many other stories /

FINAL TIDBITS

CONCLUSION on Wednesday Night #822

The many new faces - and opinions - around the table ensured a varied and highly stimulating dialogue, with a proportionately low degree of agreement. It was a splendid evening!

Recorded by Michael Judson

Edited by Diana Thébaud Nicholson

The Quebec Society for the Promotion of English Language Literature (QSPELL) The Royal Bank Prize for non-fiction was Won by William Weintraub for City Unique: Montréal Days and Nights in the 40s and 50s, McCelland & Stewart







December 19, 1997 Paragraphe opens new chapter and more by L. Ian MacDonald

Our LIBRARIES sites

Mackay L. Smith (64), author of "The Jews of Montreal and Their Judaisms. A Voyage of Discovery". Irwin Block The Gaxette "What's a nice left-handed laundryman from Upper Westmount like you (doing) writing ... a book about the Jews of Montréal?" .. squash, geopolitics, photographer [see IMAGE on Ste.Catherine near Greeen] and ex-carouser. ..A good read. ?Subject=KaySmith">e-mail here $19.95