Quote of the day

"From now on, ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put." (Sir Winston Churchill)

Suzuki reveals outsider status in book

“The time I arrived for Grade 10 at (London) Central, social circles were pretty well established and I was a total stranger, a hick from a farm, an outsider.”

Award-winning scientist, environmentalist, author and broadcaster David Suzuki — recently voted the fifth greatest Canadian in a CBC debate — has always felt he doesn’t belong.

So much so, in fact, that the former Londoner wanted to title his new book The Outsider.

Instead it’s simply called, David Suzuki: The Autobiography and he’ll be reading from it tomorrow night at the Grand Theatre, where he’ll also get a Green Umbrella award from the Urban League for community citizenship and involvement.

By KATHY RUMLESKI - London Free Press

At last, a big screen adaptation of "Atlas Shrugged"

Rand adaptation hitting big screen

By JAM! Books

After a few failed attempts to bring to life Ayn Rand's sci-fi novel "Atlas Shrugged," a deal has finally been inked with the producers of "Ray" to adapt the book for the big screen, Variety reports.

Howard and Karen Baldwin acquired the "Atlas" film rights from businessman John Agilaloro, who will also produce the film.

The 1957 novel revolves around the economic collapse of the U.S. in the future.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, both fans of the book, are reported to be interested in playing the lead roles of Dagny Taggart and John Galt.

For several years, attempts have been made to bring it to the big screen with Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway all originally attached to it.

Most recently, a 1999 deal with TNT to adapt "Atlas" into a miniseries failed to materialize.

[To the tune of Pearl Jam, "World Wide Suicide", from the album "Pearl Jam".]

Top ten hardcover non-fiction books in Canada

Here are the top 10 hardcover non-fiction books compiled by Maclean's magazine, via Canoe. Bracketed figures indicate position the previous week.

For the period ending: April 16, 2006

1. (1) The Weather Makers -- Tim Flannery

2. (5) Marley & Me -- John Grogan

3. (7) Freakonomics -- Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

4. (4) The Autobiography -- David Suzuki

5. (3) Six Words You Never Knew Had Something to do With Pigs -- Katherine Barber

6. (6) The Jesus Papers -- Michael Baigent

7. (9) Sorry, I Don't Speak French -- Graham Fraser

8. (8) The Force of Reason -- Oriana Fallaci

9. (2) The Great Transformation -- Karen Armstrong

10. (10) The Bedside Book of Birds -- Graeme Gibson