Ever wonder about what it takes for a self-published author to get picked up by McLelland & Stewart? Why not ask Terry Fallis, author of Waterloo’s 2010 One Book One Community selection, The Best Laid Plans? He’ll be joining us on our “One Book, One Best Laid Plan” book tour on June 19.

Each year, TNQ hosts a book tour that explores the themes of the region’s One Book One Community selection. In keeping with the book, a light-hearted political satire, the focus of this year’s event will be reflecting on, and poking fun at, our institutions, political and otherwise.

The tour will begin with Fallis regaling the group with his literary adventures from being a guy writing in his attic to winning the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour and being picked up by McLelland & Stewart publishing. Terry will then be joining the tour, so there’ll be time to talk to him throughout the day. You’ll also want to check out his essay about his early experiments with flight as an amateur inventor, in our upcoming summer issue (out mid July).

A number of local experts and practitioners in the fields of politics and satire will entertain and challenge us during the day. Ed Jernigan, a University of Waterloo Engineering professor and Director of the Centre for Knowledge Integration, will speak about what makes the book’s engineer and reluctant politician Angus McClintock a good problem solver, and talk about the changing face of the university. David Docherty, Political Science professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, will comment on the changing face of Canadian politics.

After a lunch break at the Huether Hotel, the group will convene for The Best Laid Plans Debating Society. The debate format will be modeled on the CBC Radio show, The Debaters, mixing “fact and funny.” Terry Fallis will act as the moderator. Karen Redman, Kitchener’s former MP and Liberal Party Whip will be among the participants. The day will end with a concert by James Gordon, folksinger and raconteur extraordinaire, singing his own politically satirical songs. His talent for satire was honed on CBC radio’s Basic Black.

The tour bus will leave at 9am and return at approximately 5pm.  Tickets for the day (including the bus and all events except for lunch) are $45. Order online or call 519-884-8111 ext. 28290 to book your seat.

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