In that past century people of importance came to Vancouver. In 21^st terms they were inlfluencers. Because of abook I found in a neighbourhood book cabinet outside a house two of them came to mind. It happened  at the Hotel Vancouver in 1990.

I photographed writer Richard in October, 1990. He had come to town for the Writer's Festival. I had taken the liberty of calling the Hotel Vancouver publicist to tell her that of all the persons who were staying at the hotel the one who would most likely write about the hotel was British travel writer (by then he had moved to Seattle) Jonathan Raban. I did not know that Raban and Ford were friends. While I was taking Ford's picture (I'm happy," he said to me, "you are making me look like Graham Greene."), Jonathan Raban walked in and said, "Richard I have this great big room that is semicircular and occupies a whole end of the hotel. I have no idea why I have been given this room." Ford countered with, "Mine is a normal room. Somebody must like you." I said nothing.

Jonathan Raban

 

I wrote about that wonderful curious habit in my neighbourhood of cabinets outside homes that contain books. In one of them I found Canada, a novel by Richard Ford. Since most of the action apparently happens in Montana I will have to read this novel to the end to find out the why of the title.

Books found in neighbourhood cabinets 

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