The As It Happens Files - Mary Lou Finlay

~~~Radio That May Contain Nuts~~~

I first got hooked on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)radio when I met my husband over twenty years ago. The wealth and diversity of programming provides something for every listener. The second longest running show - 4o years - is "As It Happens"; on five nights a week at 6:30 p.m. They are an outcall show, broadcasting interviews conducted by telephone, seeking out the 'story behind the story'. It runs the gamut - from talking with world leaders to offbeat human interest stories. Mary Lou Finlay was the co-host of the show from 1997-2005.

The human interest stories are the ones that stand out for Finlay - the 96 year old who took 75 years to get his university degree, brain surgery on pet goldfish or the man who spent twenty years building a bear proof suit. Human interest stories from England have been popular as well - the woman who has a garden gnome sanctuary with over 2000 restored gnomes generated lots of feedback.

But the serious touch us as well. 9/11, the Air India crash, natural disasters and inside interviews from Darfur and Iran to name a few.

The book includes transcripts from many of these interviews.

Reading and remembering some of the stories from over the years just reminds me why this show is a Canadian icon - and why I love it.

You can peek inside this new release from Random House here.