It Was All a Gift - An Interview with Shani Mootoo (Dedication to Pinky)
Season 7, Episode 103
In this episode, Linda speaks about Shani Mootoo's Starry Starry Night (Book*hug Press), an auto-fictional work that offers a sophisticated narration and vivid scenes from a childhood in Trinidad. Mootoo traces the early life of Anju, roughly based on Mootoo’s own childhood, the heart-rending contours of that life – but, as she ruminated in their interview together, she approached those painful experiences with a sense of dispassionate observation and compassion, for herself and for others, documenting upon what is unfurling at every moment. And then she concludes, “It was all a gift.”
Linda takes a moment in her introduction to reflect on the loss of her beloved cat, Pinky, and confirms - it was indeed “all a gift,” including this very special interview with Shani Mootoo.
Other references:
Oeno Gallery (where Shani Mootoo's visual art may be found, 2:28)
Vincent Van Gogh (30 minutes)
Cat Stevens (33.03)
Shani's advice for aspiring writers (33.41)
Producer: Linda Morra; Associate Producer: Maia Harris; Music: Raphael Krux; Sound Production: Jason C. Funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.