Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Snow Job, by William Deverell



There's something wonderful about Canadian humor. Sometimes it is folksy and traditional, like the stories told on CBC broadcasting, which may involve ice skating or lost keys or the memories of a childhood fishing trip.  Some classic Canadian humorists told tall tales just for the fun of including a pun, or a surprise ending.  Some, like William Deverell, enjoy producing antic, complicated, fast-moving, barely-exaggerated tales based on satirical views of Canadian politics.
This tale involves such ingredients as election strategies, a lawyer who is a reformed alcoholic married to a Green Party member of Parliament, a group of women who wander away from their tour group in exactly the wrong country, a pot-dealing shade-tree mechanic with ambitions to fly hot-air balloons, and a spy with emotional issues. That's only a small part of the cast of characters.
There is also political assassination, coups, ruthless megalomanical rulers, and eco-terrorism.  But in a good way.  Savannah didn't mean to climb into the wrong bed; she has a sleep-walking disability.
Just hop on, buckle up, and settle down for a romp through a political thicket which reminds us that as off-putting as our electoral politics might be, Canadian loonies are not restricted to the dollar coin.

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