5 Questions with Ray Moynihan, author of "Sex, Lies and Pharmaceuticals"

 

What's this book all about for people who haven't heard?

The  book is about the making of the new big blockbuster medical condition -
a condition called "Female Sexual Dysfunction". It reveals how drug
companies are actually helping to construct some of the basic scientific
building blocks of this condition - in order to help build markets for their
new products.

 

How did the book come about?

I have been an investigative journalist reporting on the business of
healthcare for many years - and I became interetsed in the way part of drug
company marketing strategies were aimed at "creating the need" for their new
products. One of the ways they help to "create the need", is by shaping
perceptions of the conditions their drugs target.  In about 2002 I attended
a "medical education" seminar on female sexual dysfunction, and I realized
there was a big fascinating story here.

What's the main idea you want people to realize?

That marketing is merging with medical science - and that when they hear
claims about sexual disorders and dysfunctions being widespread- they need
to be a little skeptical.

What's the response been to the book?

Very positive. all over the world. The only important criticism that I have
seen has come from the association representing the pharmaceutical industry
in Australia. They accused me of using sex to sell something.

What's next for you?

Growing some vegetables, playing some music, doing some more dancing,
hanging out at the beach some more, and getting on with the journalism.

5 Questions with Brad Warner, author of Sex, Sin & Zen

 

 

What is the traditional Buddhist viewpoint on sex?

In ancient Buddhist tradition monks, both male and female, were celibate. For lay people there were only 4 rules. No sex that is unlawful, no sex with anyone still under the protection of their parents, no sex with criminals and no sex with those who are married or engaged to someone else. After a while a large list of sexual regulations for monks was developed. But later on this was abandoned and there was only one rule, do not misuse sexuality. This applied to both monks and lay people. 

Since the Meiji Restoration of the 1860s, Japanese Buddhist monks, again male and female, are no longer required to observe the rule of celibacy. But generally speaking, they remain celibate during their training period, which may be a few months or a few years. 

There are no restrictions on sex other than this. For example there is no idea that pre-marital sex is forbidden. There are no ideas that homosexuality is wrong. And so on. It is up to each individual to decide for herself or himself what constitutes the misuse of sex. 

Has the book caused any controversy in the Buddhist circles?

Not really. Most Buddhists have been very supportive of the book. On the other hand, I've noticed that a lot of the Buddhist magazines in the West are not reviewing the book. I suspect this may be because they are uncomfortable about taking any specific position on the ideas I bring up in it. They're aware that the rules about sexual behavior for Buddhists allow for a great deal of openness. But I think that the cultural background the editors and their readers are steeped in makes it difficult to acknowledge the implications of this idea. So they don't want to say anything either positive or negative about it. It will take time before this can change. 

Which chapter was the most fun to write?

I had a lot of fun interviewing Nina Hartley. She is a porn star who was raised by two Buddhist monks — one male, one female. So Buddhism has very much influenced her life. I asked her to talk about how she can do what she does for a living and still feel she is not violating the rule against misusing sex. I think her answers are really interesting. 

What can Buddhism teach people about sex?

I think Buddhism can help us get over some of the hang-ups that Christian-based culture has about sex. It's not necessary to indulge in wild sexuality and so forth. But it's good to be a bit less concerned about the morality of sex. Yes, sex can sometimes be immoral, depending on the specific circumstances and who is involved and so forth. But the very act of sex itself is neither moral nor immoral. We've been living with the idea that sex itself is wrong for far too long. It's good to see another way. And it's good to have some kind of spiritual support for the idea that sex isn't such a big deal. 

What new things do you have on the horizon?

I'm trying to write a book about God and one about Godzilla. I'm not sure which one will win out. Who is stronger? God or Godzilla? I'm also constantly on tour doing lectures and running retreats all over the world. My blog, hardcorezen.blogspot.com, has all the information.      

5 Questions with Don Easton, author of Samurai Code

What was the inspiration behind writing this book?
My inspiration for Samurai Code came from a sympathy I have felt for some people who are basically 'unseen' by society. During my 20 years of undercover I met a couple of people who were like the actual characters in the novel (Ophehlia/Melvin). Basically these people need a lot of help but are considered like 'Nobodies' and their disappearance is not missed. In one situation I encountered a criminal organisation who intended to have new members to the organisation murder these type of people as a test of loyalty.

What's been the response so far to it?

The response has been good and I believe the sales are brisk.

When you write do you have a plan on how the story will unfold, or does a lot of it come to you as you go through the process of writing the book?

When I actually write, I prepare a synopsis of the entire story and then write from there. Some times it changes a little to match certain characters who do not like to follow a synopsis (smiles).

What aspect of Japanese culture do you feel is brought out the most in the book?

The Japanese culture is limited in the novel, with the exception of their love for onsens and also a tendency to be very loyal to their bosses.

What's next for yourself?

My next project is to start novel number six. At this time I am still decided on which story to tell.

5 Questions with Tom Vandenberghe, author of Bangkok Street Food

What inspired this book?

I lived in Thailand for a while (2 years) when organizing culinary trips for a travel agency in Belgium. It struck me how Thai people are obsessed with food and how much this is a part of their social life and behaviour. Food and especially hawker food is plenty full in Thailand, you could say it's the heart and soul of Thai cooking. As a first time visitor it is hard to find your way trough the maze of street food stalls. In writing the "Bangkok street food" book, I tried to help the reader how to recognize certain food stalls and their typical dishes. The book is as much a guide book as a cooking book. Out of a passion of street food and the culture of eating out in the streets which I wanted to share with other people with the same interest.


What's special about Bangkok street food?

We managed to do all photography on the field, no studio work in this book, this helps to identify the dishes at the food stalls and is quite exceptional for a cooking book. The book is as much a guide book as a cooking book.


What are the people like in Bangkok?

People in Thailand are generally open and friendly toward tourist. Thai people like to help and please people. In Bangkok, like in many cities around the world the hasty and busy life of a city reflects itself in the social behaviour, but even then Bangkokians and Thai are still people that like to enjoy eating and life in itself?

There are many beautiful images in the book, anyone stand out to you as the best?

The picture on the front page where the girl is cooking and launching at the same time. Not only because I ate probable hundreds of times at her food stall but it reflect the posting attitude towards life and the passion for cooking.


What's your favorite dish?

Tom yam kung, probably Thailand's most famous dish. The sourness of the lemongrass, galanga ginger, Kaffir lime leaves and spiceness of the chillies make this dish a taste and experience that you will never forget.

5 Questions with John D. Luerssen, author of U2 FAQ

 

 
How'd the book come about?
I have been following U2 for nearly 30 years. From about 1981 to 1987, they were one of my favorite bands alongside groups like The Clash, The Replacements, R.E.M. Elvis Costello, The Cure and Echo & the Bunnymen. I kind of lost interest around the time of Rattle & Hum a bit but Achtung Baby rekindled my fascination. I also loved 'All That You Can't Leave Behind'. Anyway, I had written a book on Weezer called 'Rivers Edge' a few years ago for ECW Press that got a lot of attention and in the years since I've kept busy writing about music for Spinner and magazines like American Songwriter.

Somehow Robert Rodriguez -- who launched the FAQ series for Backbeat with The Fab Four FAQ and Fab Four FAQ 2.0 -- sought me out and asked if I would be interested in contributing to the series. I came up with a short list of bands like Radiohead and Bruce Springsteen and U2 was at the top of the list. I drafted a quick proposal and they asked me to write it but the deadline was a little tight. This was in December 2009. I turned in the first complete draft on April 1st. I tweaked it a little into the summer and it went to press in late September. We made it out for the back half of 2010 which was the plan. It was adventurous but I'm thrilled with how it turned out.

What's the most interesting fact about U2 most people don't know?
Bono and The Edge almost walked away from it all.

Most people may not remember that U2's Christianity was a key driver in the group at the outset. Bono, The Edge and Larry plus some friends and members of their crew were involved in a Dublin based Bible group ran by a guy named Chris Rowe called The Shalom. The band's bassist, Adam Clayton, was the lone dissenter and resident partier at the time who hung with the group because he loved rock & roll and the camaraderie of his mates. But after U2 first cracked the U.S. with Boy and went home to work on the October album in the summer of 1981, The Edge and Bono -- who had become local stars in Dublin and Ireland in general by now -- were feeling pressure by The Shalom's leaders to give up playing rock & roll. Mind you, they rarely drank, never did drugs nor hook up with groupies -- all of which was  pretty unorthodox for popular bands at the time. The point is that they never embraced the lifestyle.

Soon enough, Larry Mullen started to think The Shalom was off base trying to tell them what to do and he left the group -- which by now had set up a camp with tents and communal living which Bono and Edge were trying to help to finance, even though they still had little money. Anyway, one afternoon The Edge had been swayed by the pressure and told Bono that he's quitting the band. He's dedicating his life to Christ. And Bono tells Edge he's quitting U2 with him.

So they go to break the news to Paul McGuinness, who has just booked another North American tour. McGuinness can't believe what he's hearing. He tells them to go away for a few hours and think about the decision some more and when they return he guilts them into staying with the group because they have all these commitments to their crew, record label, booking agency, etc. Once they are out on the road, headlining East Coast venues they resume life as normal and never look back. By early 1982 they were opening for The J. Geils Band.


What makes U2 such a special band?
They may have come from other mothers but Bono, Adam, Larry and Edge are a band of brothers. They all know each other's weaknesses and strengths and cumulatively they make some of the greatest music in the world. Bono may seem like an ego maniac to some, but its only these three others -- plus manager Paul McGuinness -- who can bring him down to size. And sometimes, with a band as big as U2 -- that's exactly what's required. Name another band that has had the same founding membership for 35 years. It's very hard to do.

What was the most interesting thing you learned about them from this book?
For me, I think the neatest revellation actually comes in the Forward, which John Griffith, formerly of the Red Rockers, wrote for me. He talks about being out on the Unforgettable Fire tour opening for U2 in 1985, as their popularity was cresting in advance of Live Aid. For some reason, the Red Rockers' own tour manager went off the rails and took off with their gear and clothes and basically left them high and dry. Bono got word of it and the band donated four thousand bucks -- a lot of money in 1985 -- so that they could carry on and finish the tour with some dignity. I thought that said a lot about who they were then and who they became. From their commitments to Amnesty International and Greenpeace to Bono's commitments to absolving third world debt and trying to get AIDS medicines to Africans, they may have become the biggest band in the world, but they also are the biggest band in the world with a conscience.

What's next for you?
I am currently at work on a Springsteen FAQ for Backbeat which I'm super excited about. As a New Jersey native weaned on Bruce, I can't think of a greater honor. I think that's coming out in 2012. I'm also launching my own series of Rock & Roll Quote Books this year. Between all that, my day job, my wife and kids and my constant tinkering on and obsessing over a 9 year old Volvo convertible, I'm hoping to still have time left over to paint my house this year. Seriously.


  

Interview with Robert Donnelly, author of Dark Rose

 

For those who haven’t heard, what’s the book all about?

Dark Rose is the story of Portland's vice scandal of 1956, which was the zenith of repeated and often failed efforts to flush out vice, organized crime, and municipal corruption in what is today one of the country’s most progressive cities.  Portland’s vice rackets, police graft, and dirty politicians were not unique; it is a familiar story for many mid-twentieth-century American cities.  This fascinating event, however, headlined one of the most notable U.S. Senate committees, the McClellan Labor Rackets Committee, led by Senator John McClellan and his chief investigator, Robert Kennedy.  Federal investigators were particularly interested in Portland because the Teamsters union was involved.  Teamsters leaders attempted to organize Portland’s vice industry as they had legitimate industries.  So, Dark Rose is about Portland’s seedy side, which was exposed by a snitch, two maverick reporters, and…well…Congress, with Robert Kennedy.

What was one of the big things you learned from creating this book?

I learned that there are many people around in Portland today who are personally and even emotionally connected to this story.  It was an incredible time in Portland.  I also learned that it takes time and a network of friends and professionals to create a book.  Thanks especially to UW Press.

Which part of the book was most compelling to you?

A few years ago, I was presenting my early research in Portland and a gentleman approached me with irrefutable evidence of graft, corruption, and labor racketeering in the Rose City: wiretap tapes from 1955.  These were tapes made by Portland’s infamous crime boss, James Elkins, who at the time feared he was being double-crossed by the corrupt district attorney and his friends in the Teamsters union.  It is amazing to listen to these guys talk about white-washed investigations, their plans to expand their vice rackets, and which gambling den paid out and how much to the city’s law enforcement officials.  Incredible!
 

What’s been the most rewarding part of this process?

The most rewarding part of the process came when I first saw the cover for Dark Rose.  I love the cover!
 

What new projects do you have on the horizon?

I am writing a biography of Teamster Dave Beck.  Beck and Jimmy Hoffa were the big fish Robert Kennedy hoped to fry during the McClellan Committee investigation.  Plenty has been written on Hoffa, but not Beck.  Beck was president of the Teamsters from 1952 until 1957.  He was a millionaire and an incredible fundraiser for many Seattle charities.  He also served on the Board of Regents for the University of Washington and the Washington State Parole Board.  He was “Mr. Seattle.”  When he retired in 1957, however, it was amid a scandal that included allegations of labor racketeering, tax evasion, and embezzlement of Teamster funds.

Q&A with Sandra Nowlan, author of Delicious DASH Flavours

 

What was the most interesting part of about putting together this book?

Delicious DASH Flavours  is based on the DASH eating plan (DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) developed by the National Institutes of Health that has been shown to reduce high blood pressure as effectively as medication.  As a food scientist I was interested in researching the diet by reading scientific papers proving its validity as well as finding articles in the popular press advocating DASH as a healthy low-salt diet.  I was excited about putting together a collection of delicious healthy recipes that could help people lower their blood pressure and improve their health.

Which section of the book was most enjoyable to write?

Delicious DASH Flavours includes recipes for breakfast, appetizers, soups, salads, vegetables, mains, breads and desserts accompanied by beautiful coloured photos.  Also included is background information on DASH research and guidelines as well as menus for a week, and tips for reducing salt in your diet.  The section I most enjoyed writing was Soups.  I tested soup recipes from chefs across Canada, changing them to meet DASH guidelines, and the variety and flavour of this collection is outstanding.  Some of my favourites include Carrot, Orange and Ginger Soup, Roasted Pear and Sweet Potato Bisque with Lobster Cakes as well as Chilled Melon Soup with Mint.

What was the most challenging part about creating this book?

I sorted through hundreds of recipes from Canadian chefs before selecting about 150 to test.  The preparation of so many dishes was an ambitious undertaking as recipes had to be altered by removing salt and lowering fat and enhancing flavour with spices, herbs and citrus.  I prepared each recipe in my kitchen and then called in family and friends to taste the dishes and give their frank opinions about taste and presentation.  If flavour was bland, the recipe was changed and prepared a second time.  If flavour could not be enhanced, the recipe was discarded.  The greatest endorsement was when the tasters said, ?This isn?t one of those low-salt dishes, is it??  It was difficult to adapt the chefs? recipes for desserts to the DASH guidelines as they were just too rich, so I added many of my own that were fruit based.

What has been the feedback thus far on the book?

Delicious DASH Flavours has been acclaimed in the press as a wonderful, delicious collection of recipes that people enjoy whether or not they are on a salt-reduced diet.  One reviewer said, ?Delicious DASH Flavours is a great cookbook for anyone who's looking to manage their high blood pressure - or just eat less sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol. The recipes are easy to follow and truly delicious! I highly recommend it as an addition to any cook's library. ?

What?s next for you?

 I have recently published a second cookbook, Low-salt DASH Dinners, which is a collection of 100 recipes (mostly my own favourite family recipes with additional ones from Canadian chefs) for simple, quick to prepare and tasty dinners, including a variety of ethnic choices as well as side dishes.  Low-salt dishes include main course salads, slow and savoury dinners, pasta, brunch and informal dinners as well as simply elegant dinners. The book is illustrated with large colour photos showing how attractively the food can be presented.
I have also written a cookbook of family favourites called Something Good, as yet unpublished.