A Love Affair with the Unknown with Gill Deacon

Bestselling author Claire Cameron usually writes fiction, including the award-winning The Last Neanderthal, and The Bear. Her latest book, an instant bestseller, tells a different kind of tale—How To Survive A Bear Attack is a memoir of Claire’s rare genetic condition and cancer diagnosis. Weaving her own experience with the haunting story of a rare, fatal bear attack in Ontario’s Algonquin Park, Claire investigates how to thrive in the face of fear and deadly odds.In this deeply felt conversation, Claire and Gill talk about facing challenges, both internal and external, about how uncertainty makes the present moment feel extra alive, and about all the forms resilience can take. Subscribe to our newsletter : aloveaffairwiththeunknown.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a researcher and author, Dr. Britt Wray has a front row seat to the terrifying unknowns of our planet’s future; as a young mother, she has developed very specific coping strategies for staying sane through the eco-anxiety. Britt’s choice to have a child was a central thread in her bestselling and critically-acclaimed book Generation Dread. Her thought-leading work at the intersection of mental health and climate change makes her the best person to listen to in the midst of another scorching, wildfire-plagued summer. In this encouraging and surprisingly hope-filled conversation, Britt Wray offers thoughtful perspective and frank advice about managing the most existential uncertainty of all: the future of life on earth.Subscribe to our newsletter for more A Love Affair with the Unknown Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The host of the wildly successful TED podcast How To Be A Better Human, comedian Chris Duffy infuses every conversation with thoughtful curiosity, wit and enthusiasm—including this one! Chris and Gill talk about his determination to help us all bring more laughter into our lives; why humour is such a potent stabilizer in the midst of uncertainty and change; the wisdom he learned from his students when he taught fifth grade; and why we should all take ourselves less seriously, especially now. Plus an early peek at some of the strategies Chris shares in his upcoming book on how to get better at being funny and finding the comfort and joy of humour wherever you look.Subscribe to our newsletter A Love Affair with the Unknown | Gill Deacon | Substack Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Outspoken, passionate and endlessly creative, Jann Arden is a model of courage in the face of unknowns. As she was finishing work on her latest book and preparing to tour her new album, Mixtape, Gill & Jann caught up about her unexpected viral hit of Canadian pride; how she’s staying grounded in the face of political turbulence; how she developed the confidence to face down whatever challenge she encounters, and what her late mother’s battle with Alzheimers’ taught Jann about handling uncertainty.Jann performs at Massey Hall in Toronto June 9 and10 as part of her Mixtape tour.Subscribe to our newsletter aloveaffairwiththeunknown.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a federal cabinet minister, Lisa Raitt walked the corridors of power. All that was snatched away when her partner got a diagnosis of young-onset Alzheimer's. With extraordinary candour, Lisa shares with Gill what it’s been like to watch her beloved slip away before her eyes; how she managed the out-of-left-field change to her personal and professional life; what she has learned about what strength and power really looks like; and how sometimes painful experiences can bring us closer to feeling truly alive.Check out our newsletter: aloveaffairwiththeunknown.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades, Ian Brown has written his way through the unknowns of life. His international bestseller The Boy in the Moon was his way of trying to understand the rare genetic condition his son was born with; his decades of Globe & Mail newspaper columns make sense (and good fun) of the world around us. As he enters some of his final decades, Brown’s powers of observation and wonder are sharper than ever (a point he might dispute). His critically-acclaimed book Sixty examined the unknowns of aging. And now he is working on his next memoir - Seventy. Gill and Ian’s conversation is full of his signature humour, thoughtful reflections on the inevitability of change, and the encouraging sense that getting older is in fact getting better.Check out our newsletter A Love Affair with the Unknown | Gill Deacon | Substack Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An iconic legend of Canadian television comedy, a published author, a high-profile spokesperson for mental health advocacy and a loyal Newfoundlander to the end—from the outside, Mary Walsh appears to have it all together. But in this wide-ranging conversation, the deeply intelligent and relentlessly funny Walsh is candid about the sea of unknowns she faces as a mother, a recovering addict, and an independent artist; and about the hard-won wisdom that helps keep her feeling positive in the face of hard things.Mary is nominated for two Canadian Screen Awards this year: Best Performance in a Supporting Role, and Best Lead Performer In A Comedy. You can catch Mary later this year on the upcoming MGM series The Institute, based on the Stephen King novel.Subscribe to our newsletter aloveaffairwiththeunknown.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saying Yes to uncertainty. Finding humour, courage and community as we navigate the wild ride of modern life. This could be a love affair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.