Allan Gregg In Conversation (audio)

Retired NHL player Georges Laraque has written his autobiography, entitled "Georges Laraque - The Story of the NHL's Unlikeliest Tough Guy". As a child he knew he wanted to play professional hockey. Despite the racism he faced, which he actually attributes to having made him more determined to succeed, he did reach his goal. He talks also about the role of the enforcer; his time playing in Sweden during the NHL lock-out and his decision to adopt a vegan lifestyle which led to him becoming a spokesperson for PETA and also deputy leader of the Green party.

Peter C. Newman is the author of "The Secret Mulroney Tapes", which is a highly controversial and unflattering biography of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. During his research, Newman logged 98 hours of interviews with Mulroney, his family and colleagues. When it was released, Mulroney was furious and said he felt he had been betrayed by Newman. (Originally aired October 2005).

Parenting expert Barbara Coloroso is the author of "Kids Are Worth It!". In this interview, she divides parenting styles into three categories; jelly fish, brick wall and backbone and describes hypothetical situations and how each type of parent would react. (Originally aired February 1997)

Child psychiatrist Dr. Paul Steinhauer is a strong proponet of healthy child development being a factor in preventing psychiatric disorders later in life. He believes you can identify traits in kindergarten children that are signs of potential future behavioural problems. He sees child poverty as being one of the biggest precursors to antisocial behaviour. (Originally aired April 1997)

Walter Isaacson interviewed Steve Jobs over a period of two years to gather material for his biography of him; "Steve Jobs". He sees Jobs as an artistic and marketing genius who, although could often be uncompromising and petulant, was always a perfectionist and garnered great loyalty from his staff at Apple.

Prof. Bill Buxton is both a critic and a visionary in the world of computer technology. He predicts the demise of personal computers as he foresees more people and households will be using smaller hand-held devices. He comments on the animation industry in Canada and of the need for more funding for research. (Originally aired June 1998)

In historian Michael Bliss' latest book "Right Honourable Men: The Descent of Canadian Politics from Macdonald to Mulroney" he provides mini-biographies of ten Canadian Prime Ministers, assessing each one on their suitability and performance. Originally aired December 1994)

Author Peter C. Newman talks about his latest book "When The Gods Changed" which chronicles the demise of the Liberal party in Canada.

Israeli cabinet minister Natan Sharansky is the author of "The Case for Democracy." A Soviet-born dissident, Sharansky spent nine years as a political prisoner during the Cold War. He believes Yasser Arafat, who died on November 11th, was an obstacle to peace so now feels more optimistic about achieving harmony in the middle east. (Originally aired November 2004)

In her new book "Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water", Maude Barlow says the world is running out of fresh water. Humans have done a wonderful job of polluting, displacing and mismanaging water. Even here in Canada, the supply of fresh water is shrinking. How did the world's largest resource become so threatened and what can be done about it? (Originally aired February 2008)

Maude Barlow's book "Blue Gold" highlights the global water crisis and Barlow's concerns over the privatization and export of water. (Originally aired April 2002)

Global food shortages, waves of refugees, countries at war over dwindling resources. In a new book, Gwynne Dyer offers a terrifying vision of the not-too-distant future, all driven by the effects of global warming. Dyer is a Canadian journalist and historian. His book is called "Climate Wars". (Originally aired June 2009)

Paul Burrell, former butler to Diana, Princess of Wales, has written about his life in royal service; "A Royal Duty". He talks about the love and support the Queen and Prince Philip gave to Diana, and how Diana's own family abandoned her. (Originally aired November 2003)

Palestinian doctor Izzeldin Abuelaish is the author of "I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey". Dr. Abuelish has every right to hate; in 2009, during the Gazi war, the Israeli Defence Force bombed his house; killing three of his daughters and a niece. Remarkably, Dr. Izzeldin resolved not to hate the Israelis but to try to do something positive so that the sacrifice of his daughters would not be in vain. Hate, he believes, is the strongest weapon of mass destruction. Since that time, he has dedicated his life to bringing peace to the Arab/Israeli conflict. Dr. Abuelaish now lives and works in Toronto.

Liberal Bishop John Spong has often caused controversy for encouraging people to challenge biblical interpretations and re-think religious tenets. He believes the invasion of the church by religious fundamentalists is driving away many of the more liberal-minded church-goers. In his childhood in the southern U.S. in the 1930s, he witnessed racism and that made him vow to end all forms of discrimination in the church. His memoir is called "Here I Stand". (Originally aired May 2000)

Laurier LaPierre has written a biography of his hero, Canada's seventh Prime Minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, his namesake. The book is called "Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the Romance of Canada". (Originally aired June 1997)

Nigella Lawson reacts to her unofficial title of "domestic goddess" and goes on to talk about her education, her marriage to her first husband and her philosophy in the kitchen. Her lates book is called "Feast: Food That Celebrates Life". (Originally aired December 2004)

Novelist Anita Rau Badami talks about her new book "Tell It To The Trees", which is the dark tale of an Indo-Canadian family living in a remote northern community and their shocking family secrets.

"The Future of Success: Working and Living in the New Economy", is the latest book from Bill Clinton's former Labor Secretary, Robert Reich. He believes that we now have less economic security and are under more pressure to make money while we can. The new economy, partly driven by technology, gives consumers tremendous choice thereby making market competition intense and ending the notion of customer loyalty. Others effects of the economy are the shrinking size of the family and the widening gap between rich and poor. He credits Bill Clinton for giving the US the strongest economic climate of the twentieth century. (Originally aired February 2004).

Adam Gopnik is the author of "Winter: Five Windows On The Season". In it, Gopnik celebrates his love of winter and follows its evolution through the eyes of poets, musicians and artists. The book is based on this year's Massey Lectures.