Ann Berkeley
Over some years, I covered major news events - the capture of James Earl Ray, Martin Luther King's murderer, the hippie phenomenon, the emergence of major bands such as the now defunct The Band and much more for Time magazine. I've interviewed Marshal McLuhan - a great gentleman, John Lennon (nice guy) and Sir Laurence Olivier who was a bit waspy before a performance.
I've just finished writing a book, "Making Money When You're Over Fifty" and clients and friends are saying "Finally an Ann Berkeley book" as if I'd been slouching all these years. Until now I've ghosted books for other people which can be quite lucrative, besides, there's something great about getting the tongue-tied to open up about what they want the world to know about them.
I've travelled a lot and written about it or used it in Canadian Broadcasting Corporation documentaries and so forth. Delving into Hindi movies turned out to be a lot of fun because of people like Pinky Virani and Shashi Kapoor.
During an overland trip from Kathmandu into Tibet, I recorded two little girls singing while tossing what looked like hay, examined the Indian media, Nepal's deforestation, worked as a cook on an English barge and travelled on a French one as a writer. To write a magazine article, I took a calligraphy lesson in Tokyo (hard work). While writing a travel piece I nearly drowned on Lake Titicaca in high winds and was only saved by a very resourceful Peruvian boatman who tore pieces off his tee shirt to bung in the holes where the water was rushing into the vessel. He guided us to safety It was no fun being followed around Moscow when it was part of the Soviet Union(another story). There's been some relative ease - a food piece-cum-profile on a great woman inn keeper who had run away to rural France after a bad love affair turned out to be sybaritic. Over a career you do a lot of things.
I'm proud to have written a Chatelaine piece that led to women having greater power to obtain credit and of a documentary series on Childhood for CBC radio's Ideas. A piece about the environmental and dietary causes of cancer for the now defunct Weekend magazine had the editor gleefully fighting off complaints from the medical establishment. My findings were bang on.
I review books for newspapers. Kildare Dobbs, a great writer and very nice man, got me into it when he was the Toronto Star book editor.
I discovered I like writing essays by doing some for the Globe and Mail.
Like most writers, I have a day job. Mine's in communications and film. I run my own company.
One funny thing - I went to the same London school as Nigella Lawson.
Latest Articles
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Causes Of the Drug Shortage That Has Killed Fifteen People.
The drug drought causes deaths as doctors make dosing mistakes using unfamiliar generics. The FDA is approving new manufacturers to try to ease the shortage
Jan 2, 2012
- Ann Berkeley
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Their Maladaptive Love of Animals Helped Humans Evolve
Humans developed an unnatural love of animals to evolve. By doing so they made them into living tools. Are they still doing it?
Dec 8, 2010
- Ann Berkeley
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Employees Tracking Working Time During World Cup
With the World Cup playing during working hours many companies forbid watching. Others allow flexibility. Which will prove right? Will productivity suffer?
Jun 21, 2010
- Ann Berkeley
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Why are There so Many Hazardous Toys?
The market is glutted with thousands of hazardous children's toys. Substandard factories, lack of oversight and enterprising importers are often to blame.
Mar 8, 2010
- Ann Berkeley
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Will Print Magazines Die Away?
Will magazines like Gourmet survive moving to the Net? Freelance online writers hope so because there should be more and better paid jobs. The young don't care.
Oct 30, 2009
- Ann Berkeley
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Changes at Toronto International Film Festival
At this year's Toronto International Film Festival, many movies still have not found distributors but will go direct to DVD, TV and downloadable websites.
Sep 10, 2009
- Ann Berkeley
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Customers Dictate Food Prices
With food prices rising, supermarkets find themselves having to face competition from drug and big box stores for the shrinking family food dollar.
Aug 14, 2009
- Ann Berkeley
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White Collar Boxers Duke it Out
Bankers and lawyers learn to box to cope with stress and vie to take part in public championships for charity. This means a new life for old time gyms and boxers.
Aug 13, 2009
- Ann Berkeley
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Don't Ask for a Salary Increase in the Recession
Employees worry that they won't get salary increases during the recession. Some say they will get downsized if they ask for them. Bosses are paying conservatively.
Aug 13, 2009
- Ann Berkeley
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Job Crisis Sends Women Shopping
While men worry over job loss and spurn their usual toys for therapists, women shop to keep up their image and their spirits. They may pull us out of the recession.
Aug 13, 2009
- Ann Berkeley
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