Scientist, author and musician Doug Larson’s new book Storyteller Guitar (Dundurn) tells the story of one unique guitar. He talks to Open Book about the guitar’s amazing construction and the surprising similarities between art and science.
Doug Larson launches Storyteller Guitar at the Bookshelf Cafe in Guelph tomorrow evening, Tuesday, June 28th. Visit our Events page for details.
Open Book:
Tell us about your new book, Storyteller Guitar.
Doug Larson:
This may seem silly, but it’s a book that tells the story of a guitar that took 2.5 billion years, 6 continents, 35 businesses and 68 people to build. That’s because the more than 3000 pieces arrived in Guelph from all around the world and then I built the guitar out of those pieces. Why? To allow me to tell the stories about those pieces.
OB:
Why did you want to share the story behind this guitar?
DL:
The guitar is the world’s most popular musical instrument, so the reason was NOT because the world needed another guitar. What the world needed was an example of what is wrong with the way science, art, music and history are taught. None of these disciplines can exist on their own and yet we teach ourselves that some people are scientists and some are artists. The truth is that all of us are all of it, day in and day out.
We also teach that scientists are objective and careful and that artists are undisciplined and emotional. Both are misleading. And the myriad of stories in the guitar show how art and science can come together to make one physical object that everyone can enjoy. I’ve already been accused (correctly) that I’ve been very sneaky in teaching folks about science in the book when in fact they were just reading good stories.
OB:
What was the most challenging aspect of writing this book?
DL:
Convincing myself that anyone cared about the above argument. I was compelled to build the instrument, I’ve been compelled to do shows with the guitar and writing the book was almost effortless since it was such a joy to hope that people would care about the message. So far I have taken the show to schools from kindergarten to Grade 12, as well as to seniors’ organizations. The message I am gratified to say, seems compelling. So in the end, none of it was challenging. It was just a joy.
OB:
What is your favourite anecdote from Storyteller Guitar?
DL:
Oh my God… every show I do and I hope every reading from here on in will involve a favourite moment. I guess my favourite moment today is the story about a part that is NOT in the guitar. Artist — excuse me — friend Robert Bateman was telling me about his lifelong friendship with scientist Alan Gordon — excuse me — friend Alan Gordon. At the end Bob asked me if I would like any more parts? I told him the guitar and case were finished and that I was really just working on the book. I then asked him what he had to offer me. He said that he still had a rusted hinge and a piece of wood from Tom Thomson’s coffin. I was flabbergasted, and then of course asked all the questions anyone else would. But then I declined. The mystery of Tom Thomson’s death in 1917 will never be solved and yet the story of the hinge and the wood chip would overwhelm the other stories in the book. I would rather readers ask for more than to fill them up… Just like good cooking.
OB:
Did you have a specific readership in mind when you wrote this book?
DL:
Everyone. I had taught kids of all ages in the shows, and I suspected that readers of all ages, all backgrounds and all inclinations would like it. We are all of us storytellers, so says my pal Tom King. The truth about stories is that that’s really all we are!
OB:
What role does music play in your own life?
DL:
I think music, I hum music, I compose music, I play music all the time. I drive my wife, kids and colleagues crazy. It’s an affliction. And I have no idea of the source. Most casual observers think I’m just happy. It’s a good deception I guess I don’t really control it. But likewise I think science, I hum science, I compose science and play at science all the time too. So the affliction is dual and the book (and the guitar) are my drug.
OB:
What advice do you have for writers who are trying to get published?
DL:
Write. Just do it. Do it messy at first, but keep the joy alive. If you really want to get published you must first really want to write something that needs to be written.
OB:
What are you reading right now?
DL:
Open, by Andre Agassi. Wow. That kid and I have a lot in common. Our fathers. Enough said.
OB:
If you had to choose three books as a “Welcome to Canada” gift, what would those books be?
DL:
Harold Innes, The Fur Trade in Canada: a tough read but it explains really where we came from. The Last Spike by Pierre Burton to explain what we did with it, and Two Solitudes by Hugh MacLennan, to explain the root of our continuing cultural fractionation.
OB:
What are you working on now?
DL:
It’s not over ‘til it’s over. So Storyteller will be my horse to ride for at least a year. In breaks I’ll go back to working on my screenplay for “Nicky V”. A film about the great but largely unknown Russian scientist Nikolai Vavilov whom Stalin starved to death in 1943.
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Doug Larson is an award winning scientist, author, lecturer, instrument maker and musician. Now an Emeritus Professor at the University of Guelph, he spends his time lecturing about the union of art and science and uses the Storyteller guitar as the touchstone to this philosophy.
For more information about Storyteller Guitar please visit the Dundurn website.
Buy this book at your local independent bookstore or online at Chapters/Indigo or Amazon.
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