Books & Ideas returns in 2026!
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Books & Ideas: Paul Myers on John Candy

Community Partner: VIFF

 

Books & Ideas returns to Granville Island in the new year with headliner cultural icons: Paul Myers, Charlie Demers, and the enduring figure of John Candy. One of comedy’s most beloved stars, Candy captivated audiences with his roles in Hollywood classics like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle Buck. Now, for the first time since Candy’s tragic death, bestselling biographer Paul Myers tells the full story of the man behind the laughs. 

Canadian author and musician Paul Myers has written the definitive biographies of The Kids in the Hall, Todd Rundgren, Barenaked Ladies, and more. In John Candy: A Life in Comedy, he draws on extensive research and exclusive interviews with many of Candy’s closest friends and colleagues—including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara, and Martin Short—to celebrate the comedian’s life and unparalleled talent.

Join us to start the new year with laughs and literary inspiration, as Myers sits down with author and comedian Charlie Demers, whose latest book is The Eh Team: A Celebration of Canadianisms from Elbows Up to Poutine, a laugh-out-loud guide to what it means to be unapologetically Canadian.

Books will be for sale at the event from Book Warehouse, with a book signing after the talk.  

We do our best to make our events low-barrier, accessible experiences for our community. A limited number of accessibly priced tickets are available for purchase. To discuss other ways we can make these events more accessible to you, please reach out to us at boxoffice@writersfest.bc.ca or 604-681-6330.
About Books & Ideas
Launched in January 2025, Books & Ideas is an event series from the Vancouver Writers Fest, bringing literary talent and thought-provoking conversations to Granville Island—home of the Writers Fest’s celebrated annual literary festival—from January to June. With an intimate theatre venue and a pop-up bar for socializing, attendees are invited to connect more deeply with other members of the local literary community, and meet the esteemed authors who grace the stage, in a modern space for exchanging ideas.