She’s a controversial author with a new title on the New York Times bestseller list, who’s on tour, talking up her book and her politics. It’s no surprise, with her reputation for airing her views in the media, she’d run into trouble. If you think we’re talking about Sarah Palin, we’re not. Journalist and author Amy Goodman, the long-time host of the television and radio show, Democracy Now!, has been traveling the country this past month, promoting her new book, Breaking the Sound Barrier (Haymarket Books), a collection of stories and articles about current events written from a left perspective.
While trying to cross the Canadian border over Thanksgiving to read from Breaking the Sound Barrier at the Vancouver Public Library and at the University of Victoria, Goodman was detained by Canadian authorities, who questioned her for more than 90 minutes, and also searched her person, her car, and her laptop. They then demanded that she leave Canada within 48 hours. Neither of her scheduled Canadian book tour events were canceled.
According to Haymarket Books, a Chicago-based publisher of left-wing books, the Canadians were concerned that Goodman was visiting Canada to stir up opposition to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Breaking the Sound Barrier was released in October with a first printing of 16,000, and a second print run of more than 9,000 has been ordered.
