Author News & Events
J. GORDON MUMFORD
Gordon Mumford enjoys giving book readings and talks to libraries, schools, writers' groups, and various other organizations, augmented by visual presentations. He is also available to conduct workshops on writing memoirs.
Gordon gives Power Point presentations and readings. These include his experiences as a young Radio Officer in World War II, or life in East Africa. Barbara and Gordon will talk about their experiences and answer questions.
Current Readings and Appearances:
Tuesday, Mar 11: Gordon will be the guest author on the World Poetry Cafe broadcast, at 9pm PST on Coop Radio 102.7 fm (www.coopradio.org).
Saturday afternoon,
Mar 29:
Gordon's time to be confirmed - at Black Bond Bookstore, Lansdowne
Mall, Richmond BC.
Saturday, April 12: 10 am - 6 pm, Gordon & the Marine Authors will be selling their books at "Community Days" at the Vancouver West Marine Store, 1601 West 2nd Ave. in Vancouver. community Days is in support of the Disabled Sailing Assocation.
Thursday, April 24: Featured reader at the Backroom at the Heritage Grill in New Westminster - The Heritage Grill is opposite the Army & Navy Store on Columbia Street in New Westminster, BC.
Some Recent Readings & Appearances
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Friday, Feb. 29: Barbara Mumford was presented with the Unsung Hero Award for her work in helping other authors/publishers. The award was presented during the World Poetry Gala at the Vancouver Public Library.
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February 6-10, 2008: Marine Authors booth at the Vancouver International Boat Show
- November, 2007: VETERANS WEEK. Gordon gave a Power Point presentation and spoke to the Sea Cadets at the local armory and to two classes at Queensborough Middle School in New Westminster BC.
- Sept. 30, 2007: WORD ON THE STREET, Sunday, September 30, in Library Square, outside the main branch of the Vancouver Public Library. Exhibits, readings, etc. Gordon will be at the Canadian Authors Association table
- Sept. 12, 2007: CANADIAN AUTHORS ASSOCIATION, 7 pm, at the Alliance for the Arts & Cultural Events, Suite 100, 938 Howe Street in downtown Vancouver. Gordon will be one of the featured readers at this meeting, reading from In Fate's Footsteps.
- Sept. 1 - 2, 2007: Featured reader at the Afrika Dey Festival, held at the Croatian Centre.
- July, 2007: Summer Dream Festival, Vancouver BC - Gordon and other members of the Canadian Authors Association were at the Branch's table in Stanley Park.
- July 1, 2007, Canada Day Celebrations at the Port Moody Station Museum, with the Burma Star Association. Remembering our Veterans: A Celebration of Canadian Military History and our Veterans, presented by the Port Moody Heritage Society.
- March 2007, FEATURED READING, with World Poetry Group at Vancouver Main Public Library, Vancouver BC
- February, 2007. At Vancouver International Boat Show (with Marine Authors).
- November 2006. During Remembrance Week, he was invited as a World War Two Veteran to schools in Vancouver where he talked (and read) to individual classes and a school assembly about his war experiences.
- June 2006. In England & Wales to attended the OSPA lunch, and contact East African sources.
- April 11, 2006. Book Readings from White Man's Drum and Drums of Rebellion, along with films from Kenya in the 1950s. Presented at the New Westminster Public Library.
- April 27, 2006. Book Readings from White Man's Drum & Drums of Rebellion and films from Kenya in the 1950s. Presented at the Vancouver Public Library. April 27 ("Amazing Lives: Fact and Fiction Series")
- February 8 - 12, 2006. At Vancouver International Boat Show (with Marine Authors).
- February 2006. Featured Reader at "First Tuesday Assembly", Chapters (Robson St.).
Background Information
During World War II, when he was in his teens, Gordon was in the Merchant Navy. He shares his experiences, including being torpedoed in the Atlantic (Dec. 1942) and mined in the Scheldt Estuary, southern Holland (Dec. 1944)). He also served in the Mediterranean and the South Pacific area.
In 1949, he went to East Africa as an assistant engineer. A field services specialist, Gordon was involved on a major 4-year project to survey and install a viable route for a modern VHF radio repeater multi-channel telecommunications system across East Africa (long distance telephone, etc.). He also installed the VHF Emergency Radio Systems linking remote farms. Living under canvas in isolated areas, he often worked alone, encountering inhospitable country, wild animals, extreme weather conditions, and a savage civil war. On more than one occasion, he was lucky to escape with his life.
After training in Canada to become a teacher, Gordon married Barbara and returned to Africa to share his knowledge as a telecommunications instructor in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia. He worked on a variety of technical aid projects (CIDA, UNESCO, etc.) in the 1960s and 1970s, while Barbara worked as a librarian and teacher.
Barbara and Gordon will talk about living in Africa, where their two young children went to school, and answer questions about their experiences. Gordon taught electronics, while Barbara taught primary school. They also organized national and international tennis events for both school children and adults.
Contact Information
For more information, or to arrange to have Gordon Mumford speak to your organization or group, please contact us.
To read extracts from his books and reviews,
see the Bookstore pages
Or visit Gordon Mumford's website at
www.gordonmumford.com
