Mention the name David Suzuki and a myriad of images are likely to be conjured up in most people's minds: TV host, scientist, environmentalist, activist and thinker - just to mention a few. We've seen him go head to head with politicians, charge into the fray on issues such as clear cut logging, protection of endangered wild salmon stocks and the effects of climate change.
In his autobiography, Suzuki - ever the gracious host -takes us behind the scenes of the making of some of our favourite nature shows, and reflects on the evolution of the environmental movement and some of the landmark causes that he has put his energy into supporting. This provides readers with a deeper look into a familiar face and familiar themes.
His credentials as a credible scientist and meticulous researcher along with the tremendous exposure he has garnered through his work in television have placed him in a remarkable position of influence, one that he takes with a deep sense of responsibility. For more than 40 years, he's come into our homes as host of such shows as The Nature of Things, A Planet for the Taking and The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering our Place in Nature.
The early chapters of the book provide a fascinating backdrop for the making of this iconic Canadian. A Sansei (third generation) Canadian, his knowledge of Japan and Japanese was negligible. Packed off to an internment camp during the Second World War under the War Measures Act, he suffered taunting from the Japanese-speaking youth, and was drawn to nature and landscape as a way of escaping a confusing situation. The experience had a profound effect on him, and much of his subsequent drive to excel was motivated by the desire to prove to his fellow Canadians that his family did not deserve to be treated as they were. Inquisitive, intelligent and ambitious, Suzuki set out on a path through education and diligence that has resulted in a lifetime of high endeavour and achievement.
The book is a fascinating read. It is, for the most part, free of self-indulgence, and Suzuki tries hard to be as even-handed in the treatment and documentation of his own nature as he is when bringing other subjects to our attention. As fellow travellers on planet Earth, we all have a share and a stake in his story.
