PAPER CHASE: Tom Sizemore book to include addiction woes

TOM SIZEMORE, once famed for his roles in movies that include Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Black Hawk Down (2001), will co-write a memoir, to be publishd in 2013, that will include details about his life in Hollywood, and struggle with drug addiction.

The 50-year-old actor will partner on the project with author Anna David, who is also the editor of an addiction and recovery website called The Fix.

Sizemore's star was still rising in 1999 when his struggles with cocaine and heroin addiction first came to light. He spent time in prison for assault and battery against former girlfriend and Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss, and later for drug-related charges. "I should have been dead many times over and honestly, I didn't know that I was going to come back from the bottom I dropped to," he said in a statement.

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American author Russell Hoban died last week in his adopted home of London, England. He was 86.

Hoban published more than 65 books for children and adults. Among other honours, his post-apocalyptic novel Riddley Walker won the 1982 John W. Campbell Memorial Award. A Clockwork Orange author Anthony Burgess said of the novel, "This is what literature is meant to be -- exploration without fear."

Hoban's final novel, Soonchild, will be published in March.

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A broadcaster once called her a "walking, talking Ukrainian encyclopedia," but for her next project, Winnipeg writer Orysia Tracz is seeking the public's help. In preparation for the Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble's upcoming 50th anniversary, she is gathering personal stories and reflections for a commemorative book.

Rusalka was founded by Peter Hladun in 1962, and grew from a small troupe to a world-class ensemble, touring nationally and internationally, performing at festivals and for heads of state and royalty.

Tracz wants to hear from anyone with a memory or story, including current members, alumni, parents, fans, collaborating dance ensembles, and past and present board members. "What has being in Rusalka meant to you? What is your best memory?"

To contribute, email orysiarusalka@gmail.com or mail Orysia Tracz, c/o Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, P.O. Box 3059, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 4E5.

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The late American literary genius John Updike's childhood home is up for grabs on eBay. The opening bid for the Shillington, Penn., home is US$249,000, but you can "buy it now" for $499,000.

The ad quotes descriptions from Updike. From his 1989 memoir, Self-Consciousness: "As I remember in the Shillington house, I was usually down on the floor, drawing or reading, or even under the dining room table, trying to stay out of harm's way."

Updike was a prolific American writer, best known for his Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom series, for which he twice won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. He died in 2009.

anitadaher1.gmail.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 17, 2011 J8