Canada’s own Alice Munro winning the Nobel Prize for Literature is just about the most exciting thing that could ever happen in the literary world. As Canadians, as women, as readers we’re thrilled that she has been recognized on such a prestigious level. But the best part is that her writing  celebrates simple, every day life in southwestern Ontario.

I’m looking forward to going back and re-reading her stories, particularly “Who do you think you are?”. In 1967 I actually had a male boss at Bell Canada say those very words to me. I had presented him with a summary of 10 suggestions on how we could improve efficiency and work flow in the Cable Assignment office where I worked. He informed me that “There are people in other departments getting paid a lot more than you are to come up with solutions – who do you think you are?” That’s when I stopped speaking to him altogether and went on to accomplish more in life and business than he ever could have hoped to. And I’m not alone. I have friends who also were also told “you aren’t smart enough for university” and other similar put-downs. Alice understood this. That’s worth a Nobel Prize. You go girl!