National Network for Equitable Library Service

Born in Nanaimo, British Columbia in the 1930s, Prudence Emery was expected to do the right things, but shattered family expectations by going to art school in London, England, where studies sometimes took a back seat to partying. And then she found herself in the world of celebrities. From Expo 67 in Montreal to the press office at London's Savoy Hotel, Prudence met the likes of Twiggy, Noël Coward, Louis Armstrong, Petula Clark, Liza Minelli, and Edward Albee. She escorted David Frost to an interview with Sheikh Mujibar Rahman and arranged for Pierre Trudeau to attend a party where he met Barbra Streisand for the first time. It was a world so rich with stories that the Canadian Press wrote, "If ever a job was tailor-made for a book of memoirs, Prudence Emery has it." But it was just the beginning. A new career as a film publicist spanned decades and introduced her to some of Hollywood's biggest names, from Sophia Loren to Jennifer Lopez, from Peter O'Toole to Matt Damon. She worked with Nicolas Cage when he was a nervous teenager and later when he was an outgoing superstar. And she was a frequent colleague of famed director David Cronenberg. Nanaimo Girl is the story of a life well lived and an encouragement to all, young and old, to get out, defy expectations, and have a rip-roaring good time.