Canadian Book Clubs Discussion Forum: Last 35 Posts

Canadian Book Clubs Discussion Forum: Last 35 Posts http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Canadian Book Clubs Discussion Forum: Last 35 Posts en Fri, 09 May 2008 12:46:34 +0000 eegraham on "Business & Human Rights book list" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/29#post-35 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 05:13:02 +0000 eegraham 35@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Attention book club organizers: The Toronto Business and Human Rights group of Amnesty International Canada has developed a book club reading list with discussion questions that we hope will be of interest to book clubs in the GTA. In the following document you will find five reviewed books, each with discussion questions, followed by summaries for another eight recommended books. All books reviewed are on the subject of business/corporate activities and human rights. We hope you find a book among those listed that is of interest to your group and hope it sparks some thoughtful dialogue. To learn more about our group please visit <a href="http://www.aito.ca/st/SpecTeams.html#B_HRG." rel="nofollow">http://www.aito.ca/st/SpecTeams.html#B_HRG.</a> Finally, we would appreciate any feedback users may have regarding books selected, discussion questions or suggestions for other business and human rights books. Sincerely, Erinn Graham-Barter Member, Toronto Business and Human Rights Group Amnesty International Canada, Toronto _________________________________________________ Amnesty International Canada – Business and Human Rights Group: book list 1. Levi’s Children: Coming to Terms with Human Rights in the Global Marketplace, Karl Schoenberger 2. The Corporation: the pathological pursuit of profit and power, Joel Bakan 3. A Long Way Gone – Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, Ishmael Beah 4. The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck 5. The Secret River, Kate Grenville Additional recommended reading 6. The Jungle, Upton Sinclair 7. When Corporations Rule the World, David C Korten 8. The Economic Horror, Vivian Forrester 9. The Constant Gardener, John le Carre 10. Unequal Protection: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights by Thom Hartmann 11. Making a Killing: How and Why Corporations Use Armed Force to do Business, Madelaine Drohan 12. Bury the Chains, Adam Hochschild 13. Animal’s People, Indra Sinha __________________________________________________ Levi’s Children: Coming to Terms with Human Rights in the Global Marketplace Author: Karl Schoenberger Summary Using the case study of Levi Strauss & Company, Schoenberger explores the issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR) among multinational corporations – the notion that corporations have a responsibility to behave within a set of ethical guidelines. Schoenberger details the rise of CSR with the globalization of production, provides a solid foundation for the basic tenants of social responsibility for those new to the concept, and considers some hot button issues such as corporation involvement in China and Burma through the lens of Levi’s actions. Questions for reflection and further investigation 1. Do you agree with the notion of corporate social responsibility? Do ethics have a place in business operations? What are the responsibilities of national and local governments? 2. Is there an inherent conflict when organizations such as the United Nations and human rights watchdogs work with corporations towards corporate social responsibility? 3. Is corporate social responsibility working? Is the public looking for information on the practices of companies or is it just a small percentage of people that is aware and interested? Will the general public change their behaviour depending on corporate actions? ------------------------------------------------ The Corporation: the pathological pursuit of profit and power Author: Joel Bakan Summary Over the last 150 years the corporation has risen from relative obscurity to become the world's dominant economic institution. Eminent Canadian law professor and legal theorist Joel Bakan contends that today's corporation is a pathological institution, a dangerous possessor of the great power it wields over people and societies. In this revolutionary assessment of the history, character, and globalization of the modern business corporation, Bakan backs his premise with the following observations: - The corporation's legally defined mandate is to pursue relentlessly and without exception its own economic self-interest, regardless of the harmful consequences it might cause to others. - The corporation's unbridled self-interest victimizes individuals, society, and, when it goes awry, even shareholders and can cause corporations to self-destruct, as recent Wall Street scandals reveal. - Governments have freed the corporation, despite its flawed character, from legal constraints through deregulation and granted it ever greater authority over society through privatization. But Bakan believes change is possible and he outlines a far-reaching program of achievable reforms through legal regulation and democratic control. Featuring in-depth interviews with such wide-ranging figures as Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman, business guru Peter Drucker, and cultural critic Noam Chomsky, The Corporation is an extraordinary work that will educate and enlighten students, CEOs, whistle-blowers, power brokers, pawns, pundits, and politicians alike. Questions for reflection and further investigation: 1. Given the legal restrictions, do you think it's possible for corporations to be socially responsible? If yes, how? If not, why not? 2. Externalities are generally the negative result of corporations putting generating wealth before all else. Discuss current examples of the damage done by this concept. 4. In Chapter 5 Balkan discusses the "Nag Factor". What has been (or is) your own experience with and response to the "Nag Factor"? 5. Bakan ends on an optimistic note. Do you share this optimism? Why? Why not? ----------------------------------------------- A Long Way Gone – Memoirs of a Boy Soldier Author: Ishael Beah Summary What does war look like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? Child soldiers have been profiled by journalists and novelists, but few who have endured this hell have told their tales. In A Long Way Gone Ishmael Beah, now twenty-six years old, tells a gripping story: At the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he’d been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. At sixteen, he was rehabilitated by UNICEF, learning how to forgive himself, to regain his humanity, and finally, to heal. This is an extraordinary and mesmerizing account, told with real literary force and heartbreaking honesty. Questions for reflection and further investigation: 1. How do you feel about accountability for Ishmael’s acts? 2. What goodness do you see in Ishmael’s story, and how can that be applied to other situations? 3. What do you think that Ishmael means in his solution to the monkey story? ----------------------------------------------- The Grapes of Wrath Author: John Steinbeck Summary First published in 1939, The Grapes of Wrath is a landmark of American Literature. This Pulitzer Prize-winning epic of the Great Depression chronicles the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and tells the story of one Oklahoma farm family, the Joads – driven from their homestead by the “land companies” and forced to travel west to the promised land of California. A portrait of conflict between the powerful and the powerless, the novel captures the horrors of the Depression and probes the very nature of equality in America. Grapes of wrath continues to have an impact on society, both from political and artistic perspectives. Author T.C. Boyle published a book with a similar perspective in 1995 called The Tortilla Curtain, in which he shifts the focus from the challenges faced by the Dust Bowl migrant workers to the lives of contemporary Mexican immigrants. Boyle says that the effort Steinbeck made to remedy injustice inspired him to imagine a new reality in a world that hasn't changed as much as it would like to believe. Questions for reflection and further investigation: 1. Steinbeck writes, “There is little difference between this tractor and a tank. The people are driven, intimidated, hurt by both. We must think about this.” (p.151). Do economic forces have as much impact on Human Rights as militaristic forces? 2. What character traits does Steinbeck portray as being driven by business? How do you think that capitalism and positive human behaviours can co-exist? 3. What possible solutions does Steinbeck present for the picture he paints? Do you feel that these solutions are applicable today? Does our global environment make a difference to your answer? What do you think would help to address Human Rights violations driven by business and industry? 4. The third chapter of the novel depicts a turtle crossing the Oklahoma highway. How does this chapter symbolize the story of the migrants? ------------------------------------------------ The Secret River Author: Kate Grenville Summary The Orange Prize-winning author Kate Grenville recalls her family's history in an astounding novel about the pioneers of New South Wales. Already a best seller in Australia, The Secret River is the story of Grenville's ancestors, who wrested a new life from the alien terrain of Australia and its native people. London, 1806. William Thornhill, a Thames bargeman, is deported to the New South Wales colony in what would become Australia. In this new world of convicts and charlatans, Thornhill tries to pull his family into a position of power and comfort. When he rounds a bend in the Hawkesbury River and sees a gentle slope of land, he becomes determined to make the place his own. But, as uninhabited as the island appears, Australia is full of native people, and they do not take kindly to Thornhill's theft of their home. The Secret River is the tale of Thornhill's deep love for his small corner of the new world, and his slow realization that if he wants to settle there, he must ally himself with the most despicable of the white settlers, and to keep his family safe, he must permit terrifying cruelty to come to innocent people. Questions for reflection and further investigation : 1. What do you feel drives and escalates Thornhill’s behaviours? 2. What gives characters power in the book? How does power shift between and within characters? 3. Do you believe that the conflicts in this book are purely historical? Other recommended books ------------------------------------------------ The Jungle Author: Upton Sinclair Summary Upton Sinclair's The Jungle is a vivid portrait of life and death in a turn-of-the-century American meat-packing factory. A grim indictment that led to government regulations of the food industry, The Jungle is Sinclair's extraordinary contribution to literature and social reform. The book won Sinclair fame and fortune, and led to the implementation of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. It had the deepest social impact since Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin . President Theodore Roosevelt received 100 letters a day demanding reforms in the meat industry and Sinclair was called to the White House. ----------------------------------------------- When Corporations Rule The World Author: David C.Korten Summary A new, modern classic that explores the unprecedented growth of powerful corporations in the face of largely marginalized communities world wide. Corporations which were once considered to be providers of service to the public, have instead become drivers of a single world culture of consumption. Because corporations are solely accountable to shareholders for bottom-line profits, they operate without an inherent moral compass, and as a result have an insatiable quest for profit at any cost. The results of this market tyranny are seen in the rise of displaced peoples, the destruction of the world’s natural environments and the increasing enslavement of all people to ensure the perpetuation of the need for greed as an independent existence in itself. Korten discusses how this destruction has been devised through a combination of institutional forces and the extremist ideology of corporate libertarianism to undermine both the markets and democracy. Never has the manipulation of so much money been at the hands of so few. The book also explores the growing disparity in lifestyles between the marginalized poor and the tiny elite that enjoy lives of extravagant excesses. He prescribes a reordering of developmental priorities to restore local control and benefits. While he does not endorse a specific methodology for accomplishing this, he points out that major shifts in global politics such as the dismantling of the Soviet Union, the end of apartheid in South Africa and the re-unification of Germany suggests that anything is possible. ------------------------------------------------ The Economic Horror Author: Vivian Forrester Summary Released originally in France to enormous acclaim, Viviane Forrester discusses the lack of choices faced by the most impoverished members of society: facing poverty either at working of facing poverty while accepting government social benefits. The grandiose promises of the Industrial Revolution of greater freedom, more wealth, and happiness have been left desperately wanting as the money has been allowed to flow freely, but labor has not. The growth of the number of the world’s billionaires, multi millionaires and new investment has not resulted in a growth in employment rates. People and their labor have become commodified to such an extent that the current unemployment rates in the EU(over 18 million) has placed the working class in a position where they are a surplus to market requirements. This has resulted in a deadly cycle where human beings have been reduced to surplus, dispensable trash; Forrester describes how politicians and corporations are actively colluding to hide the devastating effects the current economy has had on the most marginalized peoples and how racism, xenophobia and class divisions have aided and abetted this decline. ----------------------------------------------- The Constant Gardener Author: John le Carre Summary Tessa Quayle is found murdered in the jungle of Nairobi, along with her native driver. Of the doctor who was with them, Arnold Bluhm, nothing can be found. The two of them had been active in the health and social work involved in trying to improve Africans' lives in the midst of poverty and war. Justin Quayle, her older husband, is a diplomat in the English Foreign Office in Nairobi. Le Carré's earlier novels painted a bleak picture of the abuses and corruptions and betrayals of power; here that is augmented with a hard look at a specific issue — the abuse of power by pharmaceutical companies. The integration of this into the plot is occasionally awkward but mostly effective, touching on the testing of defective drugs in Third World countries, the corruption of governments and corporations, and the twisting of scientific research agendas. And while the ending of The Constant Gardener is dark in trademark Le Carré style, it has an unusually positive twist, ending with a hopeful defeat rather than a tainted victory, and with a call to political action. NOTE: This is a gritty, violent thriller, somewhat graphic at times in the violence and language. ------------------------------------------------ UNEQUAL PROTECTION : THE RISE OF CORPORATE DOMINANCE AND THE THEFT OF HUMAN RIGHTS Author: Thom Hartmann Summary Unequal Protection offers some valuable new insights into the role of corporations in early U.S. history and the process through which corporate lawyers successfully promoted the "corporate personhood" doctrine. We often have written the application of Bill of Rights protections to corporations arose from the 1886 Supreme Court ruling in Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad, but Hartmann's new research has added rich detail to the story. The Court record that subsequently was cited to claim Bill of Rights protections for corporations reflects nothing more than the spoken opinion of one Chief Justice Waite and a clerk. Notably, Justice Waite was appointed directly to the Supreme Court with no experience as a judge--he came straight from a position as a railroad lawyer. The truth behind Santa Clara is just one of many engaging stories presented in Unequal Protection . Beyond illustrative history, Hartmann explores the real-life impacts of corporate personhood, including how corporations: hide accounting crimes and evidence of cancer-causing products by claiming the "right" against self-incrimination; block inspectors investigating toxic emissions and workplace dangers by claiming the "right" of privacy; defy local, state and national attempts to regulate the worst of their abuses by claiming the "right" to be free of discrimination. Hartmann also provides a compelling argument that the current corporate hegemony was not what the American revolutionaries, be they Federalists or Democratic Republicans, envisioned for the United States . Even better, Hartmann offers specific actions to remedy the usurpation of our sovereign right to govern ourselves and the institutions we create. He helps deliver our message of why citizens must move beyond single-issue struggles and towards the assertion of democratic control of our economy and institutions. Unequal Protection is recommended to all readers who wish to expand their knowledge of history relevant to our struggles against illegitimate corporate power or who wish to gain new insights on solving current problems in that realm. ------------------------------------------------ Making a Killing: How and Why Corporations Use Armed Force to Do Business Author: Madelaine Drohan Summary Madelaine Drohan is an award-winning journalist who has covered business and politics in Canada, Europe and Africa during a 25-year career. She has worked for MacLean’s, the Financial Post and The Globe and Mail. She lives in Ottawa. In Making a Killing, Drohan describes her travels over a four-year period during which she visited Angola, Sudan, South Africa, Mozambique, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia. Interviewing government officials, bankers, warlords, mercenaries and guerillas, Drohan discovered a seldom-reported theme which characterizes economic and political life in most African countries: the use of paramilitary armed forces to further the aims of European imperialism. She writes: “What could drive a company, I wondered, to sanction the use of armed force, knowing that lives would be lost? This book traces the route I took in trying to answer that question.” The use of force by Europeans bent on profiting from Africa's natural resources has a long history. Drohan begins with Cecil Rhodes, who made his fortune by pillaging Africa's natural resources of gold and diamonds. Drohan reports similar examples of violence committed by imperialists in other parts of Africa, and observes that Africans have no legal recourse against injustices committed by Europeans. In an eloquent final chapter titled “Perfectly Legal, Perfectly Moral”, Drohan charges that, when accused of human rights abuses, most leaders of multinational conglomerates react with anger, denial, lawsuits and threats of violence. Some react by adopting corporate codes of conduct which are little more than window dressing, since there is no punishment for violations. And some CEOs justify their human rights abuses by saying that “they are required by law to put the interests of their shareholders — and thus profits above all else.” Drohan concludes: “Clearly, the voluntary route will not work. The only way to ensure that companies adhere to an international standard is to enact new laws that define what is acceptable behaviour and that stipulate penalties harsh enough to make corporate executives think twice.” [With thanks to Steve Gilbert for some of the text above, People's Voice, October 1-15, 2004] Given that 60% of the mining companies operating around the world are Canadian, and given that Amnesty International is campaigning for a mandatory code of behaviour, this book is timely and relevant. Madelaine Drohan writes a good story on what is academic material but it’s not a particularly easy read unless you have a special interest in Africa, history or a need for examples of corporate misbehaviour to inform your actions in the area of Business & Human Rights. ------------------------------------------------ Bury the Chains Author: Adam Hochschild Summary Did you know that the author of “Amazing Grace” was once the captain of a slave ship? Adam Hochschild provides a thrilling account of the first grass-roots human rights campaign, which freed hundreds of thousands of slaves around the world. In 1787, twelve men gathered in a London printing shop to pursue a seemingly impossible goal: ending slavery in the largest empire on earth. Along the way, they would pioneer most of the tools citizen activists still rely on today, from wall posters and mass mailings to boycotts and lapel pins. You’ll get to know remarkable figures like captain John Newton, Olaudah Equiano, a brilliant ex-slave who enthralled audiences throughout the British Isles; Granville Sharp, an eccentric musician and self-taught lawyer; and Thomas Clarkson, a fiery organizer who repeatedly crisscrossed Britain on horseback, devoting his life to the cause. Bury the Chains abounds in atmosphere, high drama, and nuanced portraits of unsung heroes and colorful villains. ------------------------------------------------ Animal’s People Author: Indra Sinha Nineteen years after a Bhopal-style poison gas disaster, Khaufpur's slum-dwellers soldier on next to the still-toxic remains. Animal, who walks on all fours as a result of the accident, will not be ignored: in a filthy mix of English, 'Khaufpuri' Hindi and gutter French, he wrestles with the larger issues (the seemingly futile fight for compensation from the 'Kampani') and the lesser ones (namely 'Monsieur Méchant' in his pants). He attracts a motley crew of friends along the way: a pretty young intellectual, a Christ-like activist, a sexy American 'doctoress' - and, in the most touching improvised mother-son relationship since Romain Gary's La Vie Devant Soi ( almost certainly an influence), a mad old nun named Ma Franci. Booker-nominee Sinha tells a fine tale, funny, harrowing and startlingly fresh. (Taken from a review in The Observer, Sunday, February 10, 2008) SheilaPeacock on "Meet Taras Grescoe in Vancouver" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/28#post-34 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:15:04 +0000 SheilaPeacock 34@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Dear Book Club Friends, Just wanted to let you know that the CBC Radio Studio One Book Club in Vancouver has launched our Spring 2008 series, and local Book Clubs are invited to win tickets to attend. Go to <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/bc/bookclub" rel="nofollow">www.cbc.ca/bc/bookclub</a> for all the info and how to enter. The second in the series is from the irresistible Taras Grescoe, the author of The Devil’s Picnic. His new book Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood, is his epicurean and ethically driven quest for the perfect seafood dish. He nets some shocking discoveries about the fish we eat, where they come from, and the often slimy inner workings of the multi-billion dollar industry that depends on them. Much more than a tirade against commercial fishing, however, Bottomfeeder is a food lover’s highly entertaining and provocative delight, written by an intrepid adventurer who loves to dish on what’s delicious, exciting, and ethically digestible. Join the conversation with Sheryl MacKay, special co-host Quang Dang of C Restaurant, and Taras Grescoe! To enter to win tickets, go to <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/bc/bookclub" rel="nofollow">www.cbc.ca/bc/bookclub</a> Plus, you can hear Padma Viswanathan with her stunning debut novel The Toss of a Lemon on Saturday May 17, between 8 and 9 am on CBC Radio’s North by Northwest (690 on the AM dial in Vancouver). Thanks so much for spreading the word to fellow book lovers! Sheila Peacock CBC Radio eyota on "Need help with the title of a book..." http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/27#post-33 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:53:25 +0000 eyota 33@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ This is a very bizarre question for you - I am from Minnesota, my friend and I recently discovered that we have both read the same book that we both really enjoyed and cannot locate the name of it - several internet searches lead me to you - I know this is a long shot, but... The book was about a doctor who was living with a family in Nova Scotia, there were several daughters, and the young doctor fell in love with one of the daughters. Then the Halifax explosion happened, and the whole family was killed, except a different daughter, who was blinded. The young doctor ended up marrying the blind sister he didn't love, we think. Do any of you have a clue what the name of this book is or who the author might be? It is driving us crazy that we don't know! Thanks in advance for any leads..... Ginnine on "Sheri Tepper - The Margarets" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/26#post-32 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 08:06:04 +0000 Ginnine 32@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ We used this book in my book club and couldn't find any discussion questions online. So, I made up my own, just wanted to share them with others. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR THE MARGARETS BY SHERI TEPPER 1) How did you feel when you discovered that the cats were depicted as the “disabled” of their species? 2) What do you think Sheri Tepper was trying to say about people in general when she depicted the adults as having the repeated recipelike conversations with each other? 3) What do you think would change humankind if we had a racial memory? 4) Margaret breaks off into 7 different personalities, a warrior, a healer, a telepath, a spy, a shaman and a queen and a linguist. What personality traits that all humans are capable of possessing is Sheri Tepper trying to show in these personalities? 5) Do you feel it was necessary for the character of Naumi to be male? If so, why and if not why would it have been better to be a female? What benefit was there in exploring the character in a male identity? 6) Which if any of the personalities do you feel was the strongest or most important and why? 7) The book talks about population problems on the earth that are very real today and discussed ways in which to remedy the problem including forced sterilization. Discuss this and the implications of it. 8) Discuss the effect of being the only child on an entire planet and how it might impact the development of that human being in terms of their psyche? By: Ginnine Robertson blogwala on "Peterborough Book Reading--Stealing Nasreen" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/25#post-31 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:29:41 +0000 blogwala 31@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Come join us for a reading from Stealing Nasreen by Farzana Doctor at Trent University, Wednesday, February 13th, 5:30-7pm WHERE: Trent University, 310 London Street, Senior Common Room, Scott House, Trail College WHO: This event is sponsored by the Trent Queer Collective and is free and open to the public. Copies of Stealing Nasreen will be available for sale. Farzana Doctor is a writer whose work has been published in Siren Magazine, Trikone, Sightlines 7 Anthology, NOW Magazine and Aurat Durbar. She has also had chapters, reviews, and articles published in edited books and journals, has co-written a manual for therapists, co-written plays, and co-produced a documentary video. Stealing Nasreen (Inanna Publications, 2007) is her first novel. She is currently working on her second. She is also a social worker, educator, and consultant based in Toronto. For more information, check out <a href="http://www.farzanadoctor.com" rel="nofollow">www.farzanadoctor.com</a> CONTACT: Farzana Doctor 416-682-8974 <a href="mailto:farzanadoctor@rogers.com">farzanadoctor@rogers.com</a> Please contact <a href="mailto:Luciana@yorku.ca">Luciana@yorku.ca</a> for a review copy. CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR STEALING NASREEN: Farzana Doctor’s first novel offers a study in linked solitudes and secrets…What has stayed with me are the unerring interior dramas.—Globe and Mail This unique contribution to CanLit probes the problems and joys of creating an open, diverse society.—Now Magazine Stealing Nasreen reveals the intricacies of human relationships, but more importantly, it is an eye-opening critique of the multicultural dream.—Quill and Quire PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY afitzpatrick on "Holiday gift for literature lovers" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/24#post-30 Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:17:21 +0000 afitzpatrick 30@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Frontier College is Canada's oldest national literacy organization, working in high-needs communities across the country. As part of our holiday gift promotion we're auctioning a full set of the Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlisted books, each signed by the author. All proceeds from this First eDitions auction will support Frontier College literacy programs. The perfect gift for Canadian literature lovers, and a unique way to support literacy in Canada. Paste the link below into your browser to bid on this unique package, or go to <a href="http://www.frontiercollegefoundation.ca" rel="nofollow">www.frontiercollegefoundation.ca</a> and click on First eDitions. <a href="http://cgi.ebay.ca/Signed-Late-Nights-on-Air-Divisadero-Effigy-1st-Ed_W0QQitemZ180192843511QQihZ008QQcategoryZ377QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" rel="nofollow">http://cgi.ebay.ca/Signed-Late-Nights-on-Air-Divisadero-Effigy-1st-Ed_W0QQitemZ180192843511QQihZ008QQcategoryZ377QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem</a> Frontier College. Literacy. Learning for Life. <a href="http://www.frontiercollege.ca" rel="nofollow">www.frontiercollege.ca</a> April on "GGLA winners give public readings" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/23#post-29 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:02:41 +0000 April 29@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Join us for an outstanding line-up of 2007 Governor General Literary Award winners reading from their winning books on Wednesday, December 12 at 7 p.m. at Library and Archives Canada auditorium, 395 Wellington Street. Copies of the winning books will be on sale, and authors will be available to sign their books after the reading. Come do your holiday shopping! Plan to arrive early as this event is free and seating is limited. This event will be co-hosted by Rita Celli from CBC Radio One, 91.5 FM and Daniel Mathieu from la Première Chaîne, Radio-Canada, 90.7 FM. It is co-sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts, and Library and Archives Canada. For more information call 613.566.4414 ext 4523 or visit <a href="http://www.canadacouncil.ca/prizes/ggla" rel="nofollow">www.canadacouncil.ca/prizes/ggla</a> Taisie on "Alice Munro's story onstage at Blyth Festival 2008" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/22#post-28 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:29:17 +0000 Taisie 28@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ I'm posting this information to share with other Alice Munro fans (!) and hope that they'll be intrigued by this opportunity to enjoy live professional theatre just up the road from where Ms. Munro lives in Huron County, SW Ontario, on Ontario's West Coast. Blyth Festival theatre members know that readers love Alice Munro's works and this season her story Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage comes to life on our stage, in a production created by playwright Marcia Johnson. Courting Johanna A Play based on Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro “…It had all begun with Sabitha saying, ‘We have to go by the Post Office. I have to send a letter to my dad’…” In this story, two teenage girls play an idle game that spins out of control when boredom turns into mischief. Inspired by their game, the girls write a flurry of fraudulent love letters to Johanna, a hard working, but unwitting, housekeeper. Believing that the letters come from an honourable man, Johanna revels in the hope that she can leave her housekeeping days behind her. When she makes a daring choice, it changes the course of her life and of those around her. No other writer has ever captured the essence of life in Huron County quite the way that Alice Munro has. The Blyth Festival is honoured to present this play, adapted from the work of Canada’s greatest short story writer. We may be lucky enough to welcome Ms. Munro to the opening night...although she is very shy generally. There's a great book shop in Bayfield where she hangs out and a lovely restaurant in Goderich where she often meets her agent and friends. Everyone is very welcoming to her and most don't approach her.... Hope you go visit the Blyth Festival's web pages to see what else is happening on stage in 2008. Taisie blogwala on "Looking for several book selections for bookclub" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/13#post-27 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:19:23 +0000 blogwala 27@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Hello Paula, Try my novel, Stealing Nasreen. Have a look at the "reviews" section of this website to find out more! Serious, but funny. Definitely not dreary. Farzana Doctor <a href="http://www.farzanadoctor.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow">www.farzanadoctor.wordpress.com</a> blogwala on "Stealing Nasreen Midland Book Reading" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/21#post-26 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:56:15 +0000 blogwala 26@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ I will be reading from my novel, Stealing Nasreen, at the Midland Public Library on January 9th, 7pm. If you live near there, please come by. For more info about Stealing Nasreen, go to <a href="http://www.farzanadoctor.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow">www.farzanadoctor.wordpress.com</a> or see the review on this website. Farzana Doctor BookBuzz on "Author Wayne Johnston Chatting Online" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/20#post-25 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:53:05 +0000 BookBuzz 25@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Book Buzz Event: Chat online with award-winning author Wayne Johnston. Thurday November 22, 2007 7:30 pm- 8:30 pm The author of The Custodian of Paradise, and such titles as The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, The Navigator of New York and the Divine Ryans will answer questions and chat about his writing on Book Buzz, Toronto Public Library's online Book Club. Please join us. <a href="http://bookbuzz.torontopubliclibrary.ca/index.html" rel="nofollow">http://bookbuzz.torontopubliclibrary.ca/index.html</a> RGJohnston on "Looking for several book selections for bookclub" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/13#post-24 Sun, 28 Oct 2007 22:28:37 +0000 RGJohnston 24@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Hello Paula I read your post concerning book ideas and I have a suggestion that would hopefully meet your criteria. I've written a novel titled Vinland: The Beginning (it's set in L'Anse aux Meadows at the end of the first millenium). You can read about it on my web site, as well as read a review and also view some newspaper articles. I give discounts to book clubs (5+ copies) and my postal rate is only $3.00/copy anywhere in Canada. Thank you R,G, Johnston FrontierCollege on "Scotiabank Giller Light Bash, in support of Frontier College" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/19#post-23 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:34:31 +0000 FrontierCollege 23@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Scotiabank Giller Light Bash, in support of Frontier College Details: Tuesday, November 6 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Steam Whistle Brewery, 255 Bremner Blvd., Toronto Celebrating one of the most prestigious book awards in Canada - the Scotiabank Giller Prize - Scotiabank Giller Light Bash, in support of Frontier College, is an exciting night of literature and entertainment. Come watch the Scotiabank Giller Gala live on the big screen at the Steam Whistle and enjoy the sounds of singer Kyle Riabko, all while supporting a great cause. Funds raised at the event support Frontier College, Canada's oldest national literacy organization. Frontier College. Literacy. Learning for Life. <a href="http://www.frontiercollege.ca" rel="nofollow">www.frontiercollege.ca</a> Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased at <a href="http://www.gillerlightbash.ca" rel="nofollow">www.gillerlightbash.ca</a> or at the door. Ticket Address: <a href="http://www.frontiercollegefoundation.ca/site/giller/giller_tickets.php" rel="nofollow">http://www.frontiercollegefoundation.ca/site/giller/giller_tickets.php</a> For more information, e-mail <a href="mailto:aschindler@frontiercollege.ca">aschindler@frontiercollege.ca</a> or call 416-923-3591, ext.335 steyaert on "Read the London Reads books" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/18#post-22 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:38:59 +0000 steyaert 22@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Visit <a href="http://www.londonreads.uwo.ca" rel="nofollow">www.londonreads.uwo.ca</a> to see this year's selection of Canadian fiction. steyaert on "London Reads Announces Literary Line-up for 2007-08" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/17#post-21 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:37:09 +0000 steyaert 21@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Alumni Western presents: London Reads announced the literary line up for the fifth annual edition of the program. London Reads, first launched as Western Reads as part of the The University of Western Ontario’s 125th anniversary celebrations in 2003, promotes Canadian authors and the importance of literacy. Modeled after CBC Radio’s Canada Reads, the program invites the entire community to read along with and engage local celebrity panelists as they deliberate the merits of Canadian fiction. The public is encouraged to participate by: Reading the featured books along with the panelists Attending events featuring each team of panelists and their book, taking place monthly from October 2007 to February 2008 throughout the City (exact dates and locations to be announced) Joining online activity at <a href="http://www.londonreads.uwo.ca," rel="nofollow">www.londonreads.uwo.ca,</a> where readers can vote for their favourite book and podcasts of book readings will be available The final debate will take place in March. The winning book will be announced on World Book Day, April 23, and the author will be invited to visit the Wolf Performance Hall at the Central Library to read from and discuss the novel in May. Please visit <a href="http://www.londonreads.uwo.ca" rel="nofollow">www.londonreads.uwo.ca</a> to see this years books and celebrity readers. fspence on "Black Water Born by Fara Spence- adventure/coming of age" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/16#post-20 Fri, 10 Aug 2007 20:53:54 +0000 fspence 20@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Hi there, I'd like to suggest my own book, recently released by Breakwater Books. I'm a maritimer living in Nova Scotia. I love book clubs! My book is set in Nfld, based on a true tragedy in the early 1900's. The back of the book says: Black Water Born 'Against the background of Newfoundland's early years, Black Water Born tells the turbulent love story of Lucky and Helen whose relationship seems doomed from the start. An action-driven tale of adventure, passion and family secrets, Fara Spence's second novel reveals the cost of discovering what really matters in life -- and death. "Spence is a born storyteller. Black Water Born is a work of sharp observation and immediacy that kept me turning the pages steadily..." Globe & Mail. My website is <a href="http://www.faraspence.com." rel="nofollow">www.faraspence.com.</a> Would love to hear from other readers and writers. Cheers, Fara roalber on "Calling All Toronto Book Clubs" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/15#post-19 Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:18:15 +0000 roalber 19@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Literature for Life, a Toronto charity that runs a literacy promgram for at-risk teen-age girls is looking for book clubs willing to donate some of their gently used 'reads' for the first ever Book Club Book Sale at Toronto City Hall on Saturday, September 8th, World Literacy Day. Books are needed now before many book clubs adjourn for the summer. They will be catalogued and carefully stored by volunteers until the date of the sale. Please contact: <a href="http://www.booksale@literatureforlife.org" rel="nofollow">www.booksale@literatureforlife.org</a> and indicate that you would like to participate. You can get more information about Literature for Life on our website: <a href="http://www.literature" rel="nofollow">http://www.literature</a> for life.org Thank you tyciol on "The Man From Autumn: A Psychological Novel"" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/12#post-18 Mon, 14 May 2007 05:50:49 +0000 tyciol 18@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ It sounds like a great idea, I've blended a lot of those old theology-type things into cognitive explorations too. It's sort of like, perhaps the roots of philosophy were originally founded in ancient theologies, people trying to interpret them and so forth? The theologies are like primitive expressions of philosophical feelings being born in the subconscious or something, we needed to give words and form toit, but did not know how, so we literalized our subconscious metaphors. In interpreting them, we come to rational discussions of human principles, and eventually it becomes so complex as our analytical abilities increased, that it could stand on it's own right. In many cases that discoure can even take the place of theology in people's evaluations of life's meanings. tyciol on "Great book site - www.booksplice.com" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/11#post-17 Mon, 14 May 2007 05:47:41 +0000 tyciol 17@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ It looks like a good premise... they should redesign the home page a bit though because when I first went I thought it was down and it was one of those advertising-type pages, something about the layout.. Also if you click a category like... 'education', the 'top 10' list of books on the topic is only 3 books, 2 on how to learn french... are any categories more extensive? Publisher on "A Perfect Night To Go To China" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/14#post-16 Sat, 31 Mar 2007 09:10:51 +0000 Publisher 16@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Hello Paula Your question intrigued me enough to pick up this book! If this main character portrays a real man in a modern world, I sure haven’t met him yet. And that I am thankful for. I wondered whether Roman is believable. I was surprised Roman felt that his boy Simon was calling him. There’s no indication that he has felt psychic pulls before. In his diary, he writes about women, not about their souls, but of their bodies, tasting them. Then when his boy disappears, he enters an inner world that comprises of following his Simon’s image and voice, and talking to his dead mother in the underworld. He asks his mother whether she has seen Simon. Her affirmation is his evidence that Simon still lives. Roman’s world is all about him, confirmed by his career as a television host. Superficiality pervades his encounters with people. At a funeral for a previous university girlfriend who died of cancer, he finds it very odd that the woman's daughter wants to remember her mother when she was beautiful, not how she looked when she died. He worries about people liking him and making a good impression. I loved the scene when Roman dines with his makeup woman’s family at a restaurant. A little bit of alcohol and after-effects of morphine created a fiery scene between two generations of like-minded men. Roman’s efforts with women including his ex-wife, Simon’s mom shows his unawareness of soulful perceptions. But this shallowness is not just with women. He does not understand that police suspect he took Simon himself and has hidden him somewhere. Behind that suspicion is no question on motivation for such an act comprises a characteristic intention Roman does not possess. He does have spunk, though. Roman understands something is wrong with life as he battles his grief. At the end, does he find Simon? I don’t think so. Nothing every works for Roman when he plans it. He just falls into situations. Paula on "A Perfect Night To Go To China" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/14#post-15 Wed, 07 Mar 2007 13:15:04 +0000 Paula 15@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Hello: Has anyone read David Gilmore's book entitled A Perfect Night To Go To China. It begins with a parent's worst nightmare, the disappearance of his/her child. It is a very fast read, engaging - actually I could not put it down, but its the ending. It is so open to interpretation, that having other reader's comments would be so interesting. Hopefully I will hear back from some of our readers, Thanks, Paula Paula on "Looking for several book selections for bookclub" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/13#post-14 Wed, 07 Mar 2007 13:07:22 +0000 Paula 14@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Hello: If you check our bookclub called A Novel Approach, you will see quite a listing of books read and rated. It is that time again that our members choose new books for the 2007/2008 year and I am looking for some suggestions: I wish to move away from depressive and/or suicidal type of books and go to a really good story that is not dark and sad and deary. Anyone have suggestions, and perhaps tell me a wee bit about it, so I have an idea of topic. Thanks ignasio on "The Man From Autumn: A Psychological Novel"" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/12#post-13 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:23:33 +0000 ignasio 13@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ This psychological novel, written by Mario E. Martinez, introduces the reader to a harmonious convergence of cognitive science and mystical theology. The style is reminiscent of "The Da Vinci Code" and "Shadow of the Wind". The book is full of codes to be unraveled while you incidentally learn about mind-body science within a plot that explains the mysterious Christ-like wounds manifested in stigmatics. Some of the characters are so engaging that, at times, they entice you to take them home as new-found friends. The book is quite popular in Ireland and beginning to gain popularity in the US. If you are interested in learning more about the practical life lessons in this novel, go to <a href="http://www.themanfromautumn.com" rel="nofollow">www.themanfromautumn.com</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com" rel="nofollow">www.amazon.com</a> avidreader on "Great book site - www.booksplice.com" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/11#post-12 Thu, 09 Nov 2006 03:41:06 +0000 avidreader 12@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ This site is pretty cool. It has lists of top 10 books on topics like business (marketing, leadership), family and home (gardening, cooking), and technology. For example, if you don't want to waste time figuring out which are good books on php or marketing, this site really helps because it greatly narrows down the best books on the topic. Publisher on "Our Book Catalogue" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/10#post-11 Mon, 06 Nov 2006 14:07:45 +0000 Publisher 11@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ If you have found value while browsing our website, please consider buying your books from the Amazon links below. <ul> <li><a href="http://astore.amazon.ca/canadianboo0b-20">Catalogue at Amazon.ca</a> Amazon.ca's server is a little slow sometimes to handling the new astore feature. If you get a page can't load, try again at a different time. </li> <li><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/canadianboo06-20">Catalogue at Amazon.com</a></li> </ul> Publisher on "Archives" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/9#post-10 Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:51:57 +0000 Publisher 10@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ You can view the guestbook from 1999 until October, 2006 below. <a href="http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/discus/messages/board-topics.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/discus/messages/board-topics.html</a> Publisher on "Giller Prize Awards" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/7#post-8 Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:16:07 +0000 Publisher 8@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ You are invited to *preview* the <a href="http://www.ctv.ca/mini_v2/giller2006/index.html">Giller Prize Award</a> show! Why: Because you are interested in Canadian literary arts and you would love the opportunity to be a part of the behind the scenes action before the live show. When: Tuesday Nov 7th, 2pm- 5pm Where: Four Seasons banquet Hall, 21 Avenue Rd @ Bloor St Please RSVP: <a href="mailto:gillerawards@ctv.ca">gillerawards@ctv.ca</a> Publisher on "User's Guide" http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/topic/6#post-6 Tue, 31 Oct 2006 09:20:04 +0000 Publisher 6@http://www.canadianbookclubs.com/forums/ Welcome to our new forums! When you register on the bottom left, a password will be sent to the email address you supplied. That email cannot be viewed by anyone. Any additional information you supply in registration will be available for viewing in your profile. Once registered you can change your profile at any time. In the same section where you registered and will login, you will notice links, such as "view your profile." Please click on these and familiarize yourself with our forums. To start a new thread or topic, click on the Add New link in the "Latest Discussions" section. Advantage to Starting a New Topic: You Topic Heading will show up in Latest Discussions! Disadvantage to Replying to an Existing Topic: If your reply has no relevance to an existing topic, it will not feature prominence in “Latest Discussions”. But please feel free to reply to an existing topic , if it is relevant to the existing topic. When you start a new topic, you will notice at the bottom an empty field that asks for a Tag. A Tag is one word that will help someone find your post quickly. Put something in there relevant to your post. You can track any thread of special interest by using “favorites” in your profile or through our rss feed, which displays content from our forum. This forum is protected from spam. But even so, nothing is 100% spam proof. If you view what you believe to be spam, please <a href="mailto:webgoddess@canadianbookclubs.com?subject=Spam%20Found%20">email</a> us. And if you view a post that you believe to be abusive, please <a href="mailto:publisher2@canadianbookclubs.com?subject=Abusive%20Post%20">email</a> us too.