mandag 19. april 2010

What is Stephen Harper reading?

I went to the library to day studying. The cool library Downtown. It is still really nice, and the roof actually had sun block. So even though the sun was shining, it didn't bother me that much.

Anyway, I was on my way home when I passed the Microsoft Auditorium, and I saw that Yann Martel, the author of Life of Pi, was having a book reading (I got Life of Pi as a present from my aunt Rita a couple yeas ago, and it is one of my favorite books). He was promoting his new book Beatrice and Virgil. The nice thing was that he read some sections of his new book, but the best thing was when he told about his project What is Stephen Harper reading?.
Yann Martel is from Canada, and Stephen Harper is the Canadian Prime Minister. What Martel is some what frustrated about is that it seems like the Prime Minister doesn't read much at all. Any books. Not even bad ones. Martel thinks that reading books build character, and by that becoming a more interesting person. It doesn't matter what book you read, just that you read books (I actually agree with him). What Martel does is that every second Monday he sends a book to the Prime Ministers office, with a letter telling him about the book, and why he thinks that the Prime Minister should read that book. He has now sent 79 books. The latest: Charlotte’s Web, by E. B. White.
Quote from the website:
"For as long as Stephen Harper is Prime Minister of Canada, I vow to send him every two weeks, mailed on a Monday, a book that has been known to expand stillness. That book will be inscribed and will be accompanied by a letter I will have written."
When Barack Obama wisited Canada, Martel even sent Sephen Harper a book that he knew Obama loved, so that they could have some things to talk about, when they weren't talking about politics. A overview over the books that he has sent is on the website, and also the story of how it all started.

He haven't got an answer from Stephen Harper yet, just from his office, some secretary or something, so he doesn't actually know if the Prime Minister is reading the books or not. He does know, however, that the Prime Minister know he is sending the books, because there has been a big deal in the media about this. What he also thinks is funny is that he got a letter from Barack Obama, where Obama told him that Life of Pi was one of his favorite books. But he is still waiting for a thank you note from Stephen Harper for all the books that he has sent him.

1 kommentar:

  1. åh, han ha sendt Brødrene Løvehjerte :D fine mannen!

    SvarSlett