CLJ Reviews What is Stephen Harper Reading? by Yann Martel
What We Read
What is Stephen Harper Reading? is a compilation of letters, written biweekly from Yan Martel to Stephen Harper. Each letter suggests a book for Harper to read that Martel claims will, in one way or another, expand stillness. The impetus for this incessant letter writing campaign? A slight towards Canadian artists in the House of Commons back in 2007, and a subsequent obsession with finding out what Stephen Harper reads, what makes him tick, and how (or if) culture informs his soul. For a full compilation of the letters and a more detailed version of events leading up to this project, click here.
What We Did (and How We Did It)
This bookclub came with a unique homework assignment: to write a letter with a book suggestion, and share it with the group. Recipients ranged from, well, me, to Stephen Harper to Lindsay Lohan to Yann Martel to Australia. Each member confessed that it was pretty darn hard to write their letter – in this age of text messages and emails, where responses are fairly immediate and the process fairly interactive, having to convey all of your thoughts in a letter was a tough endeavor. Our letters will be sent along to Mr. Martel. We’ll wait to see when – or if! – he responds.
What We Thought
We, of course, discussed Yann Martel at length – what continues to motivate him to write these letters? Is this a personal vendetta, or is it a politically-driven attempt to increase arts funding? Is it pretentious? We also discussed the ideas in the letters – what role does art play in defining our identity as Canadians? Do business schools have a place in Canadian universities? Should there be a required reading list for our prime ministers? While we disagreed about the motive behind the project and the ideas in the letters, we all agreed that Mr. Martel’s role as advocate for the arts is so very important to our society – and in this role, he is doing a fantastic job.
As told by Michelle Burtnyk…