The Sunnyside Book Club meets on the last Friday of each month from September to June (except December) from 2 - 3 pm in the lower level of the Sunnyside Branch of the Ottawa Public Library. Newcomers are always welcome!
At each meeting, a member who has volunteered to guide the discussion will provide background information about the author, including when and where the book was written. The discussion leader then poses questions to stimulate conversation.
Books are selected based on availability within the library system; i.e., sufficient copies are available in print and as a talking book. Occasionaly a book is chosen that is no longer available through the library, but is readily available at used book stores.
Books are often "prize winners" (Giller, Man Booker, Pulitzer, Nobel, Governor General's Literary Award, Charles Taylor, Trillium, etc.), but books "in the news" and "classics" are also of interest.
Most importantly, it is the collective interest of the group that determines whether a book is selected for discussion.
Example questions Discussion leaders may ask:
- Is this book relevant today? How?
- Why do you think the author chose this particular way of resolving the plot?
- Who most influenced Bob's choices?
- Why did Gertrude kill herself?
- How would you have written the ending of this book?
Schedule for 2010 - 2011
F=Fiction, NF=Non-fiction
October 29, 2010: No Great Mischief (F) by Alistair MacLeod (Discussion leader: Elizabeth)
November 26, 2010: The Reluctant Fundamentalist (F) by Mohsin Hamid (Discussion leader: Louise)
December, 2010, (date TBD) Social Tea (location TBD)
January 28, 2011: Moon Tiger (F) by Penelope Lively (Discussion leader: David)
February 25, 2011: Dark Age Ahead (NF) by Jane Jacobs (Discussion leader: Margaret)
March 25, 2011: The God of Small Things (F) by Arundhati Roy (Discussion leader: Enid)
April 29, 2011: What Went Wrong (NF) by Bernard Lewis (Discussion leader: Rick)
May 27, 2011: Still Alice (F) by Lisa Genova (Discussion leader: Jane)
June 24, 2011: Social Lunch and Choose Books for Next Year
A Few More Books
These books were suggested for inclusion in the 2010-2011 program but fell short by not getting enough votes in the selection process, not being available in sufficient quantity from the library, or not being available as a talking book:
- Solar (F) by Ian McEwan
- The Glass Castle (NF) by Jeannette Walls
- Sarah's Key (F) by Tatiana de Rosmay
- The Cellist of Sarajevo (F) by Steven Galloway
- Infidel (NF) by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
- Three Cups of Tea (NF) by Greg Mortenson