Making a Book Worm out of Canada's PM

Yann Martel, author of 'Life of Pi', winner of the Booker Prize has a new project as noted on his new website www.whatisstephenharperreading.ca.

"The Prime Minister did not speak during our brief tribute, certainly not. I don’t think he even looked up. The snarling business of Question Period having just ended, he was shuffling papers. I tried to bring him close to me with my eyes.

Who is this man? What makes him tick? No doubt he is busy. No doubt he is deluded by that busyness. No doubt being Prime Minister fills his entire consideration and froths his sense of busied importance to the very brim. And no doubt he sounds and governs like one who cares not a jot for the arts.

But he must have moments of stillness. And so this is what I propose to do: not to educate—that would be arrogant, less than that—to make suggestions to his stillness.

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. I will faithfully report on every new book, every inscription, every letter, and any response I might get from the Prime Minister, on this website."

The back story can be read here.

The first book he has sent it 'The Death of Ivan Ilych', by Leo Tolstoy

I appreciate this on a number of angles including his originality and the way he has taken positive action to tackle something he views as being important. I think it's far more intelligent than writing a scathing article or marching in front of Parliament with a placard.

I am not the Prime Minister, and do take time out of each day to read. However, I would love someone to send me a book every two weeks, as I think we could all increase our appreciation of stillness.