Maggie Helwig Live Chat
April 16, 2012 | Book Buzz | Comments (0)
We had a wonderful time talking with Maggie Helwig, author of Girls Fall Down. If you were unable to attend, the transcript is available at the link below.
April 16, 2012 | Book Buzz | Comments (0)
We had a wonderful time talking with Maggie Helwig, author of Girls Fall Down. If you were unable to attend, the transcript is available at the link below.
April 10, 2012 | Book Buzz | Comments (0)
Girls Fall Down by Maggie Helwig was chosen as this year's One Book Community Read. If you've read the book and want to discuss it with other readers, please join us on Book Buzz, Toronto Public Library's online book club.
It's easy to become a member. All you need to do is go to our registration page and select a user name. Lurkers are also welcome to read the discussion, but if you want to have your say about the book, you need to sign up.
We also have an Open Discussion where we have conversations about anything related to books. It's a wonderful place to get (and make) book recommendations.
Maggie Helwig will be joining us for an online chat on Monday April 16 at 7 pm. This is a terrific opportunity to meet and talk to an author, all from the comfort of your own home. Visit our chat page to sign up for an email reminder.
If you would like to meet the author in person, she is also appearing at:
Agincourt Branch, Tuesday April 10, 2 pm.
St Clair/Silverthorn, Tuesday April 10, 7 pm.
March 12, 2012 | Tita | Comments (2)
It’s that time of the year again – along with the snowdrops, early daffodils and the male cardinal calling in my backyard, spring means Toronto Public Library’s Keep Toronto Reading (KTR) festival in April. Running alongside KTR is our annual One Book community read and city-wide book club. This year’s pick is Girls Fall Down by Maggie Helwig, a compelling, well-written novel, both a love story and a comment on our anxious post-9/11 mindset.
Girls are falling down on Toronto’s subway, claiming they smell something strange. Panic ripples through the city and soon words like ‘poisoning’ and ‘terrorism’ become airborne.
Alex witnessed the first incident. He is a photographer – by day he works in a busy hospital documenting illness, injury and death; by night he attempts to capture the city he loves. Out of the blue, he encounters his old flame, Susie-Paul, and helps her try to find her brother Derek, a schizophrenic, homeless man – and her twin.
Read Girls Fall Down this month and then join the Library at One Book and KTR events all around town in April; visit keeptorontoreading.ca soon for more details. We’ve got related reading lists, book discussion questions, an interactive map and events to complete your reading experience. From lectures to walking tours to workshops, we’ll help this intriguing title come to life for you.
Show us your Hidden Toronto by entering our Hidden Toronto Photo Contest; full deets at keeptorontoreading.ca/photocontest. You could have your images published in the Toronto Star!
And finally, chat online with Girls Fall Down author Maggie Helwig on Book Buzz, Toronto Public Library’s online book club. Visit http://torontopubliclibrary.typepad.com/bookbuzz/maggie-helwig-chat.html to participate or sign up for a reminder. Maggie will be chatting on April 16th at 7 pm. Be part of our Reader City this spring, and all year round.
March 9, 2012 | Book Buzz | Comments (1)
Esi Edugyan's Half-Blood Blues is one of the most celebrated books of the year. It was the winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award, and Man Booker Prize. Just this week, it was nominated for two more awards--The Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize and The Orange Prize.
Certainly, it is a book people are talking about. If you'd like to have your say about the novel, join us this month on Book Buzz, Toronto Public Library's virtual book club. The great thing about an online book club is that you can join the discussion any time and participate when it's convenient for you.
Become a member at our registration page. All you need to do is pick a user name. Guest users are also welcome.
February 8, 2012 | Book Buzz | Comments (0)
Book Buzz is Toronto Public Library's online book club. Each month we concentrate on a specific book for discussion. This month we're reading Little Bee by Chris Cleave--originally published under the title The Other Hand.
The novel tells the story of two women who are forever linked by an act of violence.
When Little Bee is released after spending two years in a British immigration detention centre she is uncertain how to build a future in Britain and she is still tormented by memories of her life in Nigeria. She turns to the only English citizens she knows for help--Sarah and Andrew O'Rourke.
While vacationing in Nigeria, Sarah and Andrew encounter Little Bee and her sister Nkiruka as the girls flee from the soldiers who have destroyed their village. Although Sarah and Andrew negotiate with the soldiers in an attempt to save the girls' lives, they leave Nigeria uncertain whether they have been successful. The experience haunts the couple and is particularly traumatic for Andrew whose self-image has been shattered.
Inspired by author Chris Cleave's experience working in a refugee detention centre, the novel is compelling and heart-breaking.
Also this month:
Enter our Winter Contest for a chance to win one of our book prize packages!
What literary character would you like to have been?
Tell us and you may be a winner.
Contest closes February 29.
Join Book Buzz and join the discussion.
Related Posts:
February 7, 2012 | Book Buzz | Comments (0)
Book Buzz is Toronto Public Library's virtual book club. Like any other book club, we meet and discuss books. The difference is that we meet on the Internet. Our members read and discuss books at their own convenience. Each month we have a discussion centred around a specific book. Members can log in to our forum throughout the month and share their feelings about that month's book. We also have a general forum where we discuss anything related to books and reading. It's a wonderful place to get recommendations, share reviews and meet other booklovers.
Our annual Winter Contest is taking place this month. Have you ever wanted to change places with a fictional character? Tell us about it and win. Each of our participants will be eligible to win one of our book prize packages.
It's easy to enter. Simply register to become a Book Buzz member. You'll find the Winter Contest folder on our main discussion forum page.
December 7, 2011 | Book Buzz | Comments (0)
Alissa York, author of the acclaimed novels Mercy, Effigy and Fauna, was our guest this evening for an online chat. She provided wonderful insight into the writing process.
Click the link below for the chat replay.
December 4, 2011 | Book Buzz | Comments (0)
Toronto author Alissa York will be our guest on Book Buzz for a live online chat, taking place December 7, 7-8 pm.
Mercy tells the stories of the lonely and flawed citizens of a small town in Manitoba. It begins in 1948 as the lives of butcher Thomas Rose, Mathilda Nickles and town priest August Day collide. Although Mathilda and August meet when he is officiating her wedding to Thomas, they find themselves unable to resist falling in love.
Effigy, a novel set on a Mormon ranch in 19th century Utah, was nominated for the 2007 Scotiabank Giller Prize. It focuses on the lives of Erastus Hammer, a hunter and horse breeder, and his four wives. Dorrie, the youngest of the wives, is a skilled taxidermist who works to create trophies of her husband's kills. As she works on a tableau of a family of wolves, she finds herself stuggling with her craft and haunted by strange images.
Fauna is set in present day Toronto. Wildlife officer Edal is on stress leave from her job when she discovers a small group of individuals caring for injured animals in the Don Valley. In 2011 Fauna was a finalist for the Toronto Book Award.
York has also published Any Given Power, a collection of short fiction.
Join us on Book Buzz.
October 5, 2011 | Book Buzz | Comments (0)
Book Buzz is Toronto Public Library's virtual book club. Like face to face book clubs, a new book is read and discussed each month. The difference is that members can participate when it's convenient for them.
Throughout October we're discussing Benevolence by Cynthia Holz.
Beginning this month you can also join the conversation on Facebook. I've started by asking a general question about altruism, so you can comment even if you haven't had a chance to read the book yet.
You can also use the Facebook page to ask for book recommendations, post book suggestions or just let us know what you're reading today.
Join us on Facebook and make contact with other booklovers in Toronto and around the world.
Related Information
Book Buzz Facebook Page
Book of the Month: Benevolence by Cynthia Holz
September 15, 2011 | Book Buzz | Comments (0)
Book Buzz, Toronto Public Library's virtual bookclub, is delighted to welcome Terry Fallis for an online chat this evening. His debut novel, The Best Laid Plans follows the adventures of Daniel Addison, a burned out political aide who finds himself running a hopeless political campaign with reluctant candidate Angus McLintock. Canadian politics is unpredictable. Soon Daniel and his offbeat crew find themselves with a real chance to win the election.
The political satire has won praise throughout the country. It also won The Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour and was 2011's Canada Reads winner. It was also named to the Samara Foundation/Writers' Trust shortlist of the Best Canadian Political Books of the last 25 years. Its sequel, The High Road, was nominated for the The Stephen Leacock Medal in 2011.
Join us for chat on Thursday September 15, 7-8 pm.
