The Buzz...About Books

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 16^th at 7 pm. Be part of our Reader City this spring, and all year round.