We meet several times during the year to discuss a book of interest. We have discussed both fiction and non-fiction. The books we tend to discuss are those which have some moral, spiritual or religious message.

There is no membership. It's open to anyone in St. Andrew's congregation and there is no need to become a regular. Join us at any time. It will give you that needed break and allow for some interesting and informative discussion.

For more information on the Book Club,
contact Diana Dalton at ddawayca@yahoo.ca

The End of the Alphabet
by CS Richardson

A beautiful little book by one of Canada's pre-eminent writers. The hero finds out he has one month to live and he and his wife set out to visit all the places he has never visited starting with "A" and ending with "Z". A delightful, heart-warming book. A little treasure.

Water for Elephants
by Sara Gruen

A winner of the 2007 Book Browse Award for Most Popular Book, this is a gritty, compelling novel. The novel is a remembrance of a 90-year old man about his days in a circus during the Great Depression. It is a story of elephants and two star-crossed lovers who have to overcome incredible odds in a world where love is a luxury.

The Uncommon Reader
by Alan Bennett

A raging bestseller in the UK, this little book has been called a long short story! It involves our present Queen - the uncommon reader of the title- who suddenly becomes a veracious reader - to such an extent that she is more interested in what her subjects are reading than why they are meeting her! It is funny with a heartfelt tone. A lovely, quick read.

Late Nights on Air
by Elizabeth Hay

This was the winner of the 2007 Giller Prize. It is set initially in a small Yellowknife radio station where the new novices meet and interact, finally deciding to go on a six week canoe trip in the tundra. The story portrays the tender bonds that are forged and broken in such environments.

The View From A Kite
by Maureen Hull

The author lives on Pictou Island and this book has been given a five star rating from the internet site GoodReads. It is a compelling story of the life of TB patients undergoing treatment. The heroine refuses to allow misfortunes to quench her spirit or zest for life.

Mister Pip
by Lloyd Jones

The story takes place during the actions by the Papua New Guinea Government against local landowners on Bougainville Island. "Mr. Pip" is the last white man on the island and an inspirational teacher. He has only one book - Great Expectations - to read to his class and from that the story unfolds. It is a book which tells us that the power of books can change our lives. The author, a New Zealander, covered the Bougainville war as a journalist so brings some real knowledge of the island. This book was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize.

The Sparrow
by Mary Doria Russell

This is an amazing book about a Jesuit priest and a small group of people who leave earth to go to another planet that has life. The Jesuits are faced with the prospect that God might have more than one set of children in the universe. One reviewer says it is a book about apartheid, about the cruelty of politics and about redemption. It is, if nothing else, a parable about religion and the ability of humans to cause evil even when they are trying to do the right thing. A very interesting read.

An Audience of Chairs
by Joan Clark

This author was born in Nova Scotia and lives now in St. John's, Newfoundland. This book is set in Cape Breton and explores the life of a haunting and an engaging heroine who suffers from mental illness. It is a beautifully written novel and as one reviewer said "… a penetrating fictional treatment of mental illness." Named a Globe and Mail Best Book, all reviews have called it elegantly written, moving and compassionate.

Lullabies for Little Criminals
by Heather O'Neill

This book was chosen by Canada Reads and was a finalist for the Governor-General's Literary Award in 2007. This is a heartbreaking and original story about a bohemian young girl, the child of a drug addict, fighting to preserve her innocence on the rough streets of Montreal. Critics have used words such as "powerful", "poignant", "painful" and "hypnotic" to describe this well-written novel.

A Friend Like Henry
by Mala Gardner

This is a heartrending, fascinating and inspiring book by the mother of a young autistic child. It relates how the family struggled to break into their son's world and how a dog made the difference.

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
by Michael Pollan

This book is a must read for all of us who are concerned about the food we eat. It is on the bestsellers list for a good reason. The author looks both at the food industry and nutritional science and say they are both gaining from widespread confusion about what to eat. He makes the point that for much of human history mankind has not required expert help. His answer to the dilemma is simple. If you read no other book this summer, read this one. His answer should change your life.

I Don't Believe in Atheists
by Chris Hedges

Hedges is a well-recognized and respected New York Times foreign correspondent. He also graduated from seminary at Harvard Divinity College. He was concerned about the shallowness of the atheist writing and the lack of, or misuse of, factual information. In this brief, thoughtful book he takes on the atheistic thinking saying they are as radical in their mindset as fundamentalists of any faith.

How Jesus Became Christian
by Barrie A. Wilson

Wilson, who is a professor of humanities and religious studies at York University, makes the point that Jesus wanted to improve Jewish life, not abolish it. He examines the gospels, and the leadership crisis suffered by the Jesus Movement after the death of his brother, James. A recent review in the Globe and Mail says the book is brilliant and Wilson is someone who "can write for the non-specialist audience and does so exceptionally well.

The English
by Jeremy Paxman

Paxman examines what the English think of themselves as opposed to what is the reality. He postures that at the beginning of the 21st century the "stiff upper lip" has been replaced by materialism and selfishness. The book is witty as well as a profound and entertaining read.

Kublai Khan
by John Man

This is a fascinating study of the complex way Kublai Khan became emperor of China - of what was then the largest land empire in history and then went about doubling it. It shows how "by bringing together vast wealth, military strength, and shrewd government, he transformed his dominion into the prototype of today's superpower". The book has received excellent reviews and is as one reviewer said, is "a rollicking" read!

John A:The Man Who Made Us
by Richard Gwyn

A biography by a famous Canadian writer and political commentator about our first Prime Minister. This is the first volume on Sir John A and examines his earlier political life. According to a review in the Chronicle Herald , "John A comes alive in these pages on many levels, including his most fallible." Gwyn won the Governor-General's award for non-fiction for this book. A great piece of Canadiana.

One Good Turn
by Kate Atkinson

This is a fast-paced read with many intriguing twists and turns about a Good Samaritan whose act of kindness gets him robbed and then identified as a murder victim and more. Its plots are a suspenseful journey through the underworld of Edinburgh. It has been called "superbly crafted"' "beautifully written" and it appeals to people who normally are not mystery fans.

The Interpretation of Murder
by Jed Ruebenfeld

This is a psychological murder mystery that starts out with a visit to New York in 1909 by Sigmund Freud. It involves an attempted murder causing amnesia in the victim. The attempts to help her lead to further twists and turns. It is a fascinating read.

The Painter of Battles
by Arturo Perez-Reverte

A former war photographer has retired to a small seaside town and spends his time painting. One day a stranger comes to his door threatening to murder him. He and the stranger begin to talk and the novel comes to a different level. The Globe's Margaret Cannon says this book is about war and the meaning of war and is "ravishing" and "spellbinding".

Exit Music
by Ian Rankin

For those of you who are die-hard Rebus fans, this is the book that sees Rebus retire from the police force. The Rebus series has become a highly acclaimed one and Rebus has become an almost cult-like figure. Rankin, who has been in Halifax twice, always draws large crowds as he is very entertaining. His Rebus books however, carry a real social message. If you have not read his books, they are well done - start at the beginning of the series. They get better with every book.

The Eye of Jade
by by Diane Wai Liang

Private detective, Mei Wang, is asked to find the Eye of Jade, a priceless piece that disappeared from the museum during the time of the Red Guards. This is a fascinating glimpse of modern city life in China. It has a rich cast of characters and examines the uneasy relationship between China's brutal communist past and its increasingly capitalist present.

The Winter Queen
by Boris Akunin

One of Russia's better known mystery writers, this book is set in the 1800s in Moscow. A young police officer is asked to investigate the apparent suicide of a young man from a well-connected family. He realizes it was not a suicide and the adventures of his investigation keep one riveted to the page. It has been called "smartly plotted". "crafty" and "engrossing."

Barrington Street Blues
by Anna Emery

Emery, a Halifax resident and lawyer with McInnes Cooper, has already won the Arthur Ellis Award for her first novel Sign of the Cross. This book is set in Halifax in the 1990's and features the central character Monte Collins, who must solve the murder of two men outside a south-end pub. Reviews have said Emery's books have a complexity and subtlety in story construction and are great reading.