Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Steven Galloway writes about King Leary

Paul Quarrington has become legend around these parts, as his King Leary christened our blog into existence. Steven Galloway holds it in high regard as well, and has recommended it to Stephen Harper as a result. Galloway is the first guest writer in Yann Martel's What Is Stephen Harper Reading? series, as Martel himself is currently touring the country in support of his soon-to-be released novel Beatrice & Virgil. Galloway's review is in the spirit of Martel's, if not a tad harsh: recommend a great book that you think will benefit the PM's ability to lead our country. Galloway is a little more direct than Martel usually is, for example, when he explains his motivation for contributing to this project:
"[E]ven though a lot of writer types think Yann is tilting at windmills in sending you these books, I like to think that maybe you look at some of them, and maybe you read or have already read some of them, and that no one, anywhere, would think that receiving seventy-five free books in the mail with a letter from an internationally renowned author would be a bad thing. In a way, you’re in what must be the world’s most exclusive book club, albeit somewhat unwillingly. I bet Mr. Obama is jealous!"
Galloway's reasons for picking King Leary are twofold: first, in tribute to his late friend, Mr. Quarrington; and secondly, as a hockey novel it is truly "the sort of novel that only a Canadian would write." It is a good letter, and a good novel. I wonder if Galloway knows that Harper is one of the prominent hockey scholars in our country; it is highly likely that he has a first edition somewhere with his name in it. Nevertheless, a worthy recommendation. 

Stay tuned for more guests! 

No comments: