It is really exciting to be involved with Project Bookmark Canada. We have achieved much in the first ten years of our official existence and we have much to look forward to achieving in the coming years.
This month I am exploring cities on the east coast as part of a joint Canada-United States tour and while in Halifax I will be visiting the site of the upcoming bookmark celebrating Hugh MacLennan's novel, Barometer Rising. I just finished rereading the book in anticipation of my visit and I can say with certainty that this is an important book to commemorate and an iconic Canadian writer to celebrate. Barometer Rising captures a stunning moment in Canadian history and humanizes it for readers. Ultimately the triumph of the human spirit, which Mr. MacLennan captures in the book, inspires!
In August I will be visiting Kingston to see the site of our next bookmark for Merilyn Simonds book The Convict Lover. I read this book several years ago and was blown away by Merilyn's imaginative creation. Imagine finding a cache of letters in an attic, reading them, and then creating a written dialogue using the letters between a convict in the Kingston Penitentiary and a young woman who sees him through the fence.
As always with Project Bookmark Canada we are tirelessly raising money to continue our work of creating a literary trail from coast to coast to coast.
With regard to the next two bookmarks, I recommend either or both of these books be added to your summer reading list pile and to consider making a donation to ensure we break ground on these important bookmarks in 2017. Also consider marking your calendars for Kingston on September 30th, and for Halifax on December 2nd, 2017. If you will be in Halifax and/or Kingston on those days I hope you will join our dedicated reading circle members, volunteers, and Executive Director Laurie Murphy, for the ceremony installing Bookmarks number 18 and 19!
Wishing you all a great summer!
Don Oravec
President of the Board, Project Bookmark Canada
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