WORD UNDER THE STREET

You know when you see a stranger on the subway who’s immersed in a book and you’re just dying to know what they’re reading? Well, Geoffrey Vendeville asked for you

Liz Bremner, 28, works for non-profit Book: As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley

Stop: Lawrence West After Canadian author Bradley moved across the pond, he sent the heroine of his mystery novels the other way. Flavia de Luce, an 11-year-old sleuth with a knack for mixing poisons, moves from England to attend boarding school in Toronto. On her first day there, she is informed that three girls have gone missing — and a mummified corpse comes tumbling down her chimney. “It’s very easy to read, quite witty and entertaining because you’re seeing through the eyes of an 11-year-old,” Bremner says.

Nida Islam, 21, student Book: The President’s Gardens by Muhsin al-Ramli

Stop: Union Adapted from true stories told to the author, The President’s Gardens describes life in a war zone from the perspective of Iraqis. Before he met a grisly end, Ibrahim, who was made sterile by poison gas in the war with Iran and injured in the invasion of Kuwait, worked in the president’s gardens. The book centres on him and his friends — Tariq, a school teacher and imam, and Abdullah, who had fought in the 1988 war with Iran, captured and tortured in his 19 years as a PoW. “It’s definitely done a good job of bringing out the narrative of people who were directly involved and impacted by the war,” Islam says.

Justin Zelnicker, 21, student Book: International Economics: Theory and Policy by Marc Melitz, Maurice Obstfeld and Paul Krugman

Stop: St Clair West Zelnicker uses his time on the yellow line to study for a quiz the next day in a course covering trade theories and policies. “I’ve heard from a lot of upper years and they say it’s a difficult course, but it’s something that I’m continuing to practice and something I want to become successful in,” he says.

Paula Zarnett, over 60, consultant Book: What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast: A Short Guide to Making Over Your Mornings — and Life by Laura Vanderkam

Stop: St. George Zarnett is not a morning person. She hopes some of the wisdom in this guide will help her make the most of the quiet hours before breakfast. “I’ve been setting the same goals since 1991,” she said with a laugh.