Calgarians share their top books
At a Saturday morning ceremony dedicated to those who have donated to the Calgary Public Library Foundation’s Add- In Campaign, the Herald asked several prominent Calgarians to share their favourite books growing up and as adults.
MAYOR NAHEED NENSHI
“I read everything, I’m a voracious reader. I was well known as a kid for reading every single book in the Doctor Who series when it came out. They would save them for me. I still love fantasy stuff. I have read the Harry Potter books more times than I care to admit. My favourite book of literary fiction these days is Lawrence Hill’s The Book of Negroes. His new book ( The Illegal) is just out and I can’t wait to read it.”
LT. - GOV. LOIS MITCHELL
“My very favourite book growing up is Anne of Green Gables. Those are my favourite. She was an orphan, and what she accomplished was unbelievable. It shows we all have that within us. It’s not about what you’ve been given, it’s about what you, I think, give back. That’s one of my favourites and I still love it.”
MIKE SHAIKH, SENATOR- IN- WAITING AND ADD- IN PARTNER
“I love reading books in business, mostly, my businesses. I want to learn from it, I want to learn without making mistakes. As a child, I liked George Bernard Shaw’s To My Chocolate Cream Soldier ( a line from the comedy Arms and the Man).”
FINANCE MINISTER JOE CECI
“My favourite writer, I’m always waiting ( for his next book) and he writes too slow, is a guy named Ken Bruen. He’s an Irish crime noir writer. His latest book is called Green Hell. I just finished it and it was wonderful. I scour the stacks for the latest imprint of Hard Case Crime.”
PAUL MCINTYRE ROYSTON, CEO AND PRESIDENT OF THE CALGARY PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION
“Growing up, it was Anne of Green Gables. I read the entire series of eight books. As a good Canadian boy, it inspired me. Today, it’s Robert Jordan, a science fiction and fantasy writer, The Eye of the World and that whole series.”
BILL PTACEK, CEO OF THE CALGARY PUBLIC LIBRARY
“My favourite book, they just made into a movie: The Martian. Right before everybody knew about it, I was telling everybody to read that book. He ( author Andy Weir) published it himself. And then it got so popular, it went viral, and all of a sudden one of the big publishers picked it up and the book became popular. It’s like MacGyver goes to Mars. It’s so cool. But growing up, it was either Sherlock Holmes or Count of Monte Cristo.”