WORD UNDER THE STREET
You know when you see a stranger on the subway immersed in a book and you’re just dying to know what they’re reading? Well, Geoffrey Vendeville asked for you
Shannon Lam, 33, social worker Book: Fear and Other Uninvited Guests: Tackling the Anxiety, Fear, and Shame That Keep Us from Optimal Living and Loving by Harriet Lerner Stop: Davisville From stage fright to a fear of public speaking, Lerner teaches readers to turn away “uninvited guests” using the power of positivity, Lam said. Other issues discussed in the book are fear of rejection and how to deal with a “crazy workplace.” Lam isn’t an anxious person, but likes to read psychology books to get a better grasp on problems her clients may be coping with. “I work with people with mental health issues and chronic homelessness, and they have their own barriers, so I like to read these types of books,” the social worker said.
Christian Ng, 25, business analyst Book: Batman: Night of the Owls (The New 52) by Scott Snyder (author) and Greg Capullo (illustrator) Stop: York Mills Some people get into comic books as children; others only do as adults. Ng says his addiction began with recent superhero movies, especially those featuring Batman. “Once you read one (comic), you start reading a lot more,” he said. “You see how each character connects. From Batman, you see how Superman is involved, from Superman to Flash.” In Night of the Owls, Batman bands together with Red Robin, Batwing, Robin, Batgirl and Catwoman to defeat a common foe, the shadowy organized crime group called the Court of Owls. This one isn’t for young children. “PG 13 for sure,” Ng said.
Brandon Norberto, 22, student Book: Xenocide by Orson Scott Card Stop: Lawrence Xenocide is the third volume in the sci-fi series, the Ender Quintet, a complicated story about species’ survival set in a future in which human beings encounter aliens. It isn’t a stereotypical space-invaders plot such as Independence Day or Mars Attacks, Norberto says. After planning to fight the aliens, the humans try diplomacy in a bid at coexistence. “The third book is now 3,000 years in the future from the first book with still the same characters due to quantum physics-type stuff,” he said. “It’s complicated, but it’s really good.”
Michael Chow, 20, student Book: The Elephant Vanishes: Stories by Haruki Murakami Stop: Lawrence Murakami keeps Chow guessing, in a good way. He often has to reread passages to understand the deeper meaning of Murakami’s work. This collection of 17 short stories by the renowned Japanese novelist is no exception. The titular short story, “The Elephant Vanishes,” was first published in the New Yorker in 1985. “The themes in Murakami books are pretty similar,” he said. “They’re about finding yourself, but in a really deep way.” That and they all include “a lot of sex,” he added.