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? Geoffrey Vendeville asked for you

Harriet Sakuma, 86, retired Book: Reputations by Juan Gabriel Vasquez Stop: Osgoode Reputations is the story of a famous Colombian political cartoonist whose art can ruin a politician’s career. He gets an unexpected visit from his daughter’s friend that “upends his sense of personal history and forces him to re-evaluate his life and work,” according to the blurb. Sakuma started the novel after she had enjoyed another book by the same writer. She can’t remember much about the last book — and it’s perhaps no surprise given how much she reads. She boasted having read 120 books last year. She keeps track of her reading in notebooks. Why? “I just like having records,” said the retired bookkeeper. Chantelle Martin, 23, student Book: Becoming a Helper by Marianne Schneider Corey and Gerald Corey

Stop: Glencairn Martin had her nose buried in this textbook to prepare for a test a few days later. She wants to become a helper — more specifically, a social service worker who works with youth and steers them away from gangs. According to the book’s description, Schneider Corey is a licensed marriage therapist and her co-author is a counselling professor. One lesson Martin has taken from the book is not to invest too much of yourself in your work. “You have to make (your clients) find their goals on their own instead of pushing our goals onto them. Let them be their own person,” she says. Michael Iaboni, 28, “whatever I feel like” Book: Ulysses by James Joyce Stop: Lawrence West Many are afraid to pick Ulysses off the shelf. Some do and then promptly put it back down again after labouring through the first few pages. It’s said to be one of the hardest books to read in English. This will be the year Iaboni reads Ulysses, however. “I’m a crazy person and enjoy a challenge,” he said. He’ll reread a passage if he doesn’t understand it and seeks clarification in academic articles online. All the effort is worth it, he says. “Most writers have a sensory bias,” he said. “Ernest Hemingway has a visual sensory bias. Jack Kerouac has one toward his ear . . . but Joyce does both. I can hear the music and see everything.” Mohamed Mohamed, 31, teacher Book: Complete Canadian Curriculum Gr. 6 published by Popular Book Company (Canada) Ltd. Stop: Dupont Mohamed is reviewing Grade 6 curriculum workbooks to give his boy a leg up in school. “It’s helpful and has a lot of good information,” he said of this one, which covers math, English, social studies, history and other subjects. Mohamed said he teaches geography in a private school, Grades 7 and 8. His son has a particular affinity for science and math, he said. It probably doesn’t hurt that Mohamed gives him a little extra incentive. “I encourage him by saying, ‘OK if you get this one you get a chocolate or we’ll go outside.’ ”