Locabibliophilia

Yes, I know that this is not a word because my spell check has squiggly red lines under it, but it certainly describes what has happened in our store this December. Our top five selling books are by or about people who live in Guelph or very close to it. At number one we have Driven to Succeed, the fascinating biography of Linamar founder Frank Hasenfratz. This exciting story is written by two of Canada’s top business writers, Rod McQueen and Susan Papp. It is such an extraordinary story that I expect that there will soon be a major motion picture, and you can see video of Rod, Susan, and Frank talking about the book on the Bookshelf YouTube channel. At number two stands The Inconvenient Indian by novelist, broadcaster, and professor Tom King. It has had stellar reviews from both the Globe and the Star. It is a must read for anyone, but especially if you are interested in the Native, or shall I dare say, Indian question. Next is a lovely Christmas tale called Porcupine in a Pine Tree, illustrated by the talented and imaginative Guelph artist Werner Zimmerman. This might someday supplant the traditional "Twelve Days of Christmas" song. In the number four spot you can read about The Universe Within by Neil Turok. Turok is the director of the Perimeter Institute and is this year’s Massey Lecturer. It’s not a quantum-mechanics-made-easy book, but an ode to what Turok loves--people and physics. You can see a fascinating and wide-ranging Q&A session with  Turok on our YouTube channel. Last, but not least, is a book called Who Could That Be at This Hour by Lemony Snicket. Snicket is one of the most popular kids' writers in North America, but his latest is illustrated by Guelph’s own famous graphic artist Seth. The cover is one of the best I’ve seen in years! Well done locabibliophilias, you have great taste!

- Barb

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