Some time ago, I attended the Knox United Church, to discuss With or Without God, by Gretta Vosper. As the “talking stick” (a device intended to prevent interruption, by ensuring that only the person holding it may speak) made its way around the room, each of us had the chance to listen to what our peers thought of the book and the challenging ideas asserted therein. I was most interested in hearing what the elderly participants had to say about their church, their traditions, and the sweeping changes that Vosper proposes. How else, other than within a book club, could I ask these people – these strangers! – about their thoughts on God?

Book clubs are a great way to meet people, explore ideas, and talk about the books that excite you.

If you’re interested in discussing the literature that you love (or hate!), then check out the Calgary Public Library’s book clubs! We’ve got clubs for children and adults, for fiction and non-fiction readers. Information is available in our program guides, and on our website.

Alternatively, why not start your own club? Search our catalogue using “Book Club Bag” as your search term, and you’ll find all sorts of titles. We’ve put 10 of each title into a bag, so all you need to do is pick it up, call your friends, and uncork a nice bottle of red. Enjoy!

Some time ago, I heard sociologist Michael Kimmel being interviewed on CBC radio. He was talking about his newest book, Guyland. Immediately, I was intrigued; as an undergraduate, I loved my sociology classes - especially the ones about gender.

Once I laid my hands on the book, I couldn’t put it down! I read it on the C-train, on my lunch breaks and before bed. Short chapters make this book easy to abandon or resume, according to the demands of your schedule. It’s accessible and unpretentious, but still very relevant – even urgent.

Guyland is an astonishing account of adolescent masculinity in contemporary American (and by extension, Canadian) society. It describes how masculinity is taught, communicated and reinforced among groups of young men. It’s also an ethnographic account of the guys who are not still “boys”, and yet not quite “men”, and the ways in which they negotiate their identities and their growth, while coping with both internal and external demands for masculinity.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book for guys aged 16 – 26, and the people who love them.

Michael Kimmel is a sociologist who specializes in the study of gender and masculinity. Check out more from this wonderfully insightful professor:

Guyland: the perilous world where boys become men

The Gendered Society

Manhood in America: a cultural history

Some time ago, I attended the Knox United Church, to discuss With or Without God, by Gretta Vosper. As the “talking stick” (a device intended to prevent interruption, by ensuring that only the person holding it may speak) made its way around the room, each of us had the chance to listen to what our peers thought of the book, and the challenging ideas asserted therein. I was most interested in hearing what the elderly participants had to say about their church, their traditions, and the sweeping changes that Vosper proposes. How else, other than within a book club, could I ask these people – these strangers! – about their thoughts on God?

Book clubs are a great way to meet people, explore ideas, and talk about the books that excite you.

If you’re interested in discussing the literature that you love (or hate!), why not check out the Calgary Public Library’s book clubs? We’ve got clubs for children and adults, for fiction and non-fiction readers. Information is available in our program guides, and on our website. Registration for fall programs begins in August.

Alternatively, why not start your own club? Search our catalogue using “Book Club Bag” as your search term, and you’ll find all sorts of titles. We’ve put 10 of each title into a bag, so all you need to do is pick it up, call your friends, and uncork a nice bottle of red. Enjoy!