What Is Stephen Harper Reading?

A book drawn from a project in which Martel sent the Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper a book every two weeks, with a short letter explaining his choice. Over several years he introduced works of fiction, poetry and drama, from classics to little-known books. The letters argue that reading builds imagination, stillness and sympathy, and that leaders and citizens alike benefit from them. The book collects these selections and notes, and it works as both a gentle reading list and a defence of literature in public life.