There’s a phenomenon spreading across the North Shore, and it has dozens of residents taking shelter between the covers. It’s not El Nino, nor is it fear of life without X-Files. It’s reading! And those protective covers are often the latest paperback selection of a local book club. Good old-fashioned books have returned to readin ; Megan Verchere g adventures now, a group of readers, absorbed by the emotions and experiences derived trom the written word. As caught up in Margaret’s angst as we are in Angela’s ashes. My club is a fairly evpical one. We meet monthly over din r, and after some prelimi- nary gossip and catching up, let the discussion and wine flow. We rotate selections, some- dimes using Oprah's picks, sometimes choos- ing more obscure tides. Our only requirement is that they be accessible at North Shore ~ 7 . . ~ : y Coastal ¢ iarden 4 Fie Botanical Bones of wa Pos, ~ Gheat Gardeninige® ook the forefront of our everyday lives, and this is never more evident than in the dozens of book clubs popping up across the North Shore. Thanks in no small part to Oprah Wintrey, whose recent Book Club selections have long waiting lists at North Shore libraries, friends are gathering in coffee houses, private homes and even over the Internet to discuss such erudite topics as plot, character and symbolism. The first book club I remember belonging to was not nearly as structured as the one | belong to now. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to call.a bunch of 10-year-old girls at a sleepover, huddled around the latest Judy Blume novel, a “book club”, But there we were, earnestly devouring every prepubescent word of Arv Tor There God, it's Me, Margaret, occasionally jumping up to flaif our arms back and forth, as ed chanted: “We must! We must! We must increase our ust!” Obviously, our group was not very academic then. We ‘ were more interested in identifying with the heroine's painful adolescent traumas. But I believe the premise is the same as it is today. We were then, as my current book club is libraries and book stores, and that they promise to evoke discussion, good or bad. We'd love vou to join us in our reading adventures, by following along with our selections. Qur current selection is Alice Hot¥man’s Here Ou Earth, ($19.00. Berkciey Books. New York, 1997) which happens to be one of Oprah’s recent selections. An exploration of love, commitment and rationality, Hottman’s novel is approachable and engaging, making it an excellent choice for those wishing to join our book club. Piease ¢-mail or fax me vour thoughts and ideas over the ct few weeks, and Pil highlight chem every ocher week, in column. Orce a month, I'll discuss the successes and failures of our pick, based on your comments and fill you in om the latest selection of our group. [f you have book sug- gestions, please let me know. Happy reading! Megan Verchere can be contacted at mverchere@ibm.net. Or Jax the News at 985-2104. Watch for her book column every second Friday in the North Shore News’ This Weck section. NV book topslist STEVE Whysall's 100 Best Plants for the Coastal’. Garden currently tops the bestseller list of B.C.” books according to the Association of Book Publishers of 8.C. North Vancouver’s Whitecap Books published the timely tome. Poetry league names winners ME League of Canadian Poets: The League of Canadian Poets announced last week that Esta Spalding of Vancouver is the - winner of the $1,000 first prize in their National Poetry Contest ’ for her work: Bee Verse. North Vancouver’s Russell Thornton was a runner-up for his picce The Thermos. The league is a not-for-profit national arts organization : founded in 1966 to promote and encourage the writing, pub- ' fishing and appreciation of poetry. It has a membership of more - than 450 publisked poets and its services include providing ] Faxing @ Packing @ Shipping @ Llai' Receiving m Copies m Office Supplies: MEP? “ funding for public readings and marketing men:vers’ poctry books. The nominees for the league’s nvo other prestigious prizes were also announced laast week. The shortlist for the 1998 Pat Lowther Memorial Award for the best book of poetry by a Canadian woman published in the past vear includes: Dionne Brand — Land to Light Gn (McClelland & Stewart); April Bulme— The Weight of Wings (Trout Lily Press); Heather Cadsby — A Tanerium of Synonyms (Wolsak and Wynn); Elizabeth Harvor — The Long Coid Green Evenings of Spring (Vehicule Press); Barbara Mulcahy — The Man with the Dancing Monkey (Wolsak and Wynn); Barbara Nickel — The Gladys Elegies (Coteau Books); Linda Rogers — Heaven’; Cake (Sono Nis Press); Patricia Young — What I emember from My Time on Earth (House of Anansi Press). Young was recently awarded the B.C. Book Prize’s Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize for her collection. , The finalists for the 1998 Gerald Lampert Memorial Award for the best first book of poctry published by a Canadian in the past year are: Jill Battson — Hard Candy (Insomniac Press); Damian Lopes —~ Towards the Quiet (ECW Press), Barbara Mulcahy — The Man with the Dancing Monkey (Wolsak and Wynn); Mark Sinnett — The Landing (Carleton University Press); and Carmine Starnino — The New World (Véhicule Press). Winners will be announced at the league's annual gener- al meeting in Victoria on May 30.: . : a? ustomer Appreciation Month I . To show our appreciation of your business, we are offering you our very best copy prices. So come on by and see why MBE really does Make Business Easier. 5 i i : + - nm ae me oe oe iy . mee Westview Plaza 1489 Marine Drive North Vancouver Tel: 986-0154 x: 988-0040 Copies s Office Supplies’ a Business Cards Stationery m ‘etc. z ay 3}. Pease dinita may tp re Park é& Tilford Shopping Ctr. 103-2608 Westview Drive 718-333 Brooksbank Ave. North Vancouver Tel 904-0086 Fax: 804-0087 ”. Fax: 990-4713 CALENDAR. From page 2& of a new musical about women of a “certain age.” Tickets and information: 689-0926. Metro Theatre: Blood Brothers. Willy Russell's musical about twins and and societal differ- ences. To May 23, Weds.-Sat. at 8 p.m. $20. 266-7191. Turk’s Coffee House: Ives on the Drive. . Comedic shorts from the Third Eye Collective May 7,8 and 10 at 8 p.m. $10. 1276 Commercial Drive. Tickets: 680-3305. Waterfront Theatre: One Thousand Cranes, an award-winning play about the resilience of nwo children to war. To May 16. Box office: 685-6217. Teechers opens May 20. Tickets: 280-3311. Bagga Beans Coffee House: Singles Night every Thursday, 6-9 p.m. Debate opinions on books, movies, plays or your own topic. 3711 Delbrook. Jack Lonsdale’s Pub: Live music Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Info: 986- 7333. Jackabean Creek Hideaway: Live music every second weekend. 114A West 15th, North Vancouver. Phone 990-0101 for details. Lynnwood Pub: Live music Thursday to Sunday from 9:30 p.m. No cover. Maplewood Pub: Live music featuring Silverload every Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. Info: 924-1834. Portside Room, Seven Seas Restaurant: Girls Rock the Boat hosted by Suzzane Wilson every Tuesday. Musician Drop In hosted by Derek Nyberg every Wednesday, Fear of Drinking May 8. Allan Dobb, CD release May 9. Hemen Rao Roach May 14. Orchid Highway May 15. Superchauch every Sunday. For live music infor- mation call 987-3344. Sailor Hagar’s: Onion Head and the Tear Drops every Sunday night. 984-3087, ‘Waterfront Bistro: Saturday Night Li Comedy. Doors open 8 p.m., showtime 9 p.m. No cover. ; Uforia Restaurant and Lounge: Armi Grano sings your favorite jazz and standard runes every Thurs.-Sat. 860 Burrard. concerts. / Centennial Theatre: Mulgrave School Spring Music Concert. May 13 at 7 p.m. Information: 984-9030. St. Thomas Aquinas and Healy Trinity Schools Spring band and Choir Performance. May 14 at 7:30 p.m. Information: 987-4431. : St.David’s United Church: Tivo Voices — One Pair of Hands. A recital featuring Karen Baumgartel and West Van’s Alex Dobson with: Dorcen Uren Simmons, piano. May 11 ac 8 p.m. $10/8. Information: 926-7172. . West Vancouver United Church: Requiem by John Rutter and music from Schubert to jazz is. featured in a Spring Concert by the North Shore Chorus May 9 at 8 p.m. Information: 983-6543, box 1377. faa Massey Theatre, New Westminster: Who Lotta Faintin’ Goin’ On. Concert from Maple: : Leaf Singers May 8, 9 at 8 p.m. Tickets: 280-: : Vancouver Community College, King: 7. Edward Campus: City Fest 98. Vancouver's . free intercultural performing arts festival runs : May 15-17. Several North Shore artists are. appearing including the Atash Dance Group, :; °. May 35 at 8 p.m.; the Tiddley Cover Morns Dancers and Musicians, May 36 ar 1:30 ; storyteller Dunc Shields, May 16 at 11 a. and Bowen Island trio Resin, May 16 at 3 p.m.’ Information: 871-7194. Pores — Compiled by Ma: