Thank you for joining us this month for our discussion of Beartown by Fredrik Backman.

Beartown is a town in need of a win, and their best hope is an incredibly talented high-school boy and a well-coached junior ice hockey team. All the hopes and dreams for the town’s revival rest on the results of one national semi-final. The match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Repercussions ripple through all of Beartown, leaving no-one unaffected. We see the consequences of tunnel vision, misplaced pride, and naked ambition; of toxic culture and the power of community to either lift its members up, or tear itself apart. 

In this episode we mention

Backman’s blog

Save the Jets!

Favourite sports movies! (Including League of Their Own, Draft Day, and Miracle)

Kevin Costner

Human nature

Chimpanzees and Bonobos and us

Pardon by Carol Shields from short story collection Various Miracles (Note: It was referred to as Apology on the episode)

The Intro to Podcasting program on January 19, 2019

Can You Tell Me A Book You Would Also Like?

Erica: My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises by Fredrik Backman

Kirsten: Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese (and the film)

Trevor: All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

Alan:  All the Way by Jordin Tootoo (and Kellie Pickler – Best Days of Your Life)

Nerd Word for Word Nerds

Erica: Sorry

Alan: Slush a.k.a Frozen Carbonated Beverage

Trevor: Aquafaba

Kirsten: Pot Stirrer / Stir the Pot

*Thank you to the amazing Aisha Alfa for the wonderful shout-out

*And thank you to our listeners!! Some of our comments today came from Jenna, Carrie664, Miriella, Chelsea, David, Sebastien, BBLacroix, Vernon, Jazzy5164, and Amy.

Big news – Next month we’re reading Washington Black by Esi Edugyan in collaboration with guests from Black Space Winnipeg!

As always – we want to talk about what you want to talk about. Get in touch on social media or email us at [email protected] with suggestions for what to read, and comments about the book for our next show.

Time to Read is a production of the Winnipeg Public Library. Your hosts today were Alan Chorney, Kirsten Wurmann, Erica Ball, and Trevor Lockhart. Our social media guru is Reegan Breu. Audio production and music by Dennis Penner.