Reflecting on the 2025 Banff Book Discussion Weekend
- me
- Jun 1
- 2 min read
In May I had the opportunity to attend the Banff Book Discussion Weekend. Participating was a bit of a stretch for me concussion-wise and I could not have done it without Ben. The highlight was definitely connecting with this group of interesting and thoughtful people. Many of them have been attending for years and quite a few were first-timers like myself.
This year’s books sparked some lively discussions
· Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
· The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
· Fire Weather by John Vaillant
· Wild Hope by Joan Thomas (the visiting author)
So much fun chatting about the books, hearing other people’s takes on the characters, the plots, the themes and the facts.
· Do we want happy endings?
· Would the character sound like they do on the audio book?
· Which of the men would you date?
A highlight of the weekend was Joan Thomas's thoughtful presentation. As the author of Wild Hope, she shared her unique perspectives on the craft of writing, the role of art in our lives, and how literature reflects the complexities of our current world
Although the books are not chosen around a theme, the synchronicities between the books added to the interest.
· Who could eat octopus after reading Remarkably Bright Creatures? An opinion shared by the chef, Isla, in Wild Hope!
· Who could not be convicted about environmental crisis by Fire Weather? A topic on the mind of Jake, in Wild Hope.
While discussing these fantastic books, we looked out at the spectacular scenery from the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
What’s next?
In November 2025 there will be a zoom discussion of
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
On the calendar for next year, May 22 - 24, 2026:
· The Elephant on Karluv Bridge by the visiting author Thomas Trofimuk
· Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (the classic novel)
· The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters and
· Trust by Hernan Diaz.
See you there!
