Perfect for Book Clubs

The Grizzly Manifesto has begun to take on a life of its own (thank God). Last week, a woman who runs a local book club in Missoula ordered a dozen books so she and her fellow bibliophiles could peruse its pages and discuss them over a bottle (or two) of red wine.

Why? Who knows. Perhaps it’s because her book crew loves grizzly bears? If so, they won’t be disappointed; there are lots of grizzly stories in it. Or perhaps she read some of the reviews by well-known authors who liked the book, people like Sid Marty and David Suzuki.

Or perhaps it’s because American author Phil Condon compared me to Ed Abbey, “who would recognize an articulate and angry compatriot in Canadian Jeff Gailus…. His book is urgent and incisive, a clarion call to Albertans to save their Great Bear, and in the process, themselves. American readers will find a comparative reassurance about our recent progress in preserving grizzlies, and at the same time a stark reminder of how interconnected the natural world is, and how seductive the industrial tourist model of development can be. This is a supple, strong book that every Albertan should read and a book that will inspire any one anywhere who cares about the living world.”

Whatever the reason, The Grizzly Manifesto makes good book club fodder: It’s short, affordable, engaging, opinionated, thought-provoking, easy (and pleasurable) to read, and chock full of information.While I haven’t had time (yet) to put together a book club discussion guide for The Grizzly Manifesto, here are some general questions for those that might want to try it.

Click here to read an excerpt.

Copies can be procured from Amazon, Rocky Mountain Books or, preferably, your local bookstore.