Is Martel’s ‘Harper Book Club’ Clever Or Snobbish?

Canadian novelist Yann Martel has been hand delivering a monthly book selection to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in an effort to get the Conservative politician to appreciate the arts. It’s a clever idea, perhaps, but not everyone is impressed with Martel’s initiative. “There’s something very snooty about the idea. How would you like to see a book pop up in your mailbox every couple weeks as a sort of bookish taunt?”