A compendium of 101 book recommendations from Booker Prize–winning author Yann Martel (Life of Pi) to Prime Minister Stephen Harper—each with an accompanying letter, together probing the question: what sort of mind, nourished by what, do we want our leaders to have?

Politely and unfailingly, every two weeks for almost four years, Yann Martel sent Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper a book and accompanying letter. He completed the project in 2011 with 101 book recommendations.

Now, from the mailbox of the Prime Minister’s Office to your bookshelf comes a list of essential reading for all Canadians. This largely one-sided correspondence from the “loneliest book club in the world” (Stephen Harper never personally responded to Yann Martel’s gifts) is a valuable compendium for bibliophiles and those who follow the Canadian political scene. Smart, subversive, signed, sealed, and now available to you . . . even if your address is not 80 Wellington Street.

Yann Martel is the author of Life of Pi, the global bestseller that won the 2002 Man Booker Prize (among other honours) and was adapted to the screen in the Oscar-winning film by Ang Lee. He is also the author of the short story collection The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios, the novels Self and Beatrice and Virgil, and the nonfiction work 101 Letters to a Prime Minister. Born in Spain in 1963, Martel studied philosophy at Trent University, worked at odd jobs — tree planter, dishwasher, security guard — and travelled widely before turning to writing. He lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with the writer Alice Kuipers and their four children.

Yann Martel's profile page

Praise for 101 Letters to a Prime Minister
"Not just a book of letters from an annoyed writer who is trying to make a political point . . . but a collection of reflections on reading; that is, a work of art speaking to a work of art. . . . A wonderful addition to our cultural vocabulary. Anyone who believes that the art of the letter is not dead, and that reading is still a vital and powerful way to shape the way we see and change the world, will not be disappointed by the eclectic and intriguing mixture of titles Martel presents."
—The Globe and Mail
"Interesting and crisp, with unique reasoning. . . . I am leaning towards agreeing with Yann Martel, that, just as we are what we eat, maybe we are also, what we read." —Agassiz-Harrison Observer

"Martel's incisive, insightful musings make powerful arguments for the importance of books."
—Prairie Books NOW
"For political watchers, the most interesting parts of 101 Letters to a Prime Minister will be when Martel gets personal with the prime minister in his short but sometimes scathing letters. . . . There is no doubt that Martel offers an eclectic, inspiring collection of literature with 101 Letters to a Prime Minister. Perhaps it will inspire others to pick up a copy of Generation A by Douglas Coupland or Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee, both of which he recommends." —iPolitics