VPL's 2008 One Book, One Vancouver

By Vancouver Public Library (April 23, 2008)

Knock-Out Novel The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky  VPL’s 2008 One Book, One Vancouver Winner

 

(Vancouver, B.C.)  – Today at Library Square, Vancouver City Councillor Elizabeth Ball declared Vancouver writer Karen X. Tulchinsky’s critically acclaimed novel, The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky, as the winning title for Vancouver Public Library’s seventh annual city-wide book club, One Book, One Vancouver.

 

This summer, Vancouver readers are in for a winning combination of heart, hope and humour as they discover a poignantly universal yet unique story of a close-knit Jewish immigrant family in Depression-era Toronto. Filled with memorable and engaging characters and the richness of every day life, the story follows the pivotal events in the life of Sonny ‘The Charger’ Lapinsky, a world-champion boxer.

 

“On behalf of my colleagues at City Council, I am delighted to announce The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky as the final choice for Vancouver Public Library’s 2008 One Book, One Vancouver program,” said Councillor Ball, City Council’s representative to the Vancouver Public Library Board. “I am sure that the thousands of Vancouver residents who will be participating in the program throughout the summer will be thrilled with this year’s choice.”

 

Vancouver writer Karen X. Tulchinsky is a respected film and television screen writer, editor and novelist. The author of four books and countless magazine and newspaper articles, her most recent book, The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky, was released in 2003 by Raincoast Books to extensive critical acclaim and was a finalist for the Toronto Book Award. Much of the book was researched at VPL’s Central Library.

 

“The Library’s One Book One Vancouver committee was captivated by this superbly crafted novel and believes Vancouver readers will be too,” said Janice Douglas, Director of Youth Services & Community Relations. “An important consideration for One Book, One Vancouver titles not published in the past year is that the committee believes the book deserves a second look.  This is definitely the case for The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky.  We believe this book deserves to be read and that Vancouverites and Canadians will be fascinated by the little-known story at its core.”

 

A variety of One Book, One Vancouver events, including author readings, film screenings and even a boxing exhibition at Library Square, are planned from May to September 2008 to celebrate the book’s themes.

 

On Thursday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m., Karen X. Tulchinsky will make her first One Book appearance with a reading from the novel in the Alice MacKay Room at the Central Library, 350 West Georgia Street.

 

For information on upcoming events or to reserve your copy of The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky visit your local library or visit www.vpl.ca For more information, about Karen X. Tulchinsky appearances and other One Book, One Vancouver events, visit www.vpl.ca, or contact your local library branch.

 

The 2008 One Book, One Vancouver program is presented by Vancouver Public Library with support from Raincoast Books, Book Warehouse, Friends of Vancouver Public Library, Spirit of Vancouver, Canada Council for the Arts, Word on the Street and The Vancouver Sun.