Well, now that my 'colleague' has thoroughly muddied the waters, allow me to explain.
Yann Martel is a renowned Canadian novelist (you may know him from such novels as The Life Of Pi) who resolved in 2007 to send the Prime Minister (not a mere 'politician,' Bei-En!), Stephen Harper, a book every two weeks. Each work would, to quote Martel, "make a suggestion to his stillness." To date, Martel has sent Harper 100 books, ranging from Russian novellas to German epics to modern Canadian novels.
What does Martel mean by 'stillness,' exactly? I believe he is suggesting that even a man so busy as the Canadian Prime Minister, the hockey-loving family-man economist must have his moments of stillness, moments of thoughtful reflection where he is receptive to the literature and art and beautiful transcendence. Martel identifies the religious and the artistic as the only two "sets of tools with which the rich soil of life can be worked." Of course, I rather think Harper has the former (which is rather more important) covered, as a devout Christian of the evangelical persuasion.
But the REALLY important thing about this website is that it has inspired myself and Ms. Zou to read! Whether or not the Right Honourable Mr. Harper ever takes the time to read The Death Of Ivan Ilyich, at least we shall! That is our goal - to read each and every book recommended by Martel and write about our experiences here. It is as simple as that. It's as much for our own pleasure and aedification as it is for any hypothetical members of the public.
For the record, I am the (sort of) Canadian in the room, born in small-town British Columbia. Oh the fair smell of cedar on the Fraser! I'm a Melbournite now, though I still feel the pangs of fealty to the True North.
The website that inspired us can be found at: http://www.whatisstephenharperreading.ca/
Yours &c.,
Samuel
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