The University of Toronto is pleased to invite you to join our Alumni Virtual Book Club. Join fellow alumni for lively discussion about books related to lifelong learning, social issues, psychology and more. 

Our next title is Still Life by Sarah Winman.

Tuscany, 1944: As Allied troops advance and bombs fall around deserted villages, a young English soldier, Ulysses Temper, finds himself in the wine cellar of a deserted villa. There, he has a chance encounter with Evelyn Skinner, a middle-aged art historian who has come to Italy to salvage paintings from the ruins and recall long-forgotten memories of her own youth. In each other, Ulysses and Evelyn find a kindred spirit amongst the rubble of war-torn Italy, and set off on a course of events that will shape Ulysses's life for the next four decades.

As Ulysses returns home to London, reimmersing himself in his crew at The Stoat and Parrot -- a motley mix of pub crawlers and eccentrics -- he carries his time in Italy with him. And when an unexpected inheritance brings him back to where it all began, Ulysses knows better than to tempt fate, and returns to the Tuscan hills.

With beautiful prose, extraordinary tenderness, and bursts of humor and light, Still Life is a sweeping portrait of unforgettable individuals who come together to make a family, and a richly drawn celebration of beauty and love in all its forms.

Sarah Winman is a British actress and author. In 2011 her debut novel When God Was a Rabbit became an international bestseller and won Winman several awards including New Writer of the Year in the Galaxy National Book Awards.

From March 7 - April 22, 2024, purchase the book from the U of T Bookstore, in store or online, and receive 20% off. Use Code: STILL20 at checkout.




How it Works

The U of T Alumni Virtual Book Club will connect through a private forum, powered by PBC Guru, where participants can discuss the current book and network with each other. Joining is free; you just have to get a copy of the book to enjoy. Please note that if you signed up for one of our previous sessions, then you're already registered - just sign into the U of T online portal.

To get started and access the book club, you will need to create an account via our book club portal:

• Click on the "Registration" button on the side bar to your right
• You'll be taken directly to the sign-up page
• Fill out the mandatory fields and then join
• You'll be sent a confirmation email and a link to join the group

Computer Literacy

You will need to have knowledge of the following skills to participate in this book club:

• Ability to use online communication tools, such as email (create, send, receive, reply, print, send/receive attachments), discussion boards (read, search, post, reply, follow threads), chats, and messengers.
• Understanding of basic computer hardware and software; ability to perform computer operations, such as:
  • Using software applications, such as email programs
  • Knowledge of copying and pasting, spell-checking
  • Internet skills (connecting, accessing, using browsers) and ability to perform online research using search engines