Book Club is a welcoming, low-pressure space for anyone who loves a good story and friendly conversation. We meet once a month on a Monday to share our thoughts on a wide variety of engaging reads. This year, we’re exploring the works of Canadian authors, including fiction, memoirs, history, and other thought-provoking literary non-fiction.
There’s no expectation to attend every meeting - join when you can! And if life gets in the way and you haven’t finished the book, you’re still more than welcome to come and take part in the discussion. Our meetings are relaxed and collaborative, with everyone invited to share insights, ask questions, or simply listen.
Whether you’re a lifelong reader or just looking for a reason to read more, the Rosedale Centre Book Club is a great way to connect with others, discover new authors, and be part of a warm and welcoming community.
If you have an questions reach out to Caroline Duncanson at cduncanson@sympatico.ca
This month's book is The Mind Mappers by Eric Andrew-Gee:
"In the early 1920s, when neurosurgery was more likely to be a death sentence than a cure, two men revolutionized the study of the Wilder Penfield and William Cone. Drawn together by their shared fascination with the “undiscovered country” inside our heads, the surgeons formed a partnership and within ten years established the Montreal Neurological Institute in a Gothic stone hospital on the slope of a mountain. The Neuro soon became the world’s leading centre for neurological study, attracting men and women from across the globe to a booming mid-century city.
But their success came at the cost of their friendship.
While Cone spent long hours at patients’ bedsides and in the blood-spattered operating room, Penfield pursued the loftier goal of discovering the seat of consciousness. The Chief, as he was known, went on to develop the Montreal procedure for treating epilepsy, which helped identify the source of speech, executive function and memory in narrow slivers of grey matter—achievements that illuminated the relationship between mind and body, made possible by Cone’s anonymous work behind the scenes. Over time, their relationship became fraught with personal and professional hurts—and suddenly ended when Cone was found dead in his office at the age of sixty-two.
In this compelling dual biography, Globe and Mail journalist Eric Andrew-Gee weaves together the rich history of The Neuro with that of Penfield and Cone to reveal the untold story of one of the birthplaces of neuroscience. In doing so, he breathes new life into a familiar hero and revives the tragic, forgotten story of his partner, writing Dr. William Cone back into the historical record at last."