At the beginning of March, CBC Radio will play host to Canada Reads, a week of debate about five Canadian books. Canada Reads is in its 8th annual season and this year promises more excitement than ever before with five amazing CanLit books and five outspoken celebrities ready to speak their minds.
The Panelists:
Hosted by CBC broadcaster, Jian Ghomeshi, Canada Reads features the following five books:
- The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
- The Fat Woman Next Door is Pregnant by Michael Tremblay
- Fruit by Brian Francis
- Mercy Among the Children by David Adams Richards
- The Outlander by Gil Adamson.
The five presenters of the above books are, respectively:
- Avi Lewis
- Anne-Marie Withenshaw
- Jen Sookfong Lee
- Sarah Sleen
- Nicholas Campbell
These five Canadians may not have a lot in common -- Lewis is a political commentator; Withenshaw is a radio host; Sookfong Lee is a debut-novelists; Sleen is a singer/songwriter; and Campbell is a Gemini-winning actor. However, they all share a love for books and are set to defend their book to the end.
These five celebrity guests will discuss and debate the merits of each book in an effort to persuade the panelists that their book of choice should be the Canada Reads 2009 winner. This is a great event hosted by CBC that promises a lot of fun and intellect and supports both the love of reading and the National Indigenous Literacy Association.
So, what does the show have in store for us?
The Books:
One of the most intriguing things about this year’s contest is that the books are all so remarkable different. The heroes and heroines include a woman battling slavery; a chubby teenager with talking nipples; a young widow on a journey of a lifetime; a swarm of pregnant ladies; and a young boy battling his own demons.
The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill captures 50 years of slavery. The story takes place on three different continents and follows the life of an unforgettable woman through the journey of slavery to freedom in the attempt to find a place where she belongs. This is Ontarian Lawrence Hill’s third book and was released in 2007.
Fruit is the comic tale of a 13 year old overweight boy written by David Francis. Not your average coming of age story, the hero, Peter Paddington struggles with his mortifying family, an army of school bullies and a vivid imagination that just won’t quit. What ensues is a hilarious tale of adolescence that will have you laughing and cringing throughout. Francis’ Fruit was published in 2004 and was his debut novel.
The Outlander by Gil Adamson takes readers into the world of “the widow”, a murderous ‘anti-hero’ who is trying to escape her reality after killing her husband. Her journey takes her through the pioneer Alberta landscape where she meets several odd ball characters and must face the harsh and unfamiliar world around her. Published in 2007, The Outlander is Gil Adamson’s first novel.
The Fat Woman Next Door is Pregnant brings an entire Montreal neighborhood alive for a full 24 hours in 1942. With heartwarming prose and comic tones, Michael Trembley relays the life of several eccentric women as they struggle through poverty. It has been translated into English by Sheila Fischman and was first published in French in 1978.
Mercy Among the Children follows 12 year old Sydney after he commits a terrible act in his childhood that affects his entire outlook on life. The novel looks at the question of morality as Sydney’s entire family struggles to understand the concept of right and wrong. Publish in 2000, David Adams Richards book has won numerous awards.
The Details:
Catch all the action when Canada Reads airs March 2-6 on CBC Radio. The half hour installments run at 11:30am and 7:30pm each day. However, you can also tune in to Sirius Radio or catch the show online at CBC.ca.
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