Canada Reads


The 14th edition of CBC’s Canada Reads starts this Monday with the debates taking place March 16-19.  Hosted by Wab Kinew, this years focus is the one book to break barriers.  It is about the books that “can change perspectives, challenge stereotypes, and illuminate issues.

This years contenders are:

Ru by Kim Thuy, defended by Cameron Bailey
Intolerable by Kamal al-Solaylee, defended by Kristin Kreuk
The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King, defended by Craig Kielburger
When Everything Feels Like the Movies by Raziel Reid, defended by Elaine “Lainey” Lui
And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier, defended by Martha Wainwright

(click on the titles for my reviews of the books.)

What an amazing lineup of books.  LGBT issues, immigration, aging, First Nations, Canadian history and contemporary culture, all covered.  These novels were written in different languages and for different age groups, but they are all make up what Canada is about, the good and the bad.  

Previous winners of Canada Reads includes:

In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje (2002)
A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews (2006)
The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill (2009)
The Orenda by Joseph Boyden (2014)

My choice for the one book that Canada should read this year?  The Inconvenient Indian. 

What is your choice this year? Have you read all of the books?

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 17, 2015 at 10:37 AM

    Oh man, I am horrible at keeping up with Canada Reads and other related CanLit events; the only reason I know it's on right now is because I'm following CBC Books on Twitter. This year's line-up looks pretty diverse, though the only title I'm familiar with is Ru. I really should get a move on checking these titles out!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ShanMarch 18, 2015 at 9:27 AM

      It is very diverse this year and that is such a good thing, it really represents Canada, I think the breaking barriers theme was a good idea.

      Delete

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