Canada Reads 2010

The booklist for Canada Reads 2010 has been announced. You may recall last year I mentioned Canada Reads when I posted my review of The Book Of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. It was a fantastic book and won Canada Reads 2009. This year, a few of us knitters have decided to try and read all the contenders before the Canada Reads debate begins on March 8, 2010. Now, without further ado, here are the books:

• Good to a Fault by Marina Endicott (defended by Simi Sara)
• Nikolski by Nicholas Dickner (defended by Michel Vézina)
• Generation X by Douglas Coupland (defended by Roland Pemberton aka Cadence Weapon)
• The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy (defended by Samantha Nutt)
• Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald (defended by Perdita Felicien)

The way Canada Reads works is five panelists join a host for a week of debates about the books they’ve chosen to “champion”. The panelists are each supposed to defend their choice, to answer the question: Why should this book be a book that all Canadians should read? Every day during Canada Reads week (March 8-12, 2010) a book is voted out on air by the panelists, until just one remains. In short, Canada Reads is a battle of the books.

The great thing about Canada Reads is that it isn’t an invisible jury or group of judges behind closed doors. Also, the books don’t have to be published within any specific time frame (as is the case with most book prizes). Don’t get me wrong, I love book prizes that highlight authors and their works, especially local (British Columbian) and Canadian authors! With Canada Reads, the author must be Canadian; that’s pretty much the only criteria.

Curious to hear about this years’ books and their champions? Visit the Canada Reads website to see a video of the panelists talking with host Jian Ghomeshi.

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