"Canada Reads"

[imec]

Thought some of the tweed jacket set might be interested in this. It's an annual (this year marks the 10th anniversary) competition hosted by Canada's public broadcaster to choose the "best" literature Canada has to offer.

From the CBC site:

"What is Canada Reads?

Started in 2001, Canada Reads is CBC's annual battle of the books, where five Canadian personalities select the book they think Canadians should read. Each personality selects a book to defend and the books are eliminated one by one until a winner is declared. The debates air on CBC Radio One. Jian Ghomeshi has hosted Canada Reads since 2008.

In 2011, the contenders are:

* Debbie Travis, defending The Birth House by Ami McKay


* Ali Velshi, defending The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis


* Georges Laraque, defending The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou


* Lorne Cardinal, defending Unless by Carol Shields


* Sara Quin, defending Essex County by Jeff Lemire"



Here is the link to the Canada Reads site:

www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/


Here is a link to the videos of the 2011 Canada Reads debates:

www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/watchlisten.html

[gertie]

What an interesting way to promote books! I've read two of those named above, and I wonder if one of them will win?

[patricklondon]

I wonder if Stephen Harper will be taking an interest (did I read somewhere that Yann Martel had given up his attempt to interest Harper in reading by sending him books?)

[joanne28]

Poor Stephen Harper - his lips get tired when he reads so he's given it up.