Every year the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has its Canada Reads debates where five Canadian panelists defend five titles chosen that year until one is declared victorious. It’s like a literary Hunger Games. It’s goal is to spotlight Canadian literature and past winners have been Joseph Boyden’s The Orenda, Lisa Moore’s February, Lawrence Hill’s The Book of Negroes, Michael Ondaatje’s In The Skin of A Lion etc.
This year is themed around books that break barriers, and the new host of the event, Wab Kinew, announced the finalists and their panelists on CBC’s radio show Q this morning.
Cameron Bailey is the Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival and will be defending Ru by Kim Thúy.
OK people, I'm championing Kim Thuy's Ru on #CanadaReads. Great book. Join #TeamRu
— Cameron Bailey (@cameron_tiff) January 20, 2015
Kristin Kreuk is an actress well known for her role as Lana Lang on the CW’s Smallville and her current role on Beauty and The Beast. She’ll be defending Intolerable by Kamal Al-Solaylee.
So thrilled and honored to be a part of #CanadaReads2015 http://t.co/JSfWZ4U2y7 Team, each one of these books is worth a read… Go forth.
— Kristin Kreuk (@MsKristinKreuk) January 20, 2015
Craig Kielburger is the co-founder of Free The Children and will be defending The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America
by Thomas King.
Elaine “Lainey” Lui is the founder of LaineyGossip, etalk correspondent and one of the co-hosts of The Social. She’ll be defending When Everything Feels Like The Movies by Raziel Reid.
Book Gossip. Book Battles. I'm part of #CanadaReads with @cameron_tiff @MsKristinKreuk @WainBright and @craigkeilburger starting in March!
— Elaine L. (@LaineyGossip) January 20, 2015
Musician Martha Wainwright will be defending And the Birds Rained Down
by Jocelyne Saucier (translated by Rhonda Mullins).
That’s our five panelists and books for the 2015 Canada Reads. The debates will take place from March 16th to March 19th. If you’re in the Toronto area, you can get tickets here.
As the great Ken Watanabe once said…
I love this concept. But now I really want them to battle with kaiju.
Kaiju? Who’s drift compatable with whom?
Is it just me or is this a really fun panel of advocates?