Yesterday, with the help of CBC Radio’s Jian Ghomeshi and author Terry Fallis, CBC unveiled the five books that would be competing in the 2012 Canada Reads competition, this year appropriately titled Canada Reads: True Stories, as each competing book is based on true events. Open Book: Ontario was present at the CBC building down on Front Street in Toronto for the public announcement of the five books selected by this year’s panelists, a list heavy with pop culture celebrities.
First up was model and Canada’s Next Top Model judge Stacey McKenzie, who had chosen Rheostatics guitarist turned writer Dave Bidini’s On a Cold Road (published by McClelland & Stewart), a chronicle of the band's 1996 cross-Canada tour with The Tragically Hip. Easily the hippest pairing, the model and author already shared a warm chemistry, and at the end of their interview, McKenzie revealed her custom denim jacket bearing the title of Bidini’s book on the back. Later, CBC personality George Stroumboulopoulos would appear out of nowhere for photos with the pair, further confirming the duo’s hip edge.
Second to the stage was Arlene Dickinson of Dragons' Den fame. Dickinson proved rather insightful when discussing her choice, Marina Nemat’s Prisoner of Tehran (published by Viking Canada), a harrowing account of Nemat’s imprisonment in Iran's most notorious prison for political dissidents at only 16 years of age. Calling the book a “quintessential [Canadian] story,” Dickinson elaborated on the book’s relevance, saying “[We’re a] country of people who have left places, [and we’re] founded on the beliefs of human rights. [That] represents everything Canada is.” Nemat expressed a childlike joy at finding out that Dickinson would be defending her book, claiming that she and her husband are big fans of Dickinson’s show.
Next was Canadian hip hop sensation Shad, who had chosen playwright and actor Carmen Aguirre’s memoir, Something Fierce (published by Douglas & McIntyre), about coming of age in the Chilean resistance movement. Admitting that he was having trouble choosing what book to defend, Shad said he was moved by Aguirre’s story. When asked by Ghomeshi if she was nervous about the debates and how the panelists will be picking apart her book, Aguirre quipped, “I come from the theater world [where people constantly pick you apart]. This will be peanuts compared to that.” That earned a warm laugh from the audience.
Second to last was Anne-France Goldwater, a well-known Quebecois litigator and star of L’Arbitre, a role that has crowned her “Quebec’s Judge Judy.” Relatively unknown to the Toronto crowd, Goldwater had her work cut out for her trying to win the audience over. Not all of her Quebec nationalist jokes landed, but she proved to be very enthusiastic about her choice, journalist John Vaillant’s The Tiger (published by Random House), the shocking story of the citizens of a remote Russian village and the wild, endangered Siberian tiger out for revenge against the poachers who survive by destroying his kind. With her extensive experience in litigation, Goldwater may prove to be the competition’s most worthy opponent.
Lastly, Canadian actor and everyone’s favourite dad, Alan Thicke, was introduced as the final panelist. Thicke will be defending Ken Dryden’s The Game (published by John Wiley & Sons), a chronicle of the legendary goalie’s 1979 season with the Montreal Canadiens. It is still widely regarded as the best hockey book ever written, even nearly thirty years after its publication. Thicke admitted his choice of a sports book was easy. “Anywhere where men sweat, I’ll be there,” he joked. All kidding aside, Thicke admitted he is closely tied to the material of Dryden’s book, and that was why he chose it. “I was there. I was in the stands,” he said, when speaking of some of the games detailed in Dryden’s book.
Afterwards, each book was available for sale, and it was announced that all five publishers would be donating Canada Reads books to the library system, and that the winning publisher will make a significant donation to a Canadian literacy organization. The authors and their champions stuck around to sign books and chat with the audience. Everyone was very personable, and every nominated book appears to be worthy of the Canada Reads: True Stories title.
The debates will be held over four days in February, from the 6th to the 9th. Best of luck to this year’s panelists. They have their work cut out for them.
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