The CBC’s 2008 Canada Reads series started yesterday, with the following books and their celebrity champions, girded for battle in a no-holds-barred… you get the idea.
* Singer-songwriter Dave Bidini defending Paul Quarrington’s hockey novel, King Leary.
* Astronaut Steve MacLean defending Thomas Wharton’s Icefields.
* Newfoundland author Lisa Moore defending Mavis Gallant’s From the 15th District.
* Hip-hop poet and community worker Jemini defending Nalo Hopkinson’s Brown Girl in the Ring.
* Little Mosque on the Prairie star Zaib Shaikh defending Timothy Findley’s Not Wanted on the Voyage.
I love the Canada Reads series, because the books aren’t current hot titles (or even always in print–King Leary got a new run when it was announced), hot authors, or anything except what the panelists like. Plus, all the books get a bump in sales from the publicity, and even though there’s bragging rights, there’s no prize. It’s all fun.
Tags: awards, on publishing