CanadianContent discussion

A place to ponder which books will make it to the short list

and when will the next great reveal be?

Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City should make it for sure. I'm just about finished and truly enjoying it. Very matter of fact telling of the issues.

Brother could make it through as well.

I don't think The Marrow Thieves will advance however I still argue that it was a great book for attracting the YA audience to the issues facing indigenous people.

Still waiting on my holds for The Boat People and Forgiveness

I was delightfully surprised by The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit by JJLee

It weaves together biography, history, and trauma recovery in a way that goes beyond the stated topics, touching most of the political hot potatoes that underlie the tension so apparent in the sartorial decisions available at any particular time.

My picks :

Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City

Brother

Suzanne

Tomboy Survival Guide

The Boat People

@Magdelanye I also enjoyed Measure of a Man. But I don't know if it will make the cut. I have also read Dance, Gladys, Dance, Marrow Thieves and Saints and Misfits. I will be really surprised if any of them make it to the next level.

Has anyone read American War? Still waiting for my lib hold.

It's here! I posted to the wrong thread first: http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/m...

OH! I was completely off base!! 1 out of 5!! Have to finish the rest of the books..

Moving this over the short-list thread: What a great way to start the morning - I had thought the list would be announced tonight.

@Colleen - congrats to Craig, great to see his book on the list!

so... instead of getting ready for work, I have procrastinated and added the threads for each book so we can discuss individually this year as we read them.

We have a snow day today so I'm all about Canada Reads this morning!!

Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ wrote: "We have a snow day today so I'm all about Canada Reads this morning!!"

haha, here too Allison - great timing!

Interesting list, I've just done my 'library holds reshuffle'

I have read 2/5 (Forgiveness & The Marrow Thieves). Own American War & Precious Cargo and has Boat People on hold at the library. Kind of disappointed Seven Fallen Feathers didn't get picked.

@Colleen, please pass on my congrats to Craig!

I am very disappointed that Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City did not make the cut. That seems to be a political move to me.

I'm really disappointed that Tomboy Survival Guide didn't make the short list, and I'm surprised about Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City being left out.

I've read American War and The Marrow Thieves. Looking forward to reading the other three contenders!

I'm shocked.

Me too.

Susan wrote: "I'm really disappointed that Tomboy Survival Guide didn't make the short list, and I'm surprised about [book:Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City..."

I'm really disappointed about both those titles not making the shortlist, as well as Suzanne and Scarborough.

I don't think The Marrow Thieves is very good, and I have no interest whatsoever in reading American War. The list seems to be all about refugees, and war, except for Precious Cargo.

I was REALLY hoping "Scarborough" would make the list.

I’m going to buy Tomboy Survival Guide anyway. That’s the one I was most keen to read. Pleased to see Boat People on the list, but sorry Brother didn’t make it. After some reviews here, excited to read Forgiveness, and also excited to read Precious Cargo, as it’s the only one I think my 12 year old could enjoy to get involved in Canada Reads.

Allison wrote: "I’m going to buy Tomboy Survival Guide anyway. That’s the one I was most keen to read. Pleased to see Boat People on the list, but sorry Brother didn’t make it. After some reviews here, excited to ..."

@Allison, I've had Precious Cargo: My Year of Driving the Kids on School Bus 3077 for a while and am happy to be finally reading it.

I plan on reading all of the longlist books this year.

Currently reading Marrow Thieves which I am so not enjoying, Brother and Suzanne which I adore. Just starting Precious Cargo and American War.

So disappointed that Seven Fallen Feathers didn’t make it this year, along with Brother, Tomboy Survival Guide, The Clothesline Swing, Scarborough...

But I am excited to read Precious Cargo and The Boat People. And my inner BSG fangirl is thrilled that Tahmoh Penikett is going to be a defender.

I just finished Precious Cargo this morning and liked it. It seems to match the theme of this year's CR but having said that, I'm not sure it will get very far, considering some of the competition. I will try to read a few more though probably won't read all the short list.

If anyone is looking to buy a copy of Forgiveness, Book Outlet has it for sale. I bought it for 99 cents U.S. - not sure what the Canadian price would be. It gave me an excuse to order some other Canadian bargain books. :-)

Allison wrote: "I’m going to buy Tomboy Survival Guide anyway. That’s the one I was most keen to read. Pleased to see Boat People on the list, but sorry Brother didn’t make it. After some reviews here, excited to ..."

Yes, do read Tomboy Survival Guide. It's very good.

@Allison I am reading "Tomboy Survival Guide" now, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. My best friend has a daughter who has transitioned to her son. We had a beautiful conversation last night about acceptance, supportive parenting and the emotional and psychological toll deconstruction requires when a gender change takes place. It may not have happened if it wasn't for this book.

Am most surprised that the short list announcement was made this morning when the evening event tonight had been promoted as getting to know the authors and defenders of the short list.

The list itself is a bit surprising but not really - so much seems to depend on the defenders and their personal taste in books. Also there were so many excellent books to choose from.

Am not surprised that 2 of the 5 are 100% sci-fi/fantasy (The Marrow Thieves and American War) and 1 more (Precious Cargo) has a fantasy story within the overall story. This seems to be a reflection of the public's current taste in books, the audience Canada Reads is trying to attract, particularly the younger crowd.

In recent years I have read all five books on the short list. Like @ Rainey, this year I plan to read all fifteen books. Am about half way done.

Have read 3 of the short listed 5 books - in alphabetical order Forgiveness, The Marrow Thieves and Precious Cargo: My Year of Driving the Kids on School Bus 3077. Looking forward to reading the others and the Canada Reads discussion in March.

I have to say being almost done American War it is really about war, relationships, growth, healing etc. The setting of a civil war based on climate change is really more of a backdrop or a catalyst for the action of the book so I wouldn't let it put you off at all. I was hoping it would be a little more 'out there' actually. Don't get me wrong, it is good, just had to change my expectations from the blurb.

The list surprises me but sort of in a good way. I think some of the ones that got the boot are excellent books but have also had a ton of press so I think they are already selling pretty well and are being read and discussed. I fully intend to keep reading a lot of the books on long-list though, I mean, not all this year but sometime, lol.

I am always miffed by the Canada Reads selections so today just maintained this notion for me. I will go with the flow and hope to read the contenders before the show starts. Afterall, it does allow me to support Canadian authors of which we are blessed with many!

I was really surprised in the Short List. I was hoping for others, but alas... I was pretty stressed out though when the library website was down! I hoofed it up there during a work break to grab what I could, and managed to grab Forgiveness, Precious Cargo: My Year of Driving the Kids on School Bus 3077, and The Marrow Thieves. I'd already read American War and loved it, so that leaves just the Boat People! Now that so many are in my grasp I'm getting excited for this list, even though I was disappointed my own pick didn't make it.

I'm always interested in how they get from the long list to the short list. For example, do they choose the defenders and the defenders choose their own book? Or do they assign books to the defenders? It's curious to me.

Anyhow, there are some surprises for sure, but I am still excited to hear the debates, there are some very different books on this list. I haven't read any yet, but I for sure will have some read by the time the debates begin.

I have tickets for what was supposed to be the big reveal tonight, was planning on going with my partner,but when I read this morning that the reveal and the defenders were all over the news
I just threw my hands up in the air. Maybe I read the invite for tonight's event incorrectly, but if I knew in advance that there would be no reveal tonight I would never have bothered to get a ticket and make arrangements to go. So I'm sitting it out because
I will stay at home and do my own reading. Really, I can't imagine anything more painful then having to listen to Jeannie Baker being interviewed-now there is a great Canadian mind. Sorry I'm just really pissed off about the whole thing.
I tried to give my tickets away but no one at work wants them so....
As for the short list-like many here I'm totally surprised that Seven Fallen Feathers didn't make it. I know it's already getting tons of press but the fact that they chose two dystopian novels which I've said before I loathe, just makes me want to avoid the whole thing even more. I'm interested in the Boat People and
Craig's book but the rest just doesn't appeal to me and I plan on skipping the whole thing.
CBC books-I wish you were more clear about your intent for tonight.

I'm pretty sure @Tara mentioned tonight being a "launch" event on the Canada Reads Meetup thread, not a reveal event, when she posted the link for tickets.

Regardless, it is a missed marketing opportunity....a big reveal event would have generated some buzz beyond us book nerds stalking their website.

@Alan - sorry this happened to you. Sucks. May something else good come your way to replace this. :)

Is anyone else going the other 3 days of Canada Reads?

I got my ticket.

@ Alan, I was a bit surprised too - but I'm still going tonight! Although I'm not as keen on the contenders as I was on the ones on the list that I've read, it should still be an interesting evening. Maybe I'll see you there....

Glad to see I'm not the only one surprised/disappointed with the short list. I think the books were probably chosen with broadest appeal and easy readability in mind. Cautiously hopeful that the more I hear from the champions and authors, the more I will get excited and get in the flow of Canada Reads. This year's long list has been one of the more interesting lists around and I, too, am planning to read most of them.

Thanks all-it seems like the whole thing is going to be broadcast
on the cbc books website and I'm coming down with a cold and I
have a great book that expires this monday so I'm happy to head home, get into bed and cuddle up with my wonderful book.

I am obviously happy with the short list, and pleased for all five authors. I'll be there tonight to cheer everyone on. :)

My first reaction was "this list doesn't feel very Canadian to me", then I asked myself "what does feel Canadian?" and I guess that will differ from person to person, but to me "Canadian" is small town Ontario, outport Newfoundland, cities, suburbs, the north, Canadian Prairies, reconciliation, etc. So again, to me, this short list doesn't feel "Canadian" but perhaps that's not the point. It's what Canada should be reading, so I will try to keep an open mind, but American War really holds NO interest for me whatsoever. And The Marrow Thieves will be a slog because after reading the first chapter, I just don't feel it's a well written book.

I'm still stunned that Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City didn't make it because WITHOUT A DOUBT, that is THE book every Canadian should read. What is the theme again this year?

Alan wrote: "Thanks all-it seems like the whole thing is going to be broadcast
on the cbc books website and I'm coming down with a cold and I
have a great book that expires this monday so I'm happy to head home..."

I don't blame you Alan. I would be doing the same. It is kind of deflating that the announcement was made without any hoopla. Like, oh yeah, by the way, here is the short list.

Emmkay wrote: "@ Alan, I was a bit surprised too - but I'm still going tonight! Although I'm not as keen on the contenders as I was on the ones on the list that I've read, it should still be an interesting evenin..."
@Emmkay, have fun!! Let us know the scoop :)

Interesting choices for short list. I guess Canada Reads is more about the spectacle of debate rather than the merit of the book (unlike Gillers, Gov General awards).
So I'll try and make my way through the short list and will look forward to a debate about books that mostly weren't on my radar until now.

Just for the fun of it, I went back to look at the list of books on the very first Canada Reads show. Those were the days....

In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Whylah Falls by George Elliott Clarke
The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

@Colleen and @Emmkay - if either of you are interested in a guest blog post about tonight, that would be great!

I will tune in and discover more details about the defenders as I don't know any of them really well. I felt the same about Humble last year, he was a bit of an unknown, but he was fantastic! I sure wish that I could be there in person.... but public transit to Toronto is beyond my capability with crutches at the moment.

@Tara - does each defender pick their own book from the long-list? Are you able to share any details about how the defenders area chosen?

@Louise - interesting to see the first year books... i still have a couple on my TBR list.

I think the beauty of Canada Reads is that each defender has a book that they are passionate about and it encourages others to pick up a book that they might not have chosen. I have certainly read some great books that I might not have ever picked up. I love the game show vs. book awards as it draws attention and makes it fun!

❀ Susan wrote: "@Colleen and @Emmkay - if either of you are interested in a guest blog post about tonight, that would be great!

I will tune in and discover more details about the defenders as I don't know any of..."

While i am disappointed the books I thought might make it didnt, I will try to look at the finalists with fresh eyes.

I plan to read the final 5 before Toronto and will read the other 10 this year.

Canada is a nation of immigrants and a lot have a story to tell. Now we get to hear some of them. Cool.

Are they have technical issues as I am logged in and getting a blank screen

Is working for me... Nice to see @Tara getting a round of applause!

Rainey wrote: "Are they have technical issues as I am logged in and getting a blank screen"

Yeah. Shout out to Tara from the mc Ali