Canada Reads 5

Finally, nearly a month later, I have obtained and read Essex County, (by Jeff Lemire) the fifth book (and first voted off) in this year's Canada Reads contest. However, it wasn't until I received the book that I realized that I'd somehow only ordered the first volume. Apparently there are two other volumes - which I sadly admit I probably won't get to.

Well, what did I think? It was interesting, to say the least. It was different from a comic book in that it had a hard cover, but other than that it sort of seemed like a comic book. There was even a superhero in it! I think I just don't know how to read graphic novels: I opened the first page to find spare black and white drawings of farm equipment and a little boy. No words. I was sort of at a loss. I could see in a second what the pictures were saying: trying to set the scene in writing would have taken a lot longer to read. But I didn't feel like I really had to stare at the pictures for a long time to get the meaning - I got it and moved on.

At the beginning, I was trying to narrate the book for myself because I'm so used to reading novels with that narrative voice. I was somewhat thrown for a loop by not having one. But that got kind of tiresome: it was like watching an amateur hockey game and doing the play-by-play yourself in your head instead of just watching the action unfold. So it didn't take me long to read because it was mostly pictures, with limited dialogue. I still caught myself trying to describe scenes and feelings as I went through, however. I was trying to put words to the pictures.

Surprisingly, I did get into the story. A little boy goes and lives with his uncle on a farm after his mother dies of cancer. I could see the uncle's emotions on his face as he tried to parent his nephew. In that respect, I enjoyed the pictures. It gave a window on feelings that a writer could use words to hide. It was sort of cinematic. So I did enjoy the story until the aliens showed up at the end. That moment of complete unreality really ruined the story for me. It was so deep and heartfelt before that, so to suddenly introduce this moment of fantasy really pulled me out of the story and detracted from it, in my opinion. It was hard to tell if it was the boy's imagination or if this was really the way that the story was going to go. I felt it took away from the relationship that was developing between the boy and his uncle.

I suppose one should discuss the artwork of the book. It was very spare and simple - just black and white pen/ink drawings. (I suppose - I'm not really in to art.) I would have appreciated some colour. I did like how the flashbacks were done in light grey and with softer lines. Also, the kid's comic book in the middle was very well done. However, I can't say that I would stare at the pictures for hours, as Sara Quinn said she would on the Canada Reads show. They were not detailed enough for me to do that. However, the artist did do a good job of showing place and landscape in his pictures, as well as human emotion. I must say though, that if I didn't know that the book took place in Ontario, I would have thought the farm located in Saskatchewan, due to the expansiveness created by the drawings. Also, my only experience of Southern Ontario was more urban, whereas I associate Saskatchewan with a more rural image. So for me, when I imagined the image colourized in my head, it was the colours and shadings of Saskatchewan that the images took on, instead of those of Ontario.

I did enjoy most of the story of Essex County, but I'm not really interested in reading another graphic novel (or the rest in the series). When I read a book, I want to read it. I want to read words and sentences and paragraphs. I want to marvel (hopefully) at how the author has created the characters or describe the landscape and be swept away into a different world. I like to read the words and then have my imagination take over instead of having the images presented to me. That said, I'm glad I tried it - it was interesting. It was mostly a good story too. Should it have been the pick for Canada Reads? No. But it's good that it was put out there and given some exposure. Maybe some of my readers will try reading a few graphic novels for themselves.

Canada Reads: The Debates - Day Three

Hello and welcome to the last day of Canada Reads! Today is the day we pick the winner. If you want to listen for yourself, please stop reading now. If you want to know, then read on.

The panelists were quite feisty today and it took nearly 20 minutes to get through the introductions as they quickly turned into a mini-debate/pitch session. This is where I wish the format were slightly different: as a result of the lengthy intros, we didn't have time for all the debates later. I don't think that the panelists need a lengthy intro every day - I remember who they were from yesterday and the day before that. A little more reigning in here would have allowed more debate later on in the show.

Perhaps because of the suddenly expanded intro, there was no pitch for the three remaining books: The Best Laid Plans, The Birth House, and Unless. Instead, we plunged right into the debate.

The Debates
Round 1: The Birth House - why aren't we talking about this book?
Ghomeshi began the debates by pointing out that The Birth House has really flown under the radar this week. Cardinal stated that he enjoyed the book, but thought it was regional and folkloric. It was too specific to its region and time period. Further, he thought that the Halifax Explosion would feature much more prominently than it did.

Laraque commented that while he thought the book empowered women, he didn't find that it spoke to men at all. In fact, he wouldn't have finished reading it except that he needed to for the competition. He thought that given the historical nature of the book which portrayed men in a negative light than men would not want to read it.

Travis vehemently disagreed and managed to pick one man who was good in the book. (There are maybe two good men in the book - the rest run the gamut from uninterested in women to actively violent and abusive towards them.) She said that the book inspired women to become nurses and midwives and that the book was about communities. She was saying something about a soldier and a letter from Afghanistan when she was cut off by Ghomeshi.

Ghomeshi said that he found the book powerful, but wanted another man's opinion and asked Velshi. Velshi said he enjoyed it and thought the storytelling was great. He thought that the character of Dora was an "everyman" type of character. Ghomeshi then asked Quin if she had any negative feelings about the book and she said that she was not invested in the characters or moved by their plight. I have to agree: I was not particularly invested in the character of Dora or her experiences.

Round 2: The book Unless has been described as a feminist polemic. Does it still resonate today?
Due to the time constraints, we only had time for two responses here. Cardinal said that the book still resonates (despite being about 7-8 years old) because women still have problems and women's voices are underrepresented. Quin pointed out that The Best Laid Plans also had a strong feminist storyline, and in fact that the remaining books all had a feminist/female element. (My inner cynic would like to point out that the character of Reta Winters - white, middle-aged, wealthy, is not a good representative for the women whom Cardinal spoke about when he spoke about women who don't have a voice. If anything, it is these women who do have a voice and can use it to speak out on behalf of other women who are not so fortunate.)

The Vote
Before the first vote of the morning, Ghomeshi pointed out that the poll showed that Canadians wanted The Best Laid Plans to be the next to go, followed by The Birth House. How would the panelists vote?

Georges Laraque: Unless
Lorne Cardinal: The Birth House
Ali Velshi: Unless
Sara Quin: The Birth House
Debbie Travis: The Best Laid Plans

And we have a Tie! According to Canada Reads Rules, the panelist who didn't vote for the books which are tied gets to vote again. So, because Debbie Travis didn't vote for either Unless or The Birth House, she got to vote again. And, obviously, (because she's not going to vote her own book off!) she voted for Unless and it became the third eliminated book.

The Debates
Round 3: The Best Laid Plans was a self-published novel. The Birth House has already experienced a lot of critical acclaim. Does this David and Goliath situation matter to the voting?
Quin said, no, it's important to know, but it shouldn't matter than one book is already well-known and the other is an "indie". Cardinal agreed. Travis ignored the debate question and said that the Canada Reads novel needs to be gripping and that both books were similar in this regard. She argued that her book spoke to both women and men - although this was after detailing all the ways it was inspiring to women.

Velshi pointed out that the plot of The Best Laid Plans and the actual publishing journey of The Best Laid Plans were similar. The book was about aspiration, but the fact that it dealt with current issues made it more relevant. (By this point, all the panelists seemed to have moved off the original debate topic!) Laraque continued on this theme, and said that he thought about what if everyone in Canada read these two books, what would change? He thought that not much would change for women, since The Birth House described a time when women were much more subjugated than they were today. However, he thought that The Best Laid Plans could be a force for change in this country and inspire voting.

Quin sort-of agreed: she thought The Best Laid Plans could be inspiring, but that it was a faint hope that high school kids would read it. If they read it, kids would like it, but they wouldn't read it. (Again, my inner cynic reminds me that high school kids can't vote [most of them anyway] and that maybe the book should be taught in high school. It's certainly accessible enough.)

Velshi picked up on Quin's talk of inspiration and said that he just wanted his book to inspire people. Travis commented that her book was inspiring women to go into medical fields. She argued that young people were reading her book and that it was the top book club book pick and that women were reading her book. Laraque commented mildly that more women read books than men, so it wasn't surprising.

That line of debate brings up some interesting points that I want to address here. Travis insisted throughout the competition that her book was for women and men, but I seriously doubt that. I don't think that men would be interested in reading a book about birth. Maybe if their wife had gone through it - but otherwise, no. So, it is a "women's book". There's nothing wrong with it being a women's book. But is this what women are supposed to be interested in reading? Because I'm not. Yes, sometimes I'm interested in women's issues specifically, but most of the time I'm not. I just want an interesting story and a good read - it doesn't matter who wrote the book or who the protagonist is. But so many books that seem to be recommended for book clubs (see: Oprah) fall into this "women's book" trap and then I don't find them interesting. I don't think I'm interested in "men's books" - I think I'm interested in "people books" - books by people, about people. But are there "women's books", "men's books", and then "people's books"? Or is it a small niche of "women's books" (that men don't read) and all the rest of the books are "men's books" that both men and women read? I don't think we can answer that question today. But I thought it was something interesting to ponder.

At any rate, I seem to have echoed the panelists and wandered far from the topic of debate!

Round 4: Which book would you recommend to a loved one, and why?
Ghomeshi asked the three panelists without books in the running to answer this question. Cardinal said he'd give The Best Laid Plans to his brother who's running for Parliament in the next election. He thought it would be helpful and that his brother would need a sense of humour if he made it to the House of Commons! Quin said she'd recommend The Best Laid Plans to her father because he'd like it. Laraque also picked The Best Laid Plans because he said the book was about love in Angus's soulful letters to his dead wife.

The Pitch
For the final time, our last two panelists gave their opinion as to why people should pick their book. They each had 30 seconds.

Ali Velshi - The Best Laid Plans
Velshi said that this book was both funny and touching. It was important because it dealt with a current issue. He thought the book was inspirational and would lead to change.

Debbie Travis - The Birth House
Travis said that her book shows that change begins at home. It featured a young protagonist and was inspirational. It shows that women can have a voice and a career. It is a book that all can enjoy.

The Final Vote
For the last time, the panelists marked their ballots for the book they would eliminate from the competition.

Ali Velshi - The Birth House
Debbie Travis - The Best Laid Plans
Georges Laraque - The Birth House
Sara Quin - The Birth House
Lorne Cardinal - The Birth House

And with that, The Best Laid Plans wins Canada Reads 2011!

Velshi was happy and hoped that his book would inspire change. Travis said that she liked the idea of Canada Reads and that she wants books to inspire. Quin said she voted off The Birth House because she felt that The Best Laid Plans best fit the criteria of Canada Reads. Cardinal said he voted off The Birth House because The Best Laid Plans is humorous and Canadians like humour!

And, thus ends Canada Reads for this year. I had a really good time reading the books and writing about it here on the blog. It was the first year I really participated in it, and I enjoyed it. I have become inspired by the competition: I'm going to look up the finalists and winners from the past 10 years of Canada Reads and read all the books. Also, Essex County finally came in to the library so I'll finally be able to read that one too! I hope everyone enjoyed reading about Canada Reads as I did writing about it. I will return with your irregularly scheduled non-Canada Reads blog post in a few days. I hope you will join me for that, and join me for more great novels for next year's Canada Reads.

Canada Reads: The Debates - Day Two

Wow. What a morning! I am shocked with the choice, although given the way things were going today, I'm not entirely surprised. I think maybe there needs to be a little strategic voting happening tomorrow!

If you haven't listened to today's episode of Canada Reads, read no further. If you have, or are following along with me, please proceed!

Today started with some repetition - I already know who all the panelists, books and authors are, thank you. I also know the plot of the books, as I read all of them (that I could get from my library in time!) (and unlike one panelist I could mention...). However, there were a few interesting notes from yesterday. Essex County and Sara Quin's spirited defence of it has created quite a buzz, which can only be good for the novel. Carol Shields did NOT win the Pulitzer Prize for Unless, she won it for The Stone Diaries. (Which I have not read.) Further, Debbie Travis garnered some negative buzz on twitter - which I fear will only be magnified after today's show! Now, on to the program.

The Pitch
Today's pitch was only 30 seconds long. Here's what the panelists had to say, and my take on it. The focus of the pitch was why this is the essential book for Canadians.

The Best Laid Plans - Ali Velshi
Again, Velshi is pitching with humour. So far, it seems to be working for him! But I think that humour hides a tremendous intelligence. He did point out that his book won a humour prize. He emphasized that his book strikes a chord with those fed up with politics, and it's essential because it's about making democracy work.

The Birth House - Debbie Travis
Travis again emphasized that her book is about change and the changing world. It's about holding on to old traditions and embracing the future. What can we use from the past that is for the benefit of today? That sounds really lovely, but I don't think The Birth House was about embracing the future given that the portrayal of modern medicine was given such a negative light.

The Bone Cage - Georges Laraque
Laraque may not be the most eloquent of speakers, but his clear passion for the book comes through. He stated that the book was for everyone: it is about body betrayal, about love, about action. When you read it, you feel like an athlete. It is a great story. And I do agree - I felt like an athlete and it was a great story.

Unless - Lorne Cardinal
Cardinal stated that the book is about loss, and then confused me while stating that the book is by a female novelist writing about a female novelist who is translating works by a female novelist. That's great, but why is that essential? Cardinal recovered by again describing Shields as a wordsmith and exalting her ability to illuminate the mundane. The book is about love, loss, laughter, and hope.

What I'm seeing so far is that all the panelists tend to emphasize the same points: Velshi - the book is funny. Travis - the book is about change and is not just for women. Laraque - the book is for everyone. Cardinal - the book is so well written. I've also noticed this year that the panelists seem firmly committed to their book and will always pick their book as an answer to any question unless firmly instructed not to. It will be interesting to see what happens as more panelists lose their books.

Debate
Some very interesting things came out in the debates today! I'm just surprised that they didn't seem to influence the voting more.

Round 1a: Which of the remaining books is the most well-written?
Surprise, surprise - most candidates picked their own books! Velshi sort of dodged the question and said that accessibility is the key, and by that standard, his book was the most accessible because it was satire. It covered a serious issue in a humorous manner. However, he did point out that Carol Shields was the most accomplished writer of the group.

Travis took issue with Velshi's comments about accessibility. She thinks that an accessible book that all can understand is not necessarily the most essential. (But if the book picked as the most essential is not the most accessible, then you're leaving people out of something that is essential.) Of course she thought her book was the best written because of how it grabs you and how you're involved in the story. She did concede that Unless was well written, but predictable.

Laraque approached the question from a different angle. Commenting further on the idea of accessible vs. essential, he stated that it was important for the panel to pick a book that the majority of Canadians could relate to. Despite saying that it shouldn't be a personal choice, he then said his book was one that everyone could relate to. He appreciated that the author switched voices from male and female characters. While he does think that Carol Shields is a great writer, he thought that the wrong book of Shields' was picked. He thought they should have picked Larry's Party (which I haven't read) instead because it's easier to read and more Canadians would enjoy it. He thought that Unless was hard to get into. Which I do agree with: I didn't really get into Unless and while the writing was beautiful, I'm not sure it's something that I would read again. I certainly didn't rush to finish it like I would with a book that I was really interested in.

Quin disagreed. With no book in the hunt, she's free to be a wild card. She found Unless beautifully written and tremendously moving. But she thought that story was a different argument altogether. She said that The Best Laid Plans had the best story and it was easy to read. It was probably the most Canadian and accessible of the bunch because it dealt with a universal issue.

Quin is write - story and writing are two different things. The Birth House, The Best Laid Plans, and The Bone Cage all had the best story. They all propelled the reader forward. While Unless did have a story, it didn't move in the same way the other books moved and was really introspective. I enjoyed the stories in The Best Laid Plans and The Bone Cage, but didn't like the story in The Birth House for its underlying agenda.

Cardinal pointed out that structure is key and that Unless was well written, which everyone seemed to agree on. It's interesting though that he commented about structure: Unless had a very interesting structure as it moved between the story of Nora and the story of Reta's book. I'm not sure that the structure worked. I think I prefer a more old-fashioned story structure anyway: here are your characters, this is what they look like, and here's the plot, and here's what happens, and the climax and the end. Not some introspective work on thoughts.

Travis then commented that while she thought Unless was beautifully written she found that it was two books in one. She, personally, didn't like the glimpse inside the author and didn't like reading about how books are made: the behind the scenes, if you will. She skipped through those parts. I do agree with her on one point - I also found the book too introspective at times. Too much inner life and not enough outer life. Cardinal vehemently disagreed - literature promotes thought and it's important to have the women's voice. He later said that women's voices were underrepresented and that Carol Shields was hampered by her own success. I don't agree with him that women's voices were underrepresented here: you have two other women authors in Angie Abdou and her female character Sadie and Ami McKay and her female character Dora. Velshi concluded that Unless was a beautiful book, but it is not accessible, which I agree with.

Round 1b: All of the books are about loss - which book deals with loss most memorably?
Quin began this discussion and held that Unless dealt most movingly with loss. I don't know if I agree: despite hearing much of Reta's inner monologue, I felt kind of shut out. Sure, I was sad that Nora was panhandling on the street, but I didn't feel like I experienced her loss.

Laraque found several examples of loss in The Bone Cage, both of people and physicality. He felt it was very realistic. Quin was also affected by the loss in The Bone Cage but was most moved by the depiction of loss in Unless. Cardinal pointed out that Unless talked about loss and hope and the fragility of our lives.

Again, Travis felt that The Birth House had lots of loss which then would make her book the best. Then she got off the topic of loss and ranted about how well written the books were. She found that The Bone Cage and The Best Laid Plans were not well written. She found Unless gutwrenching (as she's a mother herself) but she wasn't interested in Reta's journey of book-writing. She really hated The Best Laid Plans: she didn't find it funny, she's not interested in Canadian politics, and she didn't finish the book.

She didn't finish the book! How can you be on the panel and not have finished the book! I tried so hard to find and read all the book that I could! I didn't enjoy The Birth House but I finished it anyway. And yes, I found some parts of The Best Laid Plans not to be that funny, but I still enjoyed it.

In looking at reading level and readability, I would comment that The Best Laid Plans and The Bone Cage were written at a lower reading level than something like Unless. But that does not mean that Unless is then a great book and The Best Laid Plans and The Bone Cage are lesser books. What good is excellent and beautiful writing if your point gets lost and people can't understand you? While The Best Laid Plans and The Bone Cage don't have the melodic poetry of Shields' work, they get their point across and are easily accessible and readable. Fancy writing does not a great book make! It seems almost snobby: we'll pick this book that has great writing because it must be good, even though we can't understand what's being said.

Anyway, Velshi very nicely responded to Travis by saying that the book isn't about politics but related it to the other books in saying that The Best Laid Plans is about aspiration, change, and loss.

Round 2: Which book best speaks to Canadian society today?
We began with Cardinal, who wasn't sure which book best spoke to current Canadian society. He found that the books were very specific to certain niches of the population. Ghomeshi pointed out that the books all seem very white and Cardinal agreed. But he appreciated Shields' voice for women - a voice that is often invisible. And that may be true, but a book about women/women's voices, does not make that a niche book. Women are not a minority or a niche.

Quin felt that the books were not very diverse (which is interesting, because the panel is quite diverse.). But she felt that The Best Laid Plans was probably the most modern of the books - it was universal and well-paced. Laraque again said that his book was not only about sport and reiterated that Unless was hard to read. While the protagonists of The Bone Cage may be athletes, I also feel that the book appeals to more than athletes. I think it helps the non-athlete understand what an athlete feels like.

Velshi felt that there was a universal appeal to The Best Laid Plans and that it represented a call to action. And, sadly, the debated ended with no time for Travis to harangue the other panelists about their books.

Before voting, Ghomeshi pointed out that the on-line poll wanted The Bone Cage eliminated next, but it was a very close result with Unless. Travis was quick to jump in with her reaction and an answer for the last debate round. She thinks that although The Birth House is historical, it's about many things that are going on today: community, war, and changing roles. It is very relevant to today and is a book for men and women. Yes, there are men in the book, but they are all sort of incidental to the plot. And midwifery and its supporters are portrayed as protecting feminine intelligence and knowledge against the evil male doctors and their modern medicine. So I'm not sure that I believe her claims that this book is for men and women.

Cardinal doesn't trust polls and he can't apologize for excellent writing and a thoughtful novel. Well said. Laraque said he was just trying to inspire people to read.

Vote
Now, the vote. All the panelists still have a vote, even if their book was eliminated. The voting went as follows:

Debbie Travis: The Bone Cage
Georges Laraque: Unless
Lorne Cardinal: The Bone Cage
Ali Velshi: Unless
Sara Quin: The Bone Cage

And with that, The Bone Cage, my pick for Canada Reads 2011 was eliminated. Laraque was saddened and shocked. I think he was really interested in the book and he seemed to be very passionate about getting Canadians to read. He picked a book that he thought would make a difference - one that would help parents relate to their kids who are in high-level sports and would help us as a country understand our Olympians.

Why did they vote it off? Cardinal said it was for the writing - structurally he found Unless better. Travis agreed that Unless was brilliant, but thought that The Bone Cage should be read in schools, but that the writing wasn't as good. It wasn't a book that she would read again, unlike The Birth House. Quin thought it was the weakest of the books.

Is the test then that one could read the book again? I wouldn't read Unless or The Birth House again. I might read The Best Laid Plans and The Bone Cage again because the stories were good and they were eminently readable. Unless was too introspective to really enjoy. Yes, there's nothing wrong with reading a book that makes you think, but I don't want to do that all the time. (And, The Bone Cage did make me think.) And I just didn't like the underlying propaganda of The Birth House.

There's something maybe that smacks to me of elitism. The Bone Cage was easily readable. Does that mean that it's not worthy of being essential? Because it can be so easily read and understood by the average reader? It is a lot more accessible than Unless, that is for sure. Is Unless automatically better because the level of its writing is higher, even though the story may not be as good? Do we care about story/plot or writing? Unless is the best written of the books; there is no question. But does it have the best plot? No. The Best Laid Plans and The Bone Cage have the best plot.

I'm interested to see what the panelists do tomorrow and if strategic voting comes into play. Neither The Best Laid Plans or The Birth House have had any votes against them yet. Unless seems to be polarizing so the panelists may want to take it out. But should one of the books with no votes go first, leaving Unless and its polarizing nature up against a popular book? Tomorrow will be interesting - it begins with a vote!

Laraque ended the morning by publicly pledging his support for The Best Laid Plans, and so do I! That is my new pick for Canada Reads 2011. Join me tomorrow when we'll see if my pick holds up this time, and what the panelists do with the remaining 3 contenders!

Canada Reads: The Debates - Day One

It has arrived - Canada Reads 2011! The debates and voting started today and I (and several pages of notes) am ready to give you the update. If you have not yet listened to the Canada Reads show and debate and still want to - do not read any further! I will be discussing the show in depth as well as revealing which book was voted off. If you are ready to read my discussion - continue. The radio show will be replayed at 8pm tonight on CBC Radio One and you can listen to it on the Canada Reads website at the CBC homepage. I ended up having to listen to the end of the show on-line, which was helpful so I could pause the feed and make some notes. (3 pages of notes!)

The program opened with our genial host, Jian Ghomeshi, introducing the books and panelists. They are the following (in alphabetical order):

The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis; supporter Ali Velshi
The Birth House by Ami McKay; supporter Debbie Travis
The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou; supporter Georges Laraque
Essex County by Jeff Lemire; supporter Sara Quin
Unless by Carol Shields; supporter Lorne Cardinal

The format of Canada Reads has changed slightly from previous years: instead of five thirty-minute shows, we have three hour-long shows. I think this format is better as it allows the panelists to really get into debates about the books. Today each panelist made a one-minute pitch for their book, and then two debates about the books were held. Finally, the show ended with the panelists voting off a book. On Tuesday, it will be a similar format with one more book being voted off. Wednesday is the final day - the panelists will begin by voting off a third book, then spend the rest of the hour debating the final two books. A final vote will be held and the Canada Reads champion crowned.

The Pitch: my summary and notes of each panelist's pitch and my thoughts on their strategy and arguments.

The Best Laid Plans - Ali Velshi
Velshi argues that this book is the most essential for Canadians to read as it is a call to action and will spur apathetic voters to voting. He is clearly going for the humour position here with his book and his arguments. We'll see how playing the humour card works for him.

The Birth House - Debbie Travis
Travis argues that this book is relevant for today because society is in a similar place where we are changing from old, established patterns to new unknowns. What old knowledge should we retain and what old knowledge should be left behind? It is about women finding their voice, but it is not just a women's book - it's also about men too and World War One. Travis is very eloquent and well-spoken, but I think she's maybe reading too much into the book. I didn't really feel that the book was about men and their issues: the heroine's brothers go off to World War One, but don't actually make it overseas. The war is just a minor plot thread in the novel, so I think she's overemphasizing that aspect to entice the male voters when I think the book is mainly oriented to women.

The Bone Cage - Georges Laraque
I was quite impressed with Laraque: his passion and excitement for the book clearly come through. The more I learn about him, the more I'm finding he's a very interesting and unique individual. He argued that his book was the most essential Canadian read because it would appeal to everyone: men, women, teenagers - all Canadians. We all identify with Olympians and their struggle and effort. The book is relatable and inspiring: while not everyone is an Olympic athlete, nearly everyone has had to battle and fight to overcome obstacles. He saw himself in the book and enjoyed it very much.

Essex County - Sara Quin
Quin argued that the book emphasized the connections between the characters and that it was poignant and cinematic. The illustrations help draw the readers into the world of the book. A graphic novel is a new way of viewing old characters - it is a contemporary view for today. Quin was very well spoken and was even poetical about her book in some places. You could really sense her deep commitment to what may be one of the most difficult books to argue for this year.

Unless - Lorne Cardinal
It is a little difficult to reconcile the intelligent actor Lorne Cardinal with his character on Corner Gas: the lovable but dimwitted Davis. For the first little while, all I heard was Davis! Cardinal began his argument with the fact that Shields won a Pulitzer Prize with Unless. I'm not sure that's the right way to go - it's already been recognized and people know about it and have read it. Let's pick another book that hasn't been recognized that people should be reading but aren't. Cardinal pointed out that loss is a universal emotion and cited the Shields' well-crafted writing as another reason that his book should win.

The Debates
Here, I will try to give a brief summary of the debates and a general discussion of what the panelists thought, along with my views and arguments on the books.

Round One: Which book is the most accessible?
Debbie Travis argued that her book is the most accessible because everyone has been born. That argument drives me nuts! It is a facile argument. It's a cop-out. By that logic, then, every book should be accessible because every book is about people and we're all people! However, she doesn't really like any of the other panelist's books. All the other panelists were quick to praise the other books too, even as they argued against them. (Canadians - we're just so polite!)

The panelists seemed to agree that the goal of Canada Reads is to inspire people to read that would not have otherwise read. Laraque thinks that his book would do a good job of that, as does Velshi. Quin argued that it is important to get young people to read and that her book would do a good job of that. However, the other panelists vehemently disagreed - Travis especially. Travis argued that because the book was only pictures it was too short, she read it too quickly and that it represents a dumbing down of culture - like Twitter. Twitter doesn't inspire people to read and write because it's only 140 characters. Cardinal thought that Essex County could operate as a "gateway to reading", but that Unless was better because it would make people think deep thoughts.

Here's my question: is the Canada Reads contest designed to get people to read that don't otherwise read? Or is it for the readers in the country who are looking for new books to read? Those people aren't necessarily the same audience. I don't think a book like Unless is very accessible to Canadians who aren't regular readers. Whereas something like Essex County, because it's different, could interest more people in reading. The panelists comment later on falling literacy levels, and I don't think the way to raise them is by throwing heavy books like Unless and The Birth House at people. A novel like Essex County, where there is both text and pictures, could help people who struggle with reading. It could be a "gateway book" as Cardinal pointed out - a place for people to start and then to try more complex books like The Bone Cage and The Best Laid Plans.

Round Two: Aside from the characters in your own book, which character resonated the most deeply with you?

Velshi liked Dora from The Birth House - he found her struggle to be universal. She is caught between the old and the new and is an "everyman" of today. But really though, aren't we always caught between the old and the new? The pace of change is more rapid today that it has ever been, but every generation is caught between the old traditions and the new knowledge. Not really a criticism, just a comment.

Cardinal really liked the hockey player characters from Essex County. He really connected with one of the characters: he only played one game in the NHL before his career ended, but his spirit was alive.

Laraque said the hockey players resonated (when prompted by Ghomeshi - who needed to just let the panelists answer the original question and not answer additional questions in this debate) but that his favourite character was Angus from The Best Laid Plans. Laraque saw a lot of himself in the rogue Scot and thought their personalities were similar. (Fun fact: Laraque is now the deputy leader of Canada's Green Party!)

Quin loved Reta Winters of Unless. She liked the character's writing, her feminism, and her connection with children. Overall Quin loved Unless and thought it was beautifully written. Which it was, but a little too introspective for me.

Travis disliked Unless and found the book predictable. She was surprised to find that the character she connected with the most was Digger from The Bone Cage. She connected with his journey and his struggle to be the best and what happens when failure strikes.

The Vote
The hour ended with all of the panelists voting. Each panelist voted and then each panelist had to reveal their vote. Any book which received 3 or more votes would be out. The results?

Georges Laraque: Essex County
Sara Quin: The Bone Cage
Debbie Travis: Essex County
Lorne Cardinal: Essex County
Ali Velshi: Essex County

And with that, Essex County is the first book voted out of Canada Reads. The reasons given by all the panelists are that the book is not essential, it's in a short story format, the book won't make people read more, and there were not enough words. Debbie Travis again pointed out that the book was too short and she read it in an hour and a half. Sara Quin argued that the graphic novel was more of an American trend which maybe hasn't appeared as much in Canada, she still wants people to read the book, and that her book is a novel; it just needs to be interpreted differently because it has graphic panels instead of words.

I agree with Sara here. Yes, you could probably just flip through the novel quickly reading only the words, but that would be giving Essex County short shrift. The pictures are just as important as the text - the author is giving you the pictures for a reason and you have to look at the pictures and take them into account along with the text. I think maybe Debbie Travis didn't really understand that the pictures are just as important as the words. Which is similar to a novel: what are the characters not saying? What is the subtext here? All that is in a graphic novel too - it just may be in picture format.

I am sad that Essex County was voted off, but I am still determined to read it. If anything, this has made me want to read the book even more. I hope it comes in from the library soon! So far I'm really enjoying Canada Reads and the panelists - there are lots of interesting opinions here. I'm very curious to find out what happens tomorrow.

Join me tomorrow when I recap the second episode of Canada Reads and we learn which book is the second to go.

Canada Reads 4

This is the winner right here. The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou deserves to be the winner of Canada Reads. It is my favourite book so far. (Yes, I haven't read Essex County and by the looks of things, I'm not going to get to it before the show starts, either.)

The Bone Cage is a novel about Olympic-level athletes: a swimmer named Sadie and a wrestler named Digger. Both are elite athletes in their sport, and both have been pursuing every athlete's dream: gold medal at the Olympic games. But what is the cost of that dream? What is the toll it takes on the athletes; both mentally and physically, and their families? What happens if you don't achieve that dream? The book looks at these questions as it examines the lives of Sadie and Digger in the run-up to the Sydney Olympics in 2004.

This is a terrific book. The story was compelling and propulsive. You care for Sadie and Digger, as people and as athletes, and you want to know what happens to them. At one point during my read of the book, I actually yelled out "Oh no!" and pushed the book away for a minute. I haven't had that reaction from any of the other Canada Reads books I've read. It is a quick read, but that is because you want to find out what happens to Digger and Sadie. Is all the training worth it? What happens after the Olympics?

I am not an athlete, but I found this glimpse inside their world to be fascinating. Just reading the descriptions of the swimming workouts made my muscles ache. And the smell! So many authors focus on visual description, forgetting the sense of smell. Abdou does not - athletes are sweaty, sweaty people who work hard and that clearly comes across in the novel. I also enjoyed that the book was set in Calgary - that is a city I know well and it was described beautifully. The training required of an athlete takes so much - is it worth it? Sadie and Digger are at the end of their athletic careers: how will they be able to fit back into normal life? They have given up so much to be able to pursue their sport and the book makes it clear.

Why should this book be the Canada Reads choice over any of the other books that I've read (and, potentially, the one I haven't read.)? Is the story of an athlete any more universal to Canadians than that of a woman writer (Unless), a political speechwriter/campaign manager (The Best Laid Plans) or an early 20th century midwife (The Birth House)? While not every Canadian is an athlete, many Canadians watch athletes compete in sports every day - witness the vast popularity of hockey in this country. Further, the extremely successful Vancouver 2010 Olympics happened only a year ago.; Olympic athletes are still fresh in our collective consciousness. The Bone Cage can help us with a better understanding of the sacrifice and hard work the athletes put in to get to the Olympics - as well as helping us what it might feel like for them now that the Olympics are over.

I am very interested to hear what the panel has to say about The Bone Cage. It is being supported by a former professional athlete, Georges Laraque (NHL player for at least the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens). I am not an athlete (at any level, never mind the elite one!) and I'm curious to hear if he finds this book true to life.

At this point, I've read four out of five of the Canada Reads Books and the likelihood of me reading the fifth book is small, to say the least. Based on the four I've read, The Bone Cage is my favourite and my pick to win. The Birth House was my least favourite. Unless falls third, and The Best Laid Plans takes the silver. If I get a chance to read Essex County before Monday, I will post about it. But until then, I will post Monday afternoon or evening following the first day's debates. The first episode of Canada Reads can be heard on CBC Radio One, on Monday, February 7th at 11pm and later than evening at 8pm (Mountain time). You can also watch them live-streamed on the Internet during the broadcast, and I would imagine there's some way of listening to the show after it's aired as well. I'll see you Monday with our first debate discussions!

Canada Reads 3

It is a good thing I read quickly - I have 2 more books to go and only a few more days until the Canada Reads debates begin! Yesterday I picked up The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou at the library and I'm hoping against hope that the last novel comes in on time. I'm first in line for Essex County by Jeff Lemire so there's still time.

Yesterday I read The Birth House by Ami McKay. (Yes, all in one day. I do read quickly!) And while I did enjoy the book somewhat (it does have an energetic storyline that propels the reader along) it's my least favourite of the books so far.

The Birth House is about Dora Rare, the only girl born in 5 generations of Rares (although that fact is mentioned a number of times in the book, it's not clear to me why that's so important.) who is growing up and coming of age during the First World War. She "apprentices" (to use the term loosely) to the local midwife, Miss Babineau and eventually becomes the midwife for her rural Nova Scotian community. However, she is in conflict with the evil Dr. Thomas and his maternity hospital and his promise of pain-free births with the use of drugs. Eventually Dora must leave the community and go to Boston for a vacation until her good name can be restored.

My problem with the book is that I thought it was biased. It has an agenda - the promotion of midwife assisted births at home, and it is engaged in promoting that agenda. In one respect I do agree with the women of the book - a woman should be able to choose (as much as is medically possible) how she'd like to have her baby. But this book seems to say that the choice should be a home birth with a midwife. A hospital birth with a doctor and drugs is not presented as a feasible option. The doctor and hospital are presented as evil right from the beginning. The one woman who does have a hospital birth seems to be suffering some sort of post-partum depression while the home-birth mothers are happy and cheerful.

That isn't to say that every home birth is perfect: in one case, the baby is lost. In another, the mother is lost. The book is set in 1916-1918, so it is unlikely that even if the births had taken place in a hospital that the baby and mother would have been saved given the medical technology of the time. So, there is a small attempt at balance between the two sides.

My other issue with the book - somewhat related to the above issues of balance and the book's agenda, is that I didn't feel that the story was created organically. Basically, the author wanted to write a book about women's reproductive issues in the early 20th century. That's fine. But then that's all the book was about - you didn't really worry too much about Dora or the other characters as the book was so focused on birth issues and good midwives vs. evil doctors. The story didn't develop organically: it was structured to hit the high points of the events of that time - the war, the Halifax explosion. Oh, now let's send the character to Boston (where fortunately her brother has somehow found a rich paramour) just in time for the molasses explosion. (No, I am not making that up - go read about it on wikipedia!) Now it's time for the flu epidemic. It didn't feel like the characters developed along with the story.

The book presented the doctor and the hospital and the use of painkillers in labour as terrible things. Yet I'm not sure the book did a service to midwives either: Miss Babineau is kind of spacey (she's also seen as the local witch) and seems to use as much mystical/folkloric remedies as she does practical applications. Further, once Dora becomes the local midwife it is unclear exactly how much training that she actually has. Yes, in some cases home remedies have been proven to work; in other cases an old wives' tale is just that - a practice that has no scientific basis and in some cases can prove harmful to the patient. I think many midwives already feel marginalized by doctors and the medical profession: this book will not help with that.

So, as you can tell, I didn't really enjoy this book. Maybe I'm just not interested in stories about birth. I think I would have liked it more if there had been more of an effort made to balance the issues: not just an evil doctor with his terrible modern science taking away women's choices versus the innocent, mystical midwife, holder of all sacred women's knowledge. The doctor was a one-dimensional, one-note character. If there had been more balance and the book wasn't so focused pushing its home birth agenda, it would have been more interesting. Alternatively, the author could have written a non-fiction book on birth practices in rural Nova Scotia in the early 1900's and the conflicts (or not) between doctors and midwives: that would have worked better as well. But as it stands now, this is probably my least favourite of the Canada Reads books so far. I will be very interested to hear what the panel has to say about it.

One thing I will say about the Canada Reads books is that they are entertainingly diverse. So far, I've read about a middle-aged woman writer with a missing daughter in Ontario, a political junkie professor in Ottawa, and a turn of the century midwife in rural Nova Scotia. Next book: The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou, in which I'll read about the lives of Olympic-level athletes.

Canada Reads 2

I'm in a bit of a panic because Canada Reads starts next week, and I've only read two books! I have one more at home to read (The Birth House) and two more on hold at the library. I just checked and I'm second in line on both those holds. There's still time for me to read all of the books before Canada Reads starts!

This Canada Reads selection was a welcome change from the last selection. It's not that I didn't like Unless by Carol Shields; I just found it rather dark. The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis was the opposite of dark! Before I start my discussion of The Best Laid Plans, I just want to point out that so many times books that are seen as important and award-winning are often books that deal with more serious issues. Like many Oscar-winning movies, fiction that deals with dark and tragic themes is sometimes seen as more worthy than that dealing with lighter fare. I, for one, enjoy reading books about the lighter side of life.

On to the book. The Best Laid Plans is about a young man, Daniel, who has been working as a speech writer for the Liberals. One day, fed up with politics and the actions of his girlfriend, he gives up his political career and moves outside Ottawa to take a teaching job. However, he agrees to do one last favour for the Libs - find a candidate to run in the riding of Cumberland-Prescott. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. The usual Liberal candidate is retiring at the age of 81. She has run in the last five elections and never won as the the seat is held tightly by one Eric Cameron, finance minister to the Conservatives. (Think Peter McKay - sort of.) (And as for the seat - think of any almost any seat in Alberta - provincially or federally usually Tory blue.)

Daniel is at a loss. Who will he find to run? The Liberals just need a candidate to put on the ballot - there's no hope of the candidate actually winning. (Again, think of any Tory seat in Alberta!) So Daniel browbeats his new landlord, Angus McLintock, into running. Angus is an eccentric Scottish engineer with a passion for chess, a partly-built hovercraft in the boathouse, an excellent grasp of English grammar, and an innate sense of honour and duty. Angus will do no campaigning and have no signs or interviews. In return, Daniel will teach his English for Engineers university class. It's a done deal.

What is not a done deal, however, is the surprise from Eric Cameron's house early one morning a few days before the election. (This is where I am sure that the character of Eric Cameron deviates from Peter McKay.) Not to be trite, but as to avoid giving away the ending, Daniel and Angus end up with a lot more than either of them bargained for.

For a political junkie like myself, this was a great book. Other than Eric Cameron, the other major political figures are not named, but given titles like the Leader (Liberal) and the Prime Minister. It is fun to read the descriptions and imagine whom Fallis is placing in these roles. (Leader - Stephane Dion?) (Prime Minister - Stephen Harper?) The character of Angus is noble, forthright, and honest. His simple approach to solving political problems gives my cynical side pause. No, that's not the way it's done in politics my cynical self cries. But why not?

I didn't find the book quite as funny as I thought I might. I usually like political humour, and while some parts of the book were quite entertaining, I'm not sure that any of it was actually laugh-out-loud humorous. (For a quite funny bit using House of Commons debate terms as sexual euphemisms see page xiv of the Prologue. You'll never watch CPAC the same way again!) I wonder if part of the problem was that some of the humour was lost on the page - either the jokes were too visual to work as written, or the joke falls flat without hearing read out loud. (See below - book first came out as a podcast.) Plus, I dislike bathroom humour and there was enough of it in this book.

That said, the characters are warm and funny and it is an interesting and in-depth look into political culture, University teaching, campaigning, and the life of an MP. Political junkies should read it, as they will enjoy it. Non-political junkies should read it, as they will enjoy it and learn something about the political process along the way. Perhaps this book should be read in Social Studies when students are being taught about the political system? It's nice to be entertained by learning.

The story behind the book is just as good. Fallis wrote the book himself and then tried to get it published. No one would bite, so he released each chapter as a podcast. Finding he had followers, he self-published the book. More people liked it and the book won the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour. A heart-warming David over Goliath story.

Where does this stack up compared to the one other Canada Reads book I've read: Unless by Carol Shields? I enjoyed this one more than Unless, and, surprisingly, it did sort of touch on some issues of feminism, given that Angus' wife was a great feminist author. Right now, I will have to give my vote to The Best Laid Plans over Unless for both entertainment and interest. Next read is The Birth House and maybe the other two books if I get them in time. At any rate, tune in to CBC Radio One on Monday at 11 a.m. for the first debates and check with the blog that evening for my feedback.

First Canada Reads Book

I am happy to report that I've finished the first of the Canada Reads books. The lucky contender for first: Unless by Carol Shields. Coming up next are The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis, and The Birth House by Ami McKay. But for now, on to Unless.

Unless is about a woman, Reta Winters, who is an author, translator, and mother of three girls who lives in a lovely town in Ontario near Toronto. Her life seems to be perfect: her partner is a doctor, she is a best-selling author and translator, and her girls are happy and healthy. That is, until one spring day when her eldest daughter Norah disappears and ends up on a Toronto street corner holding a sign that reads "Goodness". Why is Norah on the street corner? Why won't she talk to her family or come home? These are the central questions that drive this novel.
However, the novel is more than this story: it is about feminism and a woman's place in the world. What was the role of a woman in the 40's, the 60's, and today? How are women's voices being heard? What about women writers? While the book is not preachy about the subject, feminism inhabits the book and its central character, Reta.

Reta is a writer. She lives in a beautiful house in a beautiful part of Canada. She is thoughtful, and intellectual. She thinks about Norah and tries to figure out Norah's motivations. She is concerned about women's voices and women writers and the marginalization of women. Why are there so many lists of greatest thinkers and authors which do not contain any women? Women are half the general population - why are they being marginalized? Reta seems like she has always been a feminist. And the book explores her ideas about feminism through her roles as mother, daughter, translator, friend, partner, and writer. The feminism thread really comes to its head with the arrival of a new editor and his ideas to change her book to make it more about the male character as opposed to the female character. While with another writer the symbolism could be obvious, it is nicely handled by Shields. The idea of feminism is nicely handled by Shields as a whole. It forms an interesting B Plot to the A Plot of Norah's mysterious change - and ties together the narrative of Reta's life.

One nagging question: Reta is not married to her partner, Tom. However, Reta's "maiden" name was Summers. Tom's last name is Winters. Reta thought is would be ridiculous to have the Summers-Winters household, so she changed her name to Winters. Which is fine - you can do whatever you want with your own name. But then why the big insistence on not getting married? Is marriage anti-feminist? This is, admittedly, not a big part of the book. But it just bugged me that she would change her name but be so adamant about not getting married.

The book is dreamy and reflective. As I came closer and closer towards the end, I began to wonder if we would end up with the happy ending - would Norah come home? I won't spoil the ending for you here, but I thought the author made an interesting choice to end the book as she did. The book is not a page-turner - you will not be glued to every page wondering how it's going to end. But it's okay - this isn't that kind of book. It is a book for careful, calm, quiet and reflective reading. Shields is a beautiful writer and has a gift for description; for setting scenes, creating characters, and describing memories with only a few choice phrases.

I don't think this is a book I would buy if only because I'm not sure I would read it again. I tend to buy books that are light and enjoyable and rereadable because of story: this book is more quiet and thoughtful - less about story and more about ideas. I am interested to see what the panel has to say about the book when Canada Reads plays on CBC Radio in early February. (Early February! I hope I have time to read all the books!) Let me know what you think of the book in the comments. What other Canada Reads books have you read? Which is your favourite to win? Next up: The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis. I'm really looking forward to this one: it won the Stephen Leacock Medal for humour, so it should be a funny read.

Canada Reads Challenge

Today was a very exciting day in the world of books. It's the day when the five finalists for Canada Reads were chosen!

Okay, so if you don't watch/listen to/surf CBC, you have no idea what I'm talking about. Basically, the point is this: 5 great Canadian novels are picked. Each novel is supposed to represent a work that it is important for Canadians to read. The authors must be Canadian, but I don't believe that the setting of the book needs to be Canadian, although I am not sure on that point. Each book is championed by a Canadian celebrity. Then for one suspenseful week in February, the books are discussed on the radio (at 11:30 am here in Alberta) (hosted by Jian Ghomeshi) and a book is voted off every day. The last book standing at the end of the week is the winner!

So why am I telling you this, you ask? Well, this year I am getting involved. Instead of merely listening to the show and hearing the celebrities discuss the books, I am actually going to read the books myself so I am completely informed by the time the contest starts! (That's why the books are announced now - the point is to read them all before the climatic showdown.)

Here are the books and their celebrity supporters, in the order as seen on the CBC website (http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2010/11/24/canada-reads-panel.html):

Essex County by Jeff Lemire (advocate: Sara Quin [the Sara part of the band Tegan & Sara])

Unless by Carol Shields (advocate: Lorne Cardinal [Davis from Dog River])

The Bone Cage by Anie Abdou (advocate: Georges Laraque [Hockey player, Battle of the Blades participant])

The Birth House by Ami McKay (advocate: Debbie Travis [lifestyle guru])

The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis (advocate: Ali Velshi [CNN Journalist])

This is a varied collection of books - from graphic novels (Essex County) to one of Canada's greatest novelists, Carol Shields. (And no, I've never actually read a Carol Shields book.) I'm very interested to see how the graphic novel will work out - I've never read one and I'm interested to see how I like the format. Of the other 4 books, the two I'm most interested in are The Bone Cage (about amateur athletics) and The Best Laid Plans (about a political strategist backing an honest man for MP). The Birth House and Unless seem to be more serious novels about drama in the family life; like maybe something Oprah would choose for her Book List. This doesn't mean they can't be good, even excellent, novels, but that's not really my style. I'll be interested to see how I like them.

Now it's off to the library website to join the sure-to-be-increasingly long hold lines as news of the picks spread and everyone wants to read the books before February. I'll post my reviews of the books up here as I finish them, and then will come back in February to listen to the panel discussions and post my responses and reactions to the discussions and the final pick. Read along with me and leave your thoughts in the comments. Or live vicariously through me, but still leave your comments anyway. Happy Reading Canada!