CanadianContent discussion

The Short List is out:

https://www.cbc.ca/books/meet-the-can...

CBC’s great Canadian book debate, CANADA READS, returns for its 24th edition, Monday, March 17 through Thursday, March 20.

Ali Hassan will host a panel of celebrity advocates championing Canadian books that speak to this year’s theme, “One Book to Change the Narrative.” Each day of the competition, one book will be eliminated by the panellists until a winner is declared Canada's must-read book in 2025.

The CANADA READS 2025 debates will broadcast each day at 10 a.m. (11 AT, 1:30 NT) on CBC Radio, with a live audio stream and podcast recap on CBC Listen. Watch live at 10 a.m. ET/ 7 a.m. PT on CBC Gem, CBCbooks.ca and YouTube, or at 1 p.m. (2 AT, 2:30 NT) on CBC TV.

The five books to be debated and their champions for CANADA READS 2025 are:

Watch Out for Her (Simon & Shuster) by Samantha M. Bailey, to be championed by Olympic gold medallist, Maggie Mac Neil.

A Two-Spirit Journey (University of Manitoba Press) by Ma-Nee Chacaby, with Mary Louisa Plummer, to be championed by podcaster and wellness advocate, Shayla Stonechild.

Etta and Otto and Russell and James (Penguin Canada) by Emma Hooper, to be championed by actor, filmmaker and star of CBC’s hit series Heartland, Michelle Morgan.

Jennie’s Boy (Knopf Canada) by Wayne Johnston, to be championed by bestselling thriller writer, Linwood Barclay.

Dandelion (Arsenal Pulp Press) by Jamie Chai Yun Liew, to be championed by pastry chef and neuroscientist, Saïd M’Dahoma.

I owned Dandelion and apparently Etta and Otto :-) I just bought Jennie's Boy and have placed a hold on the other 2 books.

I have read Two Spirit previously - it was okay

Did anyone want to meet up for lunch after the finale?

I read Jennie’s Boy a couple of years ago. It was on my radar as Wayne Johnston is a Newfoundland author and the book won the Leacock Medal for humour. I thought it was okay but didn’t really find it that funny. Johnston is about the same age as my parents so I was mostly interested in what it was like growing up in the sixties in rural Newfoundland.

I own a copy of Etta and Otto and Russell and James but I haven’t read it yet. I bought it after reading one of Hooper’s other books and loving it.

Started with Watch Out For Her, as it was one of the first ones available from my library. Not a great start, unfortunately. I found it overwrought and the final reveal made me roll my eyes pretty hard. '

I don't have a problem with including more "populist" genres, like romances or thrillers in Canada Reads. I just wish they'd chosen a better example.

Rainey wrote: "The Short List is out:

https://www.cbc.ca/books/meet-the-can...

CBC’s great Canadian book debate, CANADA READS, returns for its 24th edition, Monday, March 17 through Thursday, March 20.

Ali Has..."

So not in-person event?

The list is rather underwhelming for me.

I have only read A Two-Spirit Journey in past, I recall it being interesting and I learned from it.

I listened to an audio version of Dandelion in past but did not get into it-

I like Wayne Johnston's books, not sure I am interested in his memoir...

Watch Out For her doesn't seem a fit anywhere? And I have never attempted Etta and Otto and Russell and James.

I don't think I will be getting into it this year.... bummer.

I finished Dandelion the other day and enjoyed it. I think it will be good for debate/discussion. It touches on issues of immigration, ethnic/cultural identity, belonging, and family.

I’m going to prioritize the other fiction titles. I loved Emma and Otto but need to reread it because my memory of it is far from fresh.

Susan, I enjoyed reading Dandelion, too, and agree it should be good for discussion and debate. I finished reading Watch Out For Her, and have the others on hold at the library.

✿✿✿May wrote: "Rainey wrote: "The Short List is out:

https://www.cbc.ca/books/meet-the-can...

CBC’s great Canadian book debate, CANADA READS, returns for its 24th edition, Monday, March 17 through Thursday, Mar..."

nope - if anyone wants to do lunch the day of the finale - I'm down :-)

Hi all - I will add some threads for each book for discussion.

@Rainey - would love to see you but prefer a weekend meet up if that at all works... would be happy to invite you for a home cooked meal too!!

Who's in person book clubs are doing Canada Reads?

❀ Susan wrote: "Hi all - I will add some threads for each book for discussion.

@Rainey - would love to see you but prefer a weekend meet up if that at all works... would be happy to invite you for a home cooked m..."

Thanks Susan,

I get in Sunday night - and already have dinner plans - I then depart on Friday.

@Rainey - that sounds like a quick trip!!

I just finished the last of the books tonight and my order is:

Dandelion - loved this one and am not sure why I had not read it before.

Two-Spirited Journey - struggled with the writing but understand it was the way it was told to the author. it is a story of generational trauma that needs to be understood and I admire her perseverance, resilience and the way she helps others.

Etta and Otto - looking forward to talking about this one...

What Out for Her - was ok but this is not my favourite genre.

Jennie's Boy - I really did not enjoy this one... it was hard to finish and so desolate. I kept wishing that Wayne would be taken into care.

It will be interesting to see how the debates go... so hard to criticize someone's lived experience in a memoir. Hard to debate fiction vs. non also. thoughts?

I've just started Dandelion, and I'm really enjoying it so far. I'm hoping to finish it before the debates and maybe have the debates on in the background while I finish up some projects at work.

My rankings are:

Dandelion
Etta and Otto
A Two-Spirit Journey
Watch Out for her
Jennie's Boy

I am looking forward to the debates, usually my favourite (which is likely the most competitive of the books) gets voted off and the best book (imo) does not always win but I still love the week!

I wasn’t going to follow the debates-I’m tired of the format -24 years!- and none of the books interested me,but as the day came closer I felt it is important to watch the show this time more than ever before,particularly since someone hoping to be the next prime minister of our country says he wants to defund the CBC!
So I started watching the first debate last night and I thought even Ali Hassan looked tired. I had to turn it off after ten minutes but I guess I will return because I do think these things are important right now-but watching it is a slog.

I feel similarly, Alan.

I realized it was starting yesterday, and just wasn't that excited - I did consider whether I should just give it a miss this year.

But I did watch, and made it through, despite not being that entertained. I didn't like it in the past when things got too contentious, but now it just feels completely toothless. Everyone agrees with everyone, and even critique for the books is phrased in the most unforceful way.

I think it will get more interesting today because I don't know where it will go from here - yesterday's boot was pretty evidently going to happen, so maybe people felt like they didn't really have to make strong arguments. But I have a busy week, so I won't be watching them day-of. We'll see if I end up going back to see the arguments, or if I just end up leaving it - especially if I get spoiled on the outcome.

I am still a Canada Reads book nerd and love it!! this is the first year that my two least favourites have already been voted off!!

Although it is not spicy discussions, it is polite and kind... refreshing after what is going on in the world right now and setting a positive tone. I am really missing being able to head to Toronto to see the final debate and see my CanadianContent friends!!!!

thoughts after today?? I haven't been able to watch live this time around... and am missing the chatter!!!

Unfortunately, I haven't yet watched any since Day 1 - but, just got spoiled on the outcome by a CBC headline. Which is fair enough, I guess, but now I'm less incentivized to watch.

lol Joanna - on the last day, my husband started to ask me about the winner and I had to shut him down until I had time to watch it.

Susan, I hope you were able to make it through totally unspoiled - did you predict how it would go?

I did end up throwing the rest of the eps on and I think they were much better than the first, with more substantive discussion.

I wonder if I was actually helped by being spoiled because the winner would not have been my choice, so at least I was resigned to it before seeing the votes. Although they were some close votes on days 3 and 4, might have been dramatic to see them without knowing!

The discussions also did make me more accepting of the choice. I tend to think that one of the criteria for the winner should be artistic merit. I was fully on board with the critiques that said the winner wasn't that literary, but maybe more of an academic text or 'document'. But I thought it's defender answered those concerns well, and it's not part of the theme, just changing the narrative, which the book did very well.

That said, I would be interested in a somewhat different theme this year. Last few years have been one book to "change the narrative", "move us forward", "shift your perspective" "connect us". I feel like all those get at the same thing really. It would be fun to try and take a different angle.

Joanna - I made it to the end without having the results seen or heard. Although Dandelion would have been my first choice, I do think that the learn was important in the 2 Spirit book.

Like all years, I always keep in mind that the best book doesn’t always win but love that Canada reads inspires more reading and book discussion so this helps.

My hope is that they return to an in person studio audience next year!!