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| Set and costumes from Jerome: A Historical Spectacle |
When I first began following Canada Reads it didn't even occur to me to read the books. I was following it because I had spent some time with author
Ami McKay and her family at
Ross Creek Centre for the Arts in the summer of 2008. I was the Assistant Director for their summer camp programs and
Two Planks and a Passion Theatre were performing Ami's
Jerome: A Historical Spectacle which was done with a kind of dynamic sideshow charm.
I read
The Birth House that summer and enjoyed it immensely. It was the kind of book that acts as a doorway into another existence. When I picked it up I became an observer of another life that took place all around me. My memories of the book are as tangible as things that have actually happened to me. It gently took hold of me, even to the extent that I started collecting jars full of herbs and reading up on their uses. The magic of Ami's words are something I rarely experience as an adult reader and I was thrilled to see
The Birth House in the final two selections for Canada Reads 2011.
Quickly realizing that the Canada Reads program was intended to act as an incentive for Canadians to actually read, I went about placing holds on a few of the books at the
Stratford Public Library. While I was waiting for my holds to come in I headed over to the website of
Terry Fallis, author of
The Best Laid Plans. Having had difficulty getting this gem published Terry recorded it and released it as a
free podcast. It started gaining momentum and wouldn't you know, it is now the winner of both the Steven Leacock Award for Humor and Canada Reads 2011.
The book was fresh, well-crafted, and very amusing. Terry has excellent elocution and it was great to hear the novel told in the author's own voice. His anecdotes rolled gently along, building, like a wave approaching the shore until they broke leaving me in fits of laughter. While it may be the only political satire I ever read, it was a wonderful story that I won't soon forget.
The next time I was in the library there was a hold waiting for me. My excitement bubbled up and I tried to contain myself. The librarian disappeared and when she returned she was carrying a book as thick as an encyclopedia. Only slightly daunted I took hold of it, finding it lighter than expected, and carried it home in my arms. It was
Essex County by
Jeff Lemire.
The book is a graphic novel trilogy depicting the lives and histories of interconnected families growing up in Essex County Ontario. Their stories are touching, more-so than one would expect from a graphic novel if you consider the genre as a whole. The historic breadth and depth of character that the author has constructed make it a timeless piece and I have no doubt that it has won a place as the first significant graphic novel in the history of Canadiana. The illustrations, also done by Jeff Lemire, are what bring the story and the feelings it evokes to life. They are simple and emotive, the way the novel itself comes across. I enjoyed spending time with this book, like a distant relative who encompasses another side of your own story. I'd like to add to my library.
In
The Bone Cage by
Angie Abdou, the reader experiences a glimpse into the lives of two young and promising athletes as they prepare for the Olympic games. Their strength and ambition is contagious but as the tides turn and life begins to interrupt their regimented training schedule questions arise regarding the purpose and value of a life dedicated to athletics. The book was short and fast paced like swimming lengths of a pool. It tied me into the characters and left me empathetic, contemplating many of the questions they themselves struggled with.
Out of the top five Canada Reads finalists of 2011 the one book I have not yet read is
Unless by
Carol Shields. After reading summaries of the book I have to admit it appeals to me because I know I'll relate to Norah, the 19-year-old daughter of a successful writer named Reta Winters. Something happens to Norah to make her give up her semi-charmed life. She goes from the security of a loving family, boyfriend, and potential university degree to living on the streets of Toronto, a sign reading "goodness" hanging around her neck. The story is of Reta's struggle to understand her daughter's actions and the relation between goodness and happiness.
