Five contenders, one title to win

It's going to be the one book to rule them all, or something like that.

The St. Albert Public Library is once again hosting its own version of CBC's Canada Reads, a battle royale that will take place on Friday. The debate on our country's public broadcaster pits five cultural commentators extolling the virtues of five books by Canadian authors, raising only one to the rafters as the champion at the end of it. While the annual national heavyweight competition has been running since 2002, our little library is setting up the chairs and preparing the spit pail for its second edition.

Let's get ready to rumble!

Next Friday, the library will host this informal debate among peers from within the local literati and everyone is invited to watch the bloodbath. Well, wordbath might be better. The celebrity panellists have been training furiously, reading their selected books, and pondering the question “what is the one book that Canadians need now?”

Public Services Manager Heather Dolman said that last year's debate was a huge success and they knew that it would make a return appearance on the 2017 calendar.

“I am very pleased that we have secured such a great panel and I know each panel member will fiercely defend their book.”

Come out to watch business leader and former city alderperson Lynda Moffat champion The Right to Be Cold by Sheila Watt-Cloutier. Facing her in the ring will be filmmaker/photographer/writer Zach Polis arguing in favour of Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis, along with Musée Héritage Museum programmer Sharon Morin in the corner of Madeline Ashby's Company Town, MLA Marie Renaud putting up her dukes on behalf of Nostalgia by M.G. Vassanji, and Paul Kane High English teacher Paul Shamchuk defending his hard-won belt for The Break by Katherena Vermette.

All the titles were chosen because their diverse themes challenge ideas about where the nation stands today and consider where the country is heading.

Adult programming librarian Michelle Steinhusen will play host to the event, making sure that the combatants stick to the rules and fight clean.

“I am sure we are in for a great night,” she promised.

The weigh in

For her part, Morin has been keeping up her nutrition and hitting the gym (re: reading chair) with vigour to prepare her best fight. Even if she didn't choose the book itself, she says that she was destined to get Company Town the crown.

“I believe it was meant to be!” she exclaimed. “When I opened up the book to look at the forward, she dedicates the book to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. She says, ‘may they rest in power!!' I was in from there.”

The story, she explains, is about the struggle over the use of oil and gas over new environmentally friendly alternatives. In Company Town, Morin continues, “oil is kind of the last resort and is looked at almost a dangerous alternative.”

“I think this book looks at what our future could be: everyone has a job and healthcare, people are still being educated but it seems grittier and more of a ‘look out for yourself' mentality.”

She promised to read the book twice before Round 1 starts to make sure she had her solid footing in the library's ring.

Polis, in the opposite corner, has a different tactic for how he intends to take Fifteen Dogs to the top.

“I'll be making a case for why squeaky toys, squirrels, and loafing through Toronto like a pack of dogs is good for our sense of Canadian identity,” he began, clearly feeling punchy and as playfully provocative about it as Muhammad Ali at the top of his rap game.

“I'm sorry for the other panellists. It's an uphill battle for them. I hope they can keep stride. Because the way I see it, convincing everyone why André is the best, it's like I've just seen a rabbit. I'm on it.”

Alexis' novel is about a group of dogs that have become gifted with human consciousness and language. Polis apparently knows a thing or two about being a modern Dr. Doolittle, having once taught a Sheltie pup how to howl.

“It was fascinating and endlessly entertaining. It took the puppy four tries to get it right. Of course, this is the expert speaking here. Howling in synch with another creature like that was a beautiful experience,” he continued.

“I speak four languages to various degrees of proficiency, and yes, one is dog. As an amateur dog linguist, I feel I'll be the most qualified person in the room to talk about André's book.”

He also noted that he has survived a wolf pack initiation and that St. Albert Animal Control is on speed dial on his phone.

If this contest is equal measures knowledge of a book and ability to debate, Polis clearly has a pugilist's bounce in his verbal step. It seems like it might catch some of his opponents off guard.

MLA Marie Renaud is ready for all challengers. She's totally pumped and feels like she's at the top of her training regimen. Reading is how she loves to spend her free time, she boasts. Her book, Vassanji's Nostalgia is set in an indeterminate future and examines the human fallout of immortality.

“I know that when I describe some of the author's very unique characters – Dr. Frank Sina, a memory doctor, his lover Joanie and patient Presley – this book will be hard to beat. It's inventive, exhilarating … unimaginable yet eerily familiar,” she describes.

And there's the reigning champ, Paul ‘Bam Bam' Shamchuk. He won the 2016 contest by unanimous decision. Clearly, he's keeping his lips tight to save his sparring energy for the big night.

“Last year, participating in the St. Albert Library's Canada Reads event meant I got to read a great novel (Tracy Lindberg's Birdie), but it also gave me the chance to share that novel with friends and all those who attended,” he began.

“This year, I'm really excited to have the chance to tell people about Katherena Vermette's The Break, because it's a terrific novel that deserves a wide audience. I'm also looking forward to learning more about the other Canada Reads books, because they're all sitting on my bookshelf!”

There was no comment from the Moffat team. The former Chamber of Commerce head is clearly planning to play the wildcard in this cage match.

Not necessarily pay-per-view

CBC's actual Canada Reads program runs from March 27 to 30. Ali Hassan will host Chantal Kreviazuk, Humble the Poet, Tamara Taylor, Candy Palmater, and Jody Mitic as they defend the same list of books as our St. Albert combatants. The debates will air on CBC Radio One and will be live-streamed on www.CBCbooks.ca (at 9 a.m. MST). The episodes can also be seen on CBC Television.

Unlike CBC Canada Reads, the St. Albert version starts with the panel but includes the audience and the larger community to determine the winner.

“There is always plenty of interest in the Canada Reads titles, so we wanted to give people the chance to get involved. Those who are already reading the books can vote ahead of the March 17 event using our online poll,” Dolman explained.

“It will be interesting to see which book is in the lead before March 17 but the winner will be the book with the most votes on the night, so the panellists will have to use all their persuasive powers to get their book to win. Let's see if St. Albert's choice on March 17 matches the CBC Canada Reads winner on March 30.”

The publisher of the winner of the national contest will donate a portion of proceeds from sales of the winning book to a charitable organization working in the field of literacy. There is no such arrangement at the St. Albert Public Library but members of the public can always feel free to help STAR Literacy out with donations of money or time in helping tutor people in English skills.

Details of the five books are on the library's Readers' Blog on the website at www.sapl.ca. That's where people can find a link to select their online vote before the big event.