Canada Reads 2022 - Long List and General Commentary

[Allison]

Starting a place for discussion about Canada Reads 2022! Longlist is here: https://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/...

[Susan]

Thanks for starting this thread, Allison! I usually haven't read many from the longlist when it's announced but this time I have read four!

As usual, some interesting books and some books that seem out of left field but could well be fascinating (such as the one about taxi drivers).

[Allison]

I'm excited! I think it's a really great list. Diverse, Susan, I agree! Quite cool.

I have read What Strange Paradise and own Scarborough, which I'm excited to start right away!

[Heather(Gibby)]

I would be happy with any of these books making the final 5. The only one I have already read is Washington Black

They all quite short , so it should be very doable to read all five before the debates.

[Rainey]

My top 6 that I want to read are:

Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
Scarborough by Catherine Heranandez
What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad (almost finished this)
Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Driven by Marcello Di Cintio - my father was a taxi driver in Toronto so this one I can't wait to read - I spent my young years when my mom died - riding around in the taxi with my dad - no baby sitter and he got better tips with a kid in the car :-) - Also when hubby and I got together he told him - if you hurt my daughter - remember you have to cross the street sometime :-) (meaning I WILL run you over)

[Allison]

The books that intrigue me the most from this list are:

Driven: The Secret Lives of Taxi Drivers
Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch
Book of Wings
We Two Alone: Stories - because I don't remember having a short story collection as a part of CR, at least not recently, and I think that would add a new and interesting dynamic to the debates.

[Kathleen]

I'm excited! I have read 4 of the books
What Strange Paradise
Diamonds at the Crossroads
Five Little Indians
Washington Black

I checked the public library and although most are in the system, Canada Reads may be over before I see them. I'm next on the list for Driven!

[Mj]

What a great list!!

Thanks Susan B. for posting the list earlier today and Allison for opening up a new thread for 2022 Canada Reads.

Have read 4 of the books listed and enjoyed each one:
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez
What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad &
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
Would be pleased to have them all make the shortlist.

For now am going to concentrate reading some of the books I haven't read but aren't too obscure wrt an author fan base.

Am considering:
The Spoon Stealer by Lesley Crewe
Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch by Rivka Galchen &
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The latter two are not books that I would usually choose but I think they might appeal to some of the defenders and am thinking one might make it to the last 5 books.

[Wanda]

What an eclectic list... I've read What Strange Paradise, Five Little Indians, Washington Black and part of Scarborough and part of Life In The City of Dirty Water. I'm honestly keen to read any of them.
@Rainey I will seek out Driven in honor of your family as the first on my list, thanks for sharing a piece of you with us.

[Yanlaptak]

1) As a Hongkonger, I must confess, none of the books in the list I have ever heard of. 😅

(2) I am amazed at the names of the authors. How diverse/multicultural they are!

(3) Having read Rainey’s comment, I am aroused to try the Driven. 😜

[Tina]

Does anyone know what the theme is this year? The books are all so different. My TBR pile grew once again, I placed some library holds already. I really enjoyed Washington Black. Looking forward to the debates!!

[Rainey]

Tina wrote: "Does anyone know what the theme is this year? The books are all so different. My TBR pile grew once again, I placed some library holds already. I really enjoyed Washington Black. Looking forward to..."

From deeply personal memoirs, engaging short story collections, expansive stories and gothic fiction, this year's longlisted books inspire readers to reflect on community and who we are in the world we live in.

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

I always find the Canada Reads themes so broad that they are not meaningful.

[❀ Susan]

Canada Reads season is always so exciting!!

@Rainey - I love hearing about your experience with your dad! Thank you for sharing!

I have read What Strange Paradise, Five Little Indians and Washington Black. I have had Scarborough on my shelves for far too long but think that I will wait and see which 5 make the short-list before starting to read (As I need to focus on reading from my shelves... Alison this will have to include the 3 I ordered from Book Outlet... lol)

I would love to see a theme of kindness for next year's theme! The last 2 years have been challenging and I love to read about things that people do to make a positive difference for others!!

[Allison]

The FOLD is hosting Jack Wang in a discussion about short stories in February: https://thefoldcanada.org/webinars-ac...

[Alan]

My father,my brother,my uncle and my cousin were all in the taxi business for years. My cousin is still in the business which has been decimated by Uber. Lots of very dark,underground stories from those years.
The only book I’ve read is Five Little Indians. I thought it was an important book told in a very pedestrian way.
I own Scarborough and have wanted to read it. A film version of the novel won best Canadian feature at the last Toronto International Film Festival. The author wrote the screenplay.
I think it’s a great list.

[Lisa]

I have read Washington Black and Five Little Indians. I am really happy to see Five Little Indians on the list. I loved this book!

I was able to borrow We Two Alone: Stories on Libby. The others that I am looking at possibly reading before the shortlist is announced are:
Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch
Velvet Was the Night
Dominoes at the Crossroads

[Allison]

Gah! I keep refreshing my page to get the shortlist! Coming out today but no sign of it yet...

[Susan]

LOL. Me too!

[Allison]

Yay! https://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/...

[Susan]

Yikes, all four books that I've previously read are contenders. That is strangely disappointing - kind of takes the fun out of it for me. :-(

The only one I haven't read is Life in the City of Dirty Water.

[Kathleen]

I think that I understand your feelings Susan. I have read three of them. I haven't read Scarborough or Life in the City of Dirty Water.
I am still excited though. 😊

[Allison]

Oh really Susan?? Yes, I get that. I always feel relieved when I have read one or two (as the pressure is relieved a bit) but yes, I understand your sentiment.

I've read What Strange Paradise, am midway through Washington Black and own Scarborough.

I think it's a neat list. For the first time in 2 or 3 years, I'm actually quite excited about all five books. Interesting to see how the one non-fiction book will do - and I'm actually excited to see Suzanne Simard as one of the panelists! She has some TedTalks about her own book Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest. She is a positive and interesting person.

[Allison]

Started a thread for short list discussion: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Rainey]

I am currently reading Driven: The Secret Lives of Taxi Drivers from the longlist and What Strange Paradise. I will then move on to Scarborough, Five Little Indians, Washington Black and do Life in the City of Dirty Water: A Memoir of Healing last.

[Susan]

I bought We Two Alone: Stories and Satellite Love from the longlist, so at least I have those to enjoy (and use for that bingo square! LOL).

[❀ Susan]

@Susan - I bought those two as well and totally get your comment. I have read 4 of 5 already