Canada Reads American Style

Interview - Tareq Hadhad, CBC’s Canada Reads Defender

Rebecca has the distinct pleasure of chatting with Tareq Hadhad, the defender of What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad in the 2022 CBC's Canada Reads competition, which runs from March 28-31.

Tareq is an entrepreneur, a public speaker, a Syrian refugee, and a Canadian citizen.  Reading What Strange Paradise has enhanced his sense of "home, humanity, identity, and belonging".

The debates are hosted by Ali Hassan and available on CBC Radio One, CBC TV, CBC Gem and on CBC Books.

https://www.tareqhadhad.com/

https://peacebychocolate.ca/

https://www.ted.com/talks/tareq_hadhad_what_did_two_years_in_canada_teach_me

Instagram and Twitter: @tareqhadhad

 

 

Interview - Omar El Akkad and What Strange Paradise

Rebecca and Tara have the distinct honor of interviewing Omar El Akkad, author of the 2021 Scotiabank Giller Prize winner and the 2022 CBC's Canada Reads contender, What Strange Paradise.

Tara reminds us that she predicted What Strange Paradise will win.  While Rebecca had to confess that she said it will go out on the second day because it's a top contender.

The debates are hosted by Ali Hassan and available on CBC Radio One, CBC TV, CBC Gem and on CBC Books.

For a more in-depth discussion with the author, check out the Free Library of Philadelphia Author Talk:  https://youtu.be/K3Lk4_sx7Po

Website: https://www.omarelakkad.com/

Twitter: @omarelakkad

Instagram: @oelakkad

Interview - Barbara Black and Music from a Strange Planet: Stories

Rebecca and Tara are thrilled to present their first author interview for 2022!  Barbara Black's debut book, Music from a Strange Planet: Stories, is a compelling collection of 24 stories with over 70 unforgettable characters.  Rebecca and Tara thank Caitlin Press for the gifted e-book for review.  

Also, Tara references the following interview Barbara gave to Mandy Eve Barnett, which includes a picture of the "teeny-tiny Moleskin writing journal".  https://mandyevebarnett.com/2021/05/20/author-interview-barbara-black/

 

2022 CBC’s Canada Reads Winner Prediction

Rebecca and Tara predict their winners for the 2022 CBC's Canada Reads competition!  Because all five titles are so strong, they both cheated and picked two titles out of the shortlist options below:

• Five Little Indians by Michelle Good (defender Christian Allaire)
• Life in the City of Dirty Water by Clayton Thomas-Müller (defender Suzanne Simard)
• Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez (defender Malia Baker)
• Washington Black by Esi Edugyan (defender Mark Tewksbury)
• What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad (defender Tareq Hadhad)

Rebecca also announces an exciting author interview coming up in late February!!

 

CBC’s Canada Reads 2022 Shortlist Predictions

Rebecca and Tara share their shortlist predictions from CBC's Canada Reads longlist.

Tara's picks:

• Driven by Marcello Di Cintio
• Satellite Love by Genki Ferguson
• Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez
• All the Quiet Places by Brian Thomas Isaac
• What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad 

Rebecca's picks:

• Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
• Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez
• All the Quiet Places by Brian Thomas Isaac
• Life in the City of Dirty Water by Clayton Thomas-Müller
• We Two Alone by Jack Wang

Rebecca also mentions 2019 Canada Reads contender Brother by David Chariandy.

 

 

Review of A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson

Rebecca and Tara were so excited to chat about A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson that they forgot to provide a synopsis of the novel.  Their discussion does contain some spoilers.  

From Goodreads: the brilliant and emotionally radiant new novel from Mary Lawson, her first in nearly a decade--opens on a family in crisis: rebellious teenager Rose has been missing for weeks with no word, and Rose's younger sister, the feisty and fierce Clara, keeps a daily vigil at the living-room window, hoping for her sibling's return.

Enter thirtyish Liam Kane, newly divorced, newly unemployed, newly arrived in this small northern town, where he promptly moves into the house next door--watched suspiciously by astonished and dismayed Clara, whose elderly friend, Mrs. Orchard, owns that home. Around the time of Rose's disappearance, Mrs. Orchard was sent for a short stay in hospital, and Clara promised to keep an eye on the house and its remaining occupant, Mrs. Orchard's cat, Moses. As the novel unfolds, so does the mystery of what has transpired between Mrs. Orchard and the newly arrived stranger.

New Year - New Co-Host

Rebecca is excited to welcome Tara as co-host as the New Year kicks off!  They start with introductions, discuss their best reads of 2021, and finish with their reading goals for 2022.  

Rebecca also begins the New Year as editor of the podcast--be kind, she's a newbie! lol

Tara's titles:

A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson

Astra by Cedar Bowers

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Rebecca's titles:

The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew

The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson

Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Read Native 21 Finale

Shauna and Rebecca successfully completed the Read Native 21 Challenge!  They both found great value in discovering new authors (to them), reading quality literature, and learning more about Native American and Indigenous Peoples and their history, culture, and triumphs.

On another note, Shauna announces that she is stepping away from the podcast to explore new opportunities and challenges.  Rebecca and Tara from Ontario will continue to discuss books and interview authors while at the same time, fingers crossed, figure out how the tech side of this venture works.  Stay tuned for their first podcast in January 2022! 

Interview - Mark Critch and An Embarrassment of Critch‘s

Shauna and Rebecca have the distinct privilege and honor to interview an iconic Canadian comedian and television celebrity, Mark Critch.  While he may be best known for his work on the comedy series This Hour Has 22 Minutes, he is also the author of two best selling memoirs: Son of a Critch and An Embarrassment of Critch's.  He will also be starring in a new CBC comedy series beginning in January 2022 based on his first book.  Rebecca did her best not to laugh out loud during the interview! 

 

(We are Mark's FIRST US podcast--flag planted!)

November Read Native 21 Challenge update with Tara

Shauna, Rebecca, and Tara share the books they've read to date for their Read Native 21 Challenge.

Shauna: Read Native 21 Challenge Sheet-Complete List

Tara: Five Little Indians by Michelle Good; The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones; My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones; I place you into the fire by poet Rebecca Thomas.

Rebecca:  I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day; Taaqtumi: an Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories; Indians on Vacation by Thomas King; Murder on the Red Cliff Rez by Mardi Oakley; The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson; Trickster: Native American Tales; Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger; Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden.

Voice-over by Content Creator and Comedian Cameron Geller --TikTok & Instagram: @cameron.geller 

Music from Zapsplat.com

Interview - David Heska Wanbli Weiden and Winter Counts

Shauna and Rebecca are excited to chat with David Heska Wanbli Weiden about his award-winning book, Winter Counts.  While Rebecca asks a lot of questions about the historical facts she didn't know about Native American history, she wants to be clear that Winter Counts is a layered thriller with a flawed but moral main hero, Virgil Wounded Horse.  This is a compelling read about justice, love, and resilience.

David shared the following recommended books and TV series:

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer (non-fiction)
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
The Removed by Brandon Hobson
Crooked Hallelujah by Kelli Jo Ford
Crazy Horse's Girlfriend by Erika T. Wurth
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley 

Reservation Dogs

Rutherford Falls

https://davidweiden.com/

“This 19th-Century Law Helps Shape Criminal Justice in Indian Country.”  New York Times.  July 19, 2020.  Reprinted in Salt Lake Tribune, July 20, 2020.

 

Voice-over by Content Creator and Comedian Cameron Geller --TikTok & Instagram: @cameron.geller 

 

Music from Zapsplat.com

 

Read Native 21 Challenge with Tara

Shauna and Rebecca are excited to have Tara back as a guest reviewer and equally happy that she has agreed to participate in future podcasts! 

The books by Native American and Indigenous authors discussed include:

Shauna: Strangers (the first book in The Reckoner Series) by David Alexander Robertson 

Tara: Sugar Falls by David Alexander Robertson; 77 Fragments of a Familiar Ruin by Thomas King; Five Little Indians by Michelle Good; Braiding Sweet Grass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Rebecca: Raven Makes the Aleutians: Adapted from a Traditional Native Story, illustrated by Janine Gibbons; There There by Tommy Orange; Elatsoe by Darcie LIttle Badger

CBC Books: "21 books for kids and young adults to read for National Indigenous History Month"

Follow #CRASReadNAtive21 for recommendations! 

 

Voice-over by Content Creator and Comedian Cameron Geller --TikTok & Instagram: @cameron.geller 

 

Music from Zapsplat.com

Interview - Marcello Di Cintio and Driven: The Secret Lives of Taxi Drivers

Shauna and Rebecca are thrilled to chat with Marcello Di Cintio about his latest book, Driven: The Secret Lives of Taxi Drivers.  Marcello artfully tells the personal stories of hard working men and women who persist in carving out lives filled with passion, commitment, and success.  

Rebecca also reminds listeners to pick up Marcello's book, Pay No Heed to the Rockets: Life in Contemporary Palestine and then listen to their interview with him from January 2021.

 

Voice-over by Content Creator and Comedian Cameron Geller --TikTok & Instagram: @cameron.geller 

 

Music from Zapsplat.com

Interview - Heather Down and Not Cancelled: Canadian Kindness in the Face of COVID-19

Join Shauna and Rebecca as they interview Heather Down, author and publisher of Not Cancelled: Canadian Kindness in the Face of COVID-19 (co-author Catherine Kenwell).  Heather discusses how this beautiful, hope-filled anthology of stories came to be, while Rebecca expresses her expectation that the book will have significant value to future generations looking back at this unprecedented time in history. 

IG: @winterticklepress

Podcast: After the Book Ends

 

Voice-over by Content Creator and Comedian Cameron Geller --TikTok & Instagram: @cameron.geller 

 

Music from Zapsplat.com

Interview - Nelly Buchet and Cat Dog Dog: The Story of a Blended Family

Shauna and Rebecca are thrilled to chat with Nelly Buchet, their first children's picture book author (illustrated by Andrea Zuill @zuillmonkey).  CAT DOG DOG is a deceptively simple story, but as you will hear in the interview, Nelly's vision was clear from the start.  This is a story for the whole family!  

After the interview, Nelly said, “the coolest thing is the book is now considered an "early reader" because little kids are learning to read with CAT DOG DOG. One parent told me his daughter was so proud that she could finish a whole entire book on her own :).”

According to her website, CAT DOG DOG has received the following accolades:   The Story of a Blended Family (Random House Kids, 2020) is a 2021 ALA Notable Children’s Book and Irma Black Award nominee. It is also a Junior Library Guild, Indie Next 2020 List, 2021 CCBC Best of the Year List, Amazon’s “Best of 2020 for ages 3-5,” Chicago Public Library “Best Fiction for Younger Readers of 2020” and Iowa Public Radio “Best New Books for Children and Teens” selection.

 

Voice-over by Content Creator and Comedian Cameron Geller --TikTok & Instagram: @cameron.geller 

 

Music from Zapsplat.com