Canada Reads
This is the home page for Canada Reads, CBC's annual battle of the books.
www.cbc.caHere’s a concise update on Canada Reads 2019, focusing on the basics and where to find reliable details.
Answer
- Canada Reads 2019 was moderated by Ali Hassan and centered on the theme “One Book to Move You,” with five books and their celebrity champions competing in a four-day televised debate in late March 2019. The winner was announced on March 28, 2019.[1][6]
Key details
- Books and panellists: The participating titles and their advocates were publicized at the outset, including Homes by Abu Bakr Al Rabeeah with Winnie Yeung, Brother by David Chariandy, By Chance Alone by Max Eisen, Suzanne by Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette (translated by Rhonda Mullins), and The Woo-Woo by Lindsay Wong. This lineup was highlighted in CBC’s coverage and companion CBC Gem episodes during the week of the debates.[4][5][1]
- Debates and format: Canada Reads uses a “literary Survivor” format where celebrity defenders advocate for their books and votes to eliminate titles are held across consecutive days, culminating in a country-wide recommended read for the year. The CBC and CBC Gem pages and the CBC YouTube highlights summarize the four live debates and the finale.[3][5][1]
- Historical context: Canada Reads has previously recognized titles such as The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill (2009) and The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis (2011), illustrating its role in elevating Canadian fiction and social discourse through televised debates.[9][1]
Where to verify or explore more
- Official CBC Canada Reads page for background, current and past editions, and winner history: CBC Books Canada Reads page.[7]
- Detailed coverage and episode highlights from CBC’s YouTube channel and CBC Gem streaming pages: Canada Reads 2019 episodes and finale coverage.[5][3]
- Wikipedia entry for Canada Reads provides a concise year-by-year summary, including 2019 details.[6]
Illustrative touch
- If you’d like, I can pull together a brief timeline of the 2019 debates (Day 1 through Day 4) with the eliminated titles and final winner, drawn from CBC’s episode summaries, and provide a one-page summary you can share.