When Canada Reads 2012 was announced this week, we at Speakers’ Spotlight were overwhelmed with thoughts of who might be contenders in this astonishing and new form of competition.
You see, the next battle for the best book is being sought from the non-fiction spectre. The Speakers’ Spotlight roster is filled with the best of the best in non-fiction writers, whose work and ideas will stand the test of time – but which books would truly embody the spirit of 2012 and influence a nation of potential readers?
In no particular order, here are my own, personal recommendations.
Ethical Oil: The Case for Alberta’s Oil Sands by Ezra Levant
Ezra’s book was largely dismissed by the environmental community when it was released earlier this year, but many are finding it hard to argue what he outlines as a fundamental shift in thinking about Alberta’s dirty oil industry. In it, he exposes the hypocrisy of the West’s dealings with unstable regimes in the name of oil. Since Ethical Oil’s release, the Canadian government has begun to use the catchphrase Ethical Oil in its defences of the oil sands and many have come around after reading the book. The book won the National Business Book of the Year award for 2011 and is showing no signs of going out of fashion anytime soon.
The Wayfinders by Wade Davis
Anthropologist Wade Davis digs deep into the environmental crisis that threatens indigenous cultures around the globe. In defence of cultural preservation, Wade presents a reminder of how modernization and globalization is affecting traditional ways of life. As for Canadians, Wade offers a view into what materialistic values are doing to deplete the spirituality and character of people and how we can adapt the lessons of the planet’s ancient cultures to restore intrinsic values before it’s too late.
The Wealthy Barber Returns by David Chilton
Dave’s first book, The Wealthy Barber, is remembered as the bestselling Canadian book of all time. Unfortunately since that bit of prose is outdated for the current economic climate, it wouldn’t be appropriate as a pick for this year’s competition. The Wealthy Barber Returns hit bookshelves last month and has already seen the tops of several bestseller lists. In it, Dave throws the typical Canadian investment strategy on its ear and tells readers in plain English what they need to do to get further ahead. While Canada seems isolated in its ability to withstand widespread recession for now, I expect this book will continue to gain in importance leading up to the 2012 competition.
Cornered by Ron MacLean
Ron is Canada’s sportscaster darling, best known for being the moderator of Don Cherry’s diatribes on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada. His first book, Cornered, will be released just days before the October 15th deadline for Canada Reads submissions but should definitely be in contention for the competition. I ask you – what embodies the Canadian spirit more than an account of the last 25 years of sports and hockey greatness? The book promises to cover everything – from the emergence of The Great One (Gretzky) to Donovan Bailey’s fastest man run and I argue that this could be arguably the best book of the competition by embodying all that is great about Canadians and sport.
Allah, Liberty & Love: The Courage to Reconcile Faith and Freedom by Irshad Manji
Scholar and devout Muslim Irshad Manji’s latest book works to encourage people to question traditional values in order to find peace in your culture and in society. She paves a path for Muslims and non-Muslims to transcend fear of offence by questioning our own communities. In Canada’s diverse society, Irshad’s lessons can be of value to all of us as we all try to find balance with ourselves and the changing character of the Canadian people. Meanwhile, Deepak Chopra said “Irshad Manji is the new voice of reform, not only for Islam, but for all religions.” Hard to argue with that.
Vote for MY picks at: http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/2012/recommend/index.html
Find your own at: http://www.speakers.ca/bookshelf
