It is no surprise that I enjoyed Canada Reads!  It will be a quiet week next week without the excitement of debates.  I appreciated reading all 5 books, grumbled, laughed and pondered the debate discussions and topped the week off with a trip to the CBC studio to be in the studio audience.

This was a first for me and I hope it will be an annual event.  We were up bright and early.  Kim and I took the Go Train to Union and were able to meet May, Allison and Kristen to walk a couple blocks to the CBC building where we waited in line for the festivities to begin.  Just walking in the building was exciting and we passed larger than life posters of Rick Mercer and a huge wall of televisions with CBC programs.  We caught up during the line up to enter the studio where we were given a few instructions and did some studio clapping that would be used during the editing process.

After the show there was a Q&A and I was thankful to be able to ask the debaters how being on Canada Reads had changed their reading and what book they would be reading next (my question is around 57 minutes into this video replay).  Here are their answers:

Candy paid tribute to her friend and brilliant author Richard Wagamese who had passed away earlier in March.  She acknowledged that we share a love of his writing which we had discussed during my interview on her show this past summer.  She is planning to read his latest book, Embers, and is currently finishing Keeper’n Me.  An avid fan of Canada Reads, she doesn’t think that this has changed her reading patterns since  every year she reads each 5 books chosen for Canada Reads.  To top it off, she had the audience laughing when she commented that “books for me, are like crack”.

Humble appreciated the preparation for Canada Reads which enabled him to add reading time to his busy schedule.  He could read without feeling guilty since reading for Canada Reads counted as work.  Next he is planning to read How to be Bawse by his “work soulmate” Lily Singh.  I appreciated Humble’s positive, supportive, calm and respectful approach to Canada Reads and will be seeking out a copy of his book UNLEARN:  101 Simple Truths for A Better Life.

Measha shared that she is in the midst of reading the second edit of her own book.  She has a deadline to meet so that she can receive the next instalment of her payment.

Jody told us that he has a big bookshelf in his basement and intends to reread Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill which he picks up every few years.

Chantal is planning on reading The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King as recommended by Candy.  I also have a number of Thomas King books on my to be read list after meeting this author last summer!

What am I reading next?  I am going to finish rereading Fifteen Dogs, complete the second half of A Right to Be Cold and read the advance reader copy of The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion (author of The Rosie Project).  Then I am going to focus on some books on my signed shelf that I have been waiting to read.

I love hearing what other’s are reading and these are some good suggestions.  What are you reading?  Feel free to comment below… because, of course, I might not have enough books to read… not!