The 332 day countdown is over and the big day is here: the return of Civilians Read, your favourite knock-off since PC’s Blue Menu. This year, we’re continuing our assessment of the panelist x-factor as we see how five literary-types change the conversation. For the 2011 debates, we’ve brought back four of our intrepid panelists and one fresh-faced innocent to debate which title should be the one all of Canada should read.
Before we got started this year, in the proud tradition of last year’s bathroom confessional, we had our panelists enter the closet confessional (yes, our panelists go into the closet to reveal their secrets) and give us a preview of what’s to come.
Now to move on to the main event. This episode our panelists will give us one 1-minute pitches for their title and the first shots are taken at disliked books. We also talk about what makes a novel “essential,” hilarious Kate Beaton comics, namby-pamby narrators and Brent Butt. Have a listen:
[Running time: 24:51]
You can also scope out our state of the art studio with some behind-the-scenes Day 1 photos:
After the first show, our panelists headed back to the closet to let us know how day 1 went:
Day 1 is over, but the debate has just begun. Since this is a competition by civilians for civilians, we’d love you to weigh in. Feel free to make like a panelist and answer any of the questions we cover over the course of a show, argue or agree with us, or just take pot-shots (then you’re really a part of the group!)
Come on back tomorrow as the Civilians vote the first title off the island (or at least use for kindling).
A great first debate! Everyone made good points.
I really hate how much work cuts into all the more fun things I need to keep up with.
I’ll have to catch up at home. Work has no speakers!
PS. The pics are awesome, and I esp. love how Nic looks holding that door handle, one hand over his earnest heart, in the closet confessional. So glad you brought that feature back.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ron Nurwisah and Ashleigh Gardner, thatklickitat. thatklickitat said: RT @jen_knoch: #KIRBC's #CiviliansRead has officially begun. Check out what went down on Day 1: http://ht.ly/3NjY1 [...]
During the after-confessional, at one point there’s something behind Sarah’s head that looks like devil horns. Love it.
Must have been when I put that witching on the closet with my twigs and dew collection.
[...] can listen to me defend Terry Fallis’ The Best Laid Plans. We even taped pre-show confessionals in Nic’s [...]
[...] better blogs than mine for commentary and debate alongside the Canada Reads blog itself. Take the Keepin’ It Real Book Club (KIRBC), for instance, now offering their own, high-energy take on the show—yes! complete with closet [...]