Greetings, Canadian readers!

Well, the battle of the books is officially underway. And I had a coveted ringside seat, right there in studio, as opening day unfolded. (If you weren’t able to tune in, don’t despair: you can listen online, or download the program as a podcast.

And what a debate it was! In the course of the broadcast, we were introduced to a self-professed “ice hater” (Jemeni), two fine “fellas” (Zaib Shaikh and Dave Bidini), a panelist who’s seen the icefields from space (Steve MacLean) and a feisty Newfoundlander who brought a welcome feminist perspective to the discussion (my new hero, Lisa Moore).

Behind the scenes

The first pleasant surprise of day one was seeing what a nice spread Canada Reads puts on for its celebrity guests. This year’s panelists (and your humble bookworm) were treated to a lovely breakfast tray, and the food proved to be a great icebreaker, as the five debaters practiced voicing their opinions and preferences (poppy seed bagel or muffin) before the broadcast even started.

By the time they started sharing a laugh over the Persian rugs used for decoration in the studio, the five panelists were already behaving like fast friends, and I knew this lot was going to be a great bunch. Steve MacLean and Lisa Moore arrived armed with notes, ensuring we will hear some well-thought-out arguments over the next few days, while Jemeni exuded a warmth and enthusiasm that was positively infectious. And Dave Bidini and Zaib Shaikh seemed to develop an instant rapport and knack for witty banter. (I think we can expect to hear these two peas-in-a-pod egging each other on throughout the debates.)

In spite of all the palpable camaraderie amongst the panelists, it was clear before the show began that this crew wouldn’t be quite so nice when it came time to talk books: When asked what he thought of From the Fifteenth District, Dave Bidini promptly made a thumbs down gesture. Boo! Hiss!

And then the panelists took their respective positions at the table, and we were underway!
Here’s a rundown of some of my favourite moments from Day 1…