Meet the 2020 Combat national des livres contenders
Samraweet Yohannes | | Posted: April 21, 2020 5:28 PM | Last Updated: April 21, 2020
Combat national des livres, a five-day book debate show in French, will air live on Radio-Canada from May 4-8, 2020.
This year's Combat national des livres will be moderated by Marie-Louise Arsenault, the host of Radio-Canada's Plus on est de fous, plus on lit!
The five contenders are each defending books from the region of Canada they represent.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the contenders will be defending their book remotely over the phone.
Representing the First Nations, Inuit and Métis nations is Cree lawyer and politician Romeo Saganash. Saganash is defending Cheval Indien by Richard Wagamese.
The English-language edition, Indian Horse, was a contender in the 2013 edition of Canada Reads.
Western Canada is represented by musician Alpha Toshineza. Toshineza is defending Le soleil du lac qui se couche by J. R. Léveillé.
Le soleil du lac qui se couche is not yet available in English.
Bestselling novelist Dominique Demers is representing Ontario. Demers is defending La mauvaise mère by Marguerite Andersen.
La mauvaise mère was translated into English as The Bad Mother in 2016.
Quebec will be represented by singer-songwriter France D'amour. D'amour is defending Un lien familial by Nadine Bismuth.
The English-language edition, called A Family Affair, will be available in August 2020.
The Atlantic is represented by musician Julie Aubé. Aubé is defending Moncton Mantra by Gérald Leblanc.
Moncton Mantra was translated into English in 2001.
The winner of Combat national des livres will be determined by a public vote. Those who participate in the vote will have the chance to win $2000 worth of books.
Sans capote ni kalachnikov by Blaise Ndala won the 2019 edition of Combat national des livres. The book was defended by Radio-Canada investigative journalist Marie-Maude Denis. Sans capote ni kalachnikov is not yet available in English.