6 books that inspired Canada Reads panellist George Canyon
CBC Books | | Posted: February 4, 2020 2:27 PM | Last Updated: June 25, 2020
As country music star George Canyon prepares for Canada Reads 2020, he says that a love of literature has been a constant throughout his life.
Here are six books that Canyon said he loved reading.
Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat
"My Grade 4 teacher read this book to us in class. This was the first time I actually experienced what a book does. It was a different experience from anything else at that point in my life, including music. It took me, in my imagination, somewhere that no one else got to go.
This was the first time I actually experienced what a book does. - George Canyon
"It might have been the same words on the page for other people, but each person's imagination got to be engaged. For me, being creative — and not knowing at that time what the good Lord had planned for me — it engaged the creative side of my brain that I couldn't deny.
"I fell in love with books. Books helped me create my 'mini-movie.' With Never Cry Wolf, I had this movie playing in my head. I couldn't wait to go back to school to get to listen to more."
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
"Millions of people have read this book. But I guarantee not one of those people have the exact same mini-movie playing in their head because everybody has a different imagination.
It's vital for me, as a reader, to feel like I'm talking with a buddy when I read a book. - George Canyon
"I base what I read on how authors like Mowat and Hemingway put the words.
"It's vital for me, as a reader, to feel like I'm talking with a buddy when I read a book."
The Cross in the Closet by Timothy Kurek
"I never would've come across this book had he not been my Uber driver in Nashville. Kurek told me he loves being a driver because he gets to talk to people and hear their stories. I think that's brilliant. He's a great guy and told me a lot of the backstory behind this book. It blew my mind.
I never would've come across this book had he not been my Uber driver in Nashville. - George Canyon
"I couldn't believe that this book is nonfiction and not fiction. I'm not going to spoil it for people, but you've got to read the book."
Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo
"As a Christian man, I love books of faith. Not books of religion, but of faith. Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo is the account about his son who says he experienced heaven during an emergency surgery.
As a Christian man, I love books of faith. - George Canyon
"I enjoyed that book. There's only certain books within faith that have touched me."
I Flew for the Führer by Heinz Knoke
"I'm big into history, especially military history. I like reading lots of books about the Second World War, Vietnam and Korea. This is a book by Heinz Knoke. He was a German air force pilot with the Luftwaffe. It's fascinating because the Luftwaffe — and actually most of the German army — hated Hitler and the Nazis.
I like reading lots of books about the Second World War, Vietnam and Korea. - George Canyon
"When you read this account from him, it's like, 'Oh my gosh.' In my own world, and with this war that my grandfathers fought in, you assume that all Germans in the army were behind Hitler.
"The Luftwaffe hated him. They flew to protect Germany. It's fascinating. I think the more we learn about things we don't know — especially about others around the world — the more we have in common. The common denominator, in this case, was his love of country and his love of flying."
A Higher Call by Adam Makos & Larry Alexander
"This is an interesting read about bomber pilots and their crew during the Second World War. It shows what they went through. We watch the war movies, but to actually hear their firsthand experience about flying during that time.
We watch the war movies, but to actually hear their firsthand experience about flying during that time. - George Canyon
"They talk about how cold it was to fly at high altitudes, often for hours doing nothing but sitting in a big tin can that you didn't know if you were going to get shot at."
George Canyon's comments have been edited for length and clarity.
The Canada Reads 2020 contenders
- Alayna Fender defending Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club by Megan Gail Coles
- Akil Augustine defending Radicalized by Cory Doctorow
- Amanda Brugel defending We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib
- Kaniehtiio Horn defending Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
- George Canyon defending From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle