Gary Barwin is the author of the novel Yiddish for Pirates.(Adela Talbot, Vintage Canada)
Yiddish for Pirates is a nautical odyssey narrated by a wise-cracking, polyglot parrot. The parrot, who now lives in a nursing home in Florida, tells the story of Moishe, a boy who joins a ship s crew in 1492. There, Moishe meets the parrot, Aaron. The two have an unforgettable adventure, following maps and hunting for treasure. But it s the period of the Spanish Inquisition, and it s a dangerous time to be Jewish. When Jews as expelled from Spain, Moishe ends up travelling to the Caribbean with Christopher Columbus, making his adventures grander than he ever imagained.
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CBC Books is counting down the top 10 bestselling Canadian titles of 2020, using data from close to 300 independent Canadian bookstores, courtesy of Bookmanager.
You can listen to the countdown special hosted by Ali Hassan below or keep scrolling to see which books made the cut!
CBC Books54:00CBC Books holiday special: The top 10 Canadian books of 2020Ali Hassan hosts a countdown of the top 10 bestselling Canadian titles of 2020, using data from nearly 300 independent Canadian bookstores, courtesy of Bookmanager.54:00
10.
Souvankham Thammavongsa is a 2020 finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize.(Scotiabank Giller Prize, McClelland & Stewart)
How to Pronounce Knife is a collection of idiosyncratic and diverse stories. Capturing the daily lives of immigrants, Souvankham Thammavongsa captures their hopes, disappointments, trauma and acts of defiance. From a young man painting nails in a salon, to a housewife learning English from soap-operas,
Canada Reads 2021 is coming
Ali Hassan will host the 20th edition of the great Canadian book debate, which will take place March 8-11, 2021.
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Ali Hassan will host the 20th edition of the great Canadian book debate, which will take place March 8-11
Posted: Dec 11, 2020 10:32 AM ET | Last Updated: December 11, 2020
Ali Hassan greets audiences and panellists as the host of Canada Reads 2018. He will return to host a fifth time in 2021.(Peter Power/CBC)