Five residents defend favourite books at County Reads

Barbara Sweet (PEC library CEO) and Ken Murray (moderator) with defenders Karen Valihora, Roz Bound, Andrew Binks and (sitting) Ernie Margetson. JC Sulzenko not available for photo.

Story and photos by Sharon Harrison
Five County residents will defend the Canadian book titles they believe should be declared the must read of 2024 when they go before public judges at next month’s County Reads Debate.

The Prince Edward County Library hosts the County Reads Debate, which kicks-off and forms part of the equally anticipated County Reads Authors Festival. This year’s organizing committee includes Marlene Fraser, Janet Aston, Liz Zylstra, Alexandra Bake and PEC Library CEO Barbara Sweet.

“Typically, we get 200 to 300 people at this event, and we hope to do as well again this year, and this is the first year we are fully back after COVID,” said Sweet. “This year, we are doing it all in-person and we hope to see our former audience.”

With the event returning in full flight, it is expected to bring suspense, excitement, intrigue and anticipation, and not just from the selected book titles.

Mostly, of course, it’s meant to be a fun, humorous evening where the public can acquaint themselves with a book or an author they may not be familiar with, maybe even learn something along the way, but the idea is for a relaxing evening, with some laughs included, as the five chosen residents battle it out for the honour of County Reads Debate winner for 2024.

The early heads-up is designed to get word out in advance for an event many look forward to year-after-year, but it also allows those who wish to borrow or buy one or more of the books being championed to read ahead of the main event, which some indicate adds to the enjoyment of the whole experience.

Returning is long-standing moderator Ken Murray (believed to be his ninth year, but he’s not counting), and his trusted time bell (which he isn’t afraid to use) at St. Mary Magdalene Church, which will host the event once again.

A keen County bicyclist and a volunteer with 99.3 County FM, Murray is a writer in his own right and as well teaches creative writing at Haliburton School of Art and Design, and at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies.

At Friday’s media event, Murray introduced the presenters, outlined basic rules the presenters can expect during the evening (especially when it comes to time keeping), and what they may expect on the big night, before asking each to say a little about themselves, and a little about their chosen title. He cautioned, however, about not disclosing too much about each book at this stage, as that must be saved and revealed on the night.

“The one thing I would say about County Reads is, it is like Canada Reads, only better, and we do it all in one hour,” Murray said. “The other side to it is you are championing a book of why you think everyone should read it. If you follow Canada Reads, it’s turned into more of a survivor-like reality show which is fine, but it’s not what we do here, we’ve got our own County way of doing stuff.

“What I love about this event, is every single person in that audience is a fan of books, they are just waiting to hear from you and it’s a wonderful thing to be in that crowd and at the front,” said Murray.

“And every single person in the audience admires you incredibly because you have the courage to do it; their support is with you,” added Sweet.

Presenting their titles of choice this year are Roz Bound (Superfan: How Pop Culture Broke My Heart by Jen Sookfong Lee), Andrew Binks (Care of by Ivan Coyote), JC Sulzenko (All the Colour in the World by CS Richardson), Karen Valihora (Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton) and Ernie Margetson (Where the Falcon Flies by Adam Shoalts).

Both Binks and Bound have been defenders in past years, but whether this gives them the advantages over their adversaries, remains to be seen on the night.

Picton-born resident Ernie Margetson says he is a keen student of not only local history, but history in general and geography, the natural environment, ecology and is an avid cyclist too, and is quite interested in civic affairs and what happens in Prince Edward County.

“The book I’ve selected is Where the Falcon Flies (by Adam Shoalts) which really relates to a lot of the things I`ve been interested in, and experienced in my life,” Margetson said. “I like adventure, I like Canada and history, so that’s where I am coming from with my book.”

Karen Valihora is the new co-publisher at the Picton Gazette, having moved to the County in 2020 during the pandemic, and deciding she never wanted to go back to Toronto. She also teaches English Literature at York University.

“My book is Eleanor Catton’s Birnam Wood. The title comes from the forest in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and it’s the best book here, obviously,” she joked. “I like it because it combines genres; it’s got this fancy title from Shakespeare, but it’s a thriller and a satire, and it’s utterly of the moment. It basically stars Elon Musk taking over the world. ”

Novelist Andrew Binks has lived here since 2007 and is the author of two novels, and “hopes to be the author of more novels some day”. He is a writing mentor with the University of Calgary for young, first stage novelists. The book Binks is championing is Care of by Ivan Coyote, a transgender, non-binary writer from the west coast.

“It’s non-fiction. They receive a lot of fan mail, during the pandemic, Ivan decided to have the time to respond to some of the fan mail,” said Binks. “It’s really more than I expected and I am looking forward to sharing that with everybody on the night.”

Poet Roz Bound has lived in the County for 25 years and is a member of the Friends of Wellington Library and has hosted several writing events and open floor events for most of those years. She has written two books of poetry, and last year published Aging Consciously, Dying Awake.

“Super Fan: It’s the little book that could,” said Bound. “And it is much, much deeper than I expected it to be, and I am loving it. And that’s all I am going to say about the book.”

Poet and author JC Sulzenko, who divides her time between Toronto and the County, was not present at the media launch, but stated in an email she is looking forward to presenting her title, All the Colour in the World by CS Richardson.

“I chose All the Colour in the World, the C.S. Richardson novel which was a finalist for the Giller prize in 2023, because I could not put it down. And it’s not a whodunnit!”

On the night, each defender will have five minutes (strictly enforced) in the first round to say why their book is the book everyone should read, where Murray’s advice is to approach it as if talking to one person across a table, not 200 or 300 in a room.

He also suggested practising ahead of time when it comes to speaking within the five-minute time slot.

He also cautioned the presenters not to come up with every reason why people should read the book, but instead to narrow it down to the top two, three, four or five to form the presentation.

“And I would also say, feel free to personalize that as much as, whatever that book does and what it did for you, that will matter,” he said.

After the first round, the presenters as a panel will be required to answer one or two questions which Murray will devise which is open enough that it could apply to any book, he said.

“You can talk about that in terms of how that question actually relates to the book you have presented,” he said, indicating that will be followed a one minute final pitch for each presenter.

Then it’s time to vote, where the audience will vote for the book that impressed them the most – all done in a secret ballot.

The winner of the 2024 County Reads Debate is announced on the night.

For those wanting to obtain a title in advance of the event, or at any time, books can be borrowed from any library branch, or purchased from Books and Company in Picton.

The County’s favourite literary debate, as it has been dubbed over the years, the County Reads Debate, is set for Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary Magdalene Church, located at 335 Main Street, Picton (opposite Shire Hall). Tickets are available now, in person at any library branch, and at the door on the night, and cost $10. Details can be found at peclibrary.org/countyreads

COUNTY READS AUTHORS FESTIVAL
The 2024 County Reads Authors Festival is set for April 18-20 with a variety of author events.

Friday, April 19:
Peggy Collins, author of Harley the Hero (free children’s event)
*Terry Fallis, author of A New Season (author readings and discussion)
*Charlotte Gray, author of Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons (author readings and discussion and media presentation)

Saturday, April 20:
Phil Hall (Al Purdy A-Frame poet) From Prose to Music: A Methods Workshop
*Roy MacGregor, author of Paper Trails (author readings and discussion)
*Bruce Sudds, author of The Song of O’Sullivan’s Chain (author readings and discussion)

*$20 each, or $60 for all four author events (held at Picton branch library).

For more information about the County Reads Authors Festival, visit peclibrary.org/countyreads. Tickets will be available at any PEC library branch, or at the door on the day of the event.