Ontario Library Association
Evergreen Reading Award™ Program

NOMINEES FOR 2008

	Afterlands Written by Steven Heighton This is a fictionalized account of an 1871 arctic exploration when 19 people -- crew members and their native guides -- were separated from their ship and trapped for several months on an ice floe. The first half of the novel is a remarkable survival story replete with intrigue and harrowing plot twists. The second half deals with the poignant aftermath of their return to civilization and the messy fallout from the publication of the ship commander's account of their adventure. Using factual material, Heighton masterfully re-imagines the event in this gripping and beautifully-told tale.
	The Book of Negroes Written by Lawrence Hill The Book of Negroes is the compelling fictional memoir of Aminata Diallo, an eleven-year old West African girl who was captured and sold into bondage in 1745. The memoir is written by an elderly Aminata, in 1802, after the British abolitionists ask her to write an account of her life. The narrative recounts Aminata's trek from her village in Mali to an indigo plantation in South Carolina. Although still a child, she is both a trained midwife and literate. These skills save her life on more than one occasion. From slavery in South Carolina, Aminata travels to Nova Scotia as one of several thousand Black Loyalists. In order to leave, the slaves had to pledge their loyalty to Britain and register in the "Book of Negroes". Part of this massive document is housed today in the collection of the Public Archives of Nova Scotia. From Nova Scotia, Aminata is one of 1200 former slaves who returned to Africa to found Sierra Leone. The geographical and historical scope of The Book of Negroes introduces the reader to a little-known piece of Canadian history. Aminata's narrative will not be forgotten any time soon. The book is published in the United States under the title Someone Knows My Name.
	Fifteen Days : Stories of Bravery, Friendship, Life and Death from Inside the New Canadian Army Written by Christie Blatchford Long before she made her first trip to Afghanistan as an embedded reporter for The Globe and Mail, Christie Blatchford was already one of Canada's most respected and eagerly read journalists. Her vivid prose, her unmistakable voice, her ability to connect emotionally with her subjects and readers, her hard-won and hard-nosed skills as a reporter — these had already established her as a household name. But with her many reports from Afghanistan, and in dozens of interviews with the returned members of the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and others back at home, she found the subject she was born to tackle. Her reporting of the conflict and her deeply empathetic observations of the men and women who wear the maple leaf are words for the ages, fit to stand alongside the nation's best writing on war. It is a testament to Christie Blatchford's skills and integrity that along with the admiration of her readers, she won the respect and trust of the soldiers. They share breathtakingly honest accounts of their desire to serve, their willingness to confront fear and danger in the battlefield, their loyalty towards each other and the heartbreak occasioned by the loss of one of their own. Grounded in insights gained over the course of three trips to Afghanistan in 2006, and drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews not only with the servicemen and -women with whom she shared so much, but with their commanders and family members as well, Christie Blatchford creates a detailed, complex and deeply affecting picture of military life in the twenty-first century. (from the hardcover edition)
	The Horseman's Graves Written by Jacqueline Baker On the Saskatchewan-Alberta border lays the predominantly German community of Sand Hills. We are introduced to a cast of characters that are attempting to survive the best way possible in the turn of the century in a predominant farming community in rural Saskatchewan. The story focuses around the Schoff and Krauss families and how through 3 generations their lives become intertwined leading to a series of tragic events that will alter both families forever. Memorable characters such as Elisabeth the wild stepdaughter of Leo Krauss and Lathias, the introverted Métis farmhand who works on the Schoff family farm engage the reader into this enveloped small community of German immigrants. Including stunning descriptions of the Saskatchewan landscape, German folklore and old country superstitions Baker takes the reader into a truly unique period of Canadian history and draws the reader into the lives of this community with all of its baggage and traditions.
	The Letter Opener Written by Kyo Maclear Eloquent, and flowing, Maclear's exquisite first novel draws the reader into a world that explores complex facets of life, facets that touch all of us. The premise is simple. Naiko, a young Japanese/English girl works in the Undeliverable Mail Office of the Post Office. Every day she handles precious objects that have gone astray. There is a story behind each lost object. McLear cleverly connects this loss to more profound losses through Andrei, Naiko's close friend and colleague and refugee who fled Nicolae Ceausescu's brutal regime with his lover Nicolae. When Andrei suddenly disappears one day with no warning, the desperate Naiko is left to sift through his tale to find the truth. As Naiko searches for an explanation, Maclear peels back layer after delicate layer of fact and fiction, exposing human fralities like love, loss, identity, isolation, aging, family relationships and human connections.
	One Red Paperclip Written by Kyle MacDonald Motivated both by the desire to help with the rent for his and his girlfriend Dominique's apartment, and the greater desire to someday own a house, Kyle MacDonald decided to trade his way to this ultimate goal. "Bigger and better" is a game he and his friends started when he was a teenager, the idea being to trade something already in your possession with something else that is 'bigger and better.' The game didn't amount to much in his youth, but in 2005, Kyle was ready to try it again. By accessing the Web site 'Craigslist', an on-line trading site, he offered his one red paperclip to the highest bidder. From the paperclip, he traded up to a fish pen, then to a doorknob, then to camping stove, then to a generator, and so on. Finally, after one year, much determination, and 14 trades, Kyle traded up to his ultimate goal: a house, located in Kipling, Saskatchewan. "One red paperclip" is Kyle's success story....
	Radiance Written by Shaena Lambert From Canadian fiction writer and poet Shaena Lambert, Radiance is a beautiful novel about the power of love, betrayal and compassion. Set in 1952 after the ravages of Hiroshima, Radiance tells the story of Keiko, a young woman who not only lost her family in the bombing but is also physically scarred and is brought to New York City for a surgery. Lambert captures this time in history with great care and brings her characters to life in a skilfully woven plot.
	The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism Written by Naomi Klein In her previous book No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies Naomi Klein took aim at the marketing techniques used by mega-corporations in their quest for a ubiquitous brand identity, and the exploitive labour practices that keep these companies running. This best seller quickly became the bible of the anti-globalization movement. Now with The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism she tackles an even more ambitious subject, an exploration of the economic history of the last 50 years and the rise of free-market fundamentalism around the world. This meticulously documented study posits that massive social upset such as natural disasters, wars and political unrest allows for the implementation of the free-market policies advocated by Milton Friedman and the Chicago School of Economics. "Countries are shocked – by wars, terror attacks, coups d'état and natural disasters." Then "they are shocked again – by corporations and politicians who exploit the fear and disorientation of this first shock to push through economic shock therapy." Klein looks at the experiences of diverse nations such as Chile, Poland, South Africa and the United States to frame her central argument that these extremist policies have been economic disasters leading to depressions and mass poverty. Work of this nature will always generate controversy and stir debate. Whichever side of the argument you land on however this comprehensively researched book is a compelling, thought provoking and important read.
	The Unfinished Canadian Written by Andrew Cohen In The Unfinished Canadian, Andrew Cohen delves into the history and present in search of our national character. What makes the Americans, the French, and the Chinese what they are, and what makes Canadians what they aren't? Our character is shaped by geography, history, politics, demography and prosperity. Cohen sifts through national myths and legends with irreverence and humour, and holds up a mirror to our perceptions of ourselves. In this provocative, passionate, and elegant book, Cohen argues that our mythology, our jealousy, our complacency, our apathy, our amnesia, and our moderation are all part of the unbearable lightness of being Canadian.
	Wind Tails Written by Anne DeGrace Set in 1977, this story revolves around one particular day in the life of Cass's Roadside Café in a remote B.C. mountain pass. DeGrace gathers an intriguing cast of characters including an American draft dodger, a truck driver, the local policeman and Jo, a recently arrived troubled teen, now the diner's waitress. As each of the travellers arrives, they find themselves drawn to Jo and it is as their stories are revealled, some sad, some happy, some stories of lives in transition, that they connect and intersect with her. It is through these chance encounters, that Jo finds the strenght to make the choices that allow her to move on.