Trent Reads Begins with the Battle of the Books
Gzowski College head Melanie Buddle and TCSA president Sheldon Willerton defend their titles at the Battle of the Books for Trent Reads 2012.
“Celebrity Champions” defend their choice of book to be read by the Trent community during Intro Week in September
Small Print coverage of Trent Reads
The gloves have officially come off in the battle to name the next Trent Reads literary selection. A panel of “celebrity” judges took to the stage on Wednesday, February 1, 2012, at Peter Gzowski College to champion their book selections for Trent Reads. The four panelists took turns defending their selections and waging good-natured attacks on the other selected works of fiction.
“A live panel battle of the books is a great way to get people interested in the program,” said Dr. Jocelyn Aubrey, associate dean of Undergraduate Studies and chair of the Trent Reads committee. “It adds an extra element of excitement.”
A committee selecting the books for the Trent Reads short list held to a few criteria. “The author had to be Canadian,” explained Professor Aubrey, “and preferably alive, so we could invite him or her to come and read – as we have in previous years. The book should be available in paperback, in order to make it more accessible to everyone who wishes to take part.”
Ellysa Cherny, Trent University Oshawa Student Association (TOSA) board member, defended The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews. “At its heart, it is a book about love and acceptance,” she said. “It’s a lesson about how to love each other.”
