UPDATE: Thomas Harrison successfully defended On Foot to Canterbury, by Ken Haigh.
The County’s favourite literary debate, The County Reads will be live-streamed again this year launching the PEC Author’s Festival. The event was originally planned to be held in-person, but was switched to online due to rising COVID cases in the community.
Hosted by the Prince Edward County Public Library, and a volunteer committee of book lovers, the festival begins Thursday, April 21 with the debate and continues Friday to Sunday with several online author speaking events.
At County Reads, books by five celebrated Canadian authors will be championed by five County residents defending their favourites to determine the best read of the year.
Ken Murray returns to moderate. Register at any branch of the library and online by clicking here
Last year’s County Reads was held online and aired on 99.3 County FM in 2020.
“We apologize for the change to online only, but feel this is appropriate for the health of the community.,” said library CEO Barbara Sweet.
This year’s defenders of the must-read books of the year:
Ryan Aldred – The Naked Don’t Fear the Water by Matthieu Aikins
Thomas Harrison – On Foot to Canterbury by Ken Haigh
Penny Morris – Blaze Island by Catherine Bush
Michelle Murray – The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley
Leigh Nash – Days by Moonlight by André Alexis
The Authors Festival continues through the weekend. All are online and Friday-Saturday events are free of charge. Click here to register.
Friday, April 22
1 p.m. Bryn Turnbull, author of the Last Grand Duchess, in conversation with Peter Blendell
2 p.m. Rosemary Sullivan, author of the Betrayal of Anne Frank, in conversation with Janet Kellough
3 p.m. Michael Posner, author of Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories, in conversation with JD Carpenter
Saturday, April 23
1 p.m. Kim Thúy, author of Em, in conversation with Anne Preston. Anne’s presentation of Thúy’s book Ru, was victorious at the 2021 County Reads
2 p.m. Marissa Stapley, author of Lucky, in conversation with Shelagh Mathers
3 p.m. Robert Hough, author of the Marriage of Rose Camilleri, in conversation with Ken Murray.
On Sunday, April 24, The Women Killing It Crime Writers Workshop will be held at the Picton Branch Library from 10 a.m. to noon. Hannah Mary McKinnon will lead a workshop on plotting, and then answer questions about writing, the publishing process and more. Tickets are $20 and available at peclibrary.org.
Copies of all the books are available at the library and Books & Co. in Picton. For more information, inquire at any branch of the library or call (613) 476-5962.
