Here is the Canada Reads 2021 longlist

2020 was a year like no other. As we start 2021 and look forward to the 20th edition of Canada Reads, we are reminded that books can be a safe place to go when times are tough. Whether you're reading to escape your daily cares, to explore new perspectives or simply to lift your spirits, these stories of perseverance, discovery and resilience will transport you across Canada, around the world and to worlds beyond.

The 2021 longlist is:

• Yiddish for Pirates by Gary Barwin
• All Together Now by Alan Doyle
• Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi
• Autopsy of a Boring Wife by Marie-Rene Lavoie, translated by Arielle Aaronson
• Two Trees Make a Forest by Jessica J. Lee
• Dirty Birds by Morgan Murray
• The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O'Neill
• The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk
• Tatouine by Jean-Christophe Rhel, translated by Katherine Hastings and Peter McCambridge
• Thunder Through My Veins by Gregory Scofield
• Wendy, Master of Art by Walter Scott
• You Are Eating An Orange. You Are Naked. by Sheung-King
• Tilly and the Crazy Eights by Monique Gray Smith
• Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots
• Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead

The panellists and the books they choose to championwill be revealed on Jan. 14, 2021.

The debates will take place March 8-11, 2021.

They will be hosted byAli Hassanandwill be broadcast onCBC Radio One,CBC TV,CBC Gemand onCBC Books.

Hassan has hostedCanada Readssince 2017.

Hassan is an actor, comedian andhost ofCBCRadio'sLaugh Out Loudand a frequent guest host of As it Happens andq. He can also be seen in his recurring TV roles onDesignated Survivor,Odd SquadandCardinal.

• Ali Hassan shares 5 reads that have shaped his life

2021 marks the 20th edition of Canada Reads.

Canada Readspremiered in 2002. The first winning book wasIn the Skin of a Lionby Michael Ondaatje, whichwas defended by musician Steven Page.

OtherpastCanada Readswinnersinclude Lawrence Hill'sThe Illegal, defended by Olympian Clara Hughes,Kim Thy'sRu, defended by TIFF artistic director Cameron Bailey and Lisa Moore'sFebruary, defended by comedian Trent McClellan.

Last year's winner was actor Amanda Brugel, defending the memoirWe Have Always Been Hereby Samra Habib.You can rewatch the 2020 debates here.

You can see a complete list of past winners and contenders here.

You can learn more about books on the Canada Reads2021 longlist below.

Yiddish for Pirates by Gary Barwin

Yiddish for Piratesis a nautical odyssey narrated by a wise-cracking, polyglot parrot.The parrot, who now lives in a nursing home in Florida, tells the story ofMoishe, a boy who joins a ship's crew in 1492. There,Moishemeets the parrot, Aaron. The two have an unforgettable adventure, following maps and hunting for treasure. But it's the period of the SpanishInquisition, 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.

Yiddish for Pirateswas a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Governor General's Literary Award for fiction and wontheLeacock Medal for Humour.

• 7 books that excite Gary Barwin

Gary Barwin is a multidisciplinary artist, composer and poet who currently lives in Hamilton, Ont. He has written more than 20 books, includingpoetry, fiction and books for children. His poetry collections includeFor It is a Pleasureand aSurprise to Breatheand No TV for Woodpeckers.Yiddish for Piratesis his first novel.

The Next Chapter3:26Gary Barwin on "Yiddish for Pirates"

Author Gary Barwin on the inspiration for his first novel.

All Together Now by Alan Doyle

Alan Doyle, the lead singer of Great Big Sea, is a proud Newfoundlander. He normally spends his time travelling the world, performing for fans, and catching up with pals. InAll Together Now,Doyletries to capture what it's like being in a Newfoundland pub: having a laugh and telling great, winding stories with your pals. All Together Nowis a collection of heat-warming and uplifting stories, whichrecount some of hisbiggest successes, biggest failingsand best memories.

• Alan Doyle recounts some of his funniest and most cautionary tales from life on the road

Doyle is a musician, writer and actor. He is also the author of the memoir Where I Belong. He lives in St. John's.

The Sunday Magazine10:53How food can be its own language with author Francesca Ekwuyasi

We kick off an ongoing focus on what food can reveal about life, culture and society with Francesca Ekwuyasi, the Nigerian-Canadian novelist behind the Giller Prize longlisted novel Butter Honey Pig Bread. She speaks with Chattopadhyay about the role food plays in complex family dynamics and how cooking can be a way of expressing care, regret, desire for forgiveness, and more.For more, visit: www.cbc.ca/1.5737303

Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi

Butter Honey Pig Breadis a novel about twin sisters, Kehinde and Taiye, and their mother, Kambirinachi. Kambirinachi believes she was a spirit who was supposed to die as a small child. By staying alive, she is cursing her family a fear that appears to come true when Kehinde experiences something that tears the family apart, and divides the twins for years. But when the three women connect years later, they must confront their past and find forgiveness.

Butter Honey Pig Breadwason the Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist.

• Francesca Ekwuyasi explored food and forgiveness in her first book

Francesca Ekwuyasiis a writer, filmmaker and visual artist. Her writing has appeared in the Malahat Review, Guts and Brittle Paper, and she waslonglisted for the 2019 Journey Prize.Butter Honey Pig Breadis her first book. She currently lives in Halifax.

The Sunday Magazine27:16Jessica J. Lee shares her family's turbulent history in Taiwan's lush landscape

In her memoir Two Trees Make a Forest, Canadian writer and environmental historian Jessica J. Lee returns to her mother's homeland of Taiwan to understand the landscape that shaped her family - and in turn, shapes her. The book intertwines her grandparents' histories, the political history of Taiwan and the island's geological history. She speaks with Chattopadhyay about home, multiplicity and belonging.For more, visit: www.cbc.ca/1.5729728

Autopsy of a Boring Wife by Marie-Rene Lavoie, translated by Arielle Aaronson

Autopsy of a Boring Wifeis an unexpectedly funny novel about a woman named Diane whose husband of 25 years says she's too boring to stay with, so he leaves her for a younger woman. Diane dreams up ways to get her husband back, torture his new girlfriend and move on with the support of her best friend and three children.

Autopsy of a Boring Wifewas translated from French by Arielle Aaronson.

• The best Canadian fiction of 2019

Marie-Rene Lavoieis the author of three books, includingMister Roger and Me(La petite et le vieuxin French), which won Radio-Canada'sLes combat des livresin 2012.Shelives in Montreal.

The Next Chapter13:35Gregory Scofield on Thunder Through My Veins

The Metis poet and non-fiction writer Gregory Scofield on his memoir Thunder Through My Veins, which has been reissued 20 years after its original publication.

Two Trees Make a Forest by Jessica J. Lee

Two Trees Make a Forestis anonfiction book that exploreshow geographical forces are interlaced with our family stories. A chance discovery of letters written by her immigrant grandfather leads Jessica J. Lee to her ancestral homeland, Taiwan. There, she traces his story while growing closer to the land he knew. Throughout her adventures, Lee uncovers surprising parallels between nature and human stories that shaped her family and their beloved island. In the memoir, she also turns a critical eye onto colonialist explorers who mapped the land and named plants, and both relied on and often erased the labour and knowledge of local communities.

Two Trees Make a Forestwon the 2020Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction.

• In Taiwan's lush landscape, Jessica J. Lee found a deeper understanding of her family's turbulent history

Lee is a British Canadian Taiwanese author andenvironmental historian. She won the RBC Taylor Prize Emerging Author Award in 2019. Her first book,Turning, was longlisted for the Frank Hegyi Award for Emerging Authors. Lee has a PhD inenvironmental history and aesthetics, and currently lives in London.

Dirty Birds by Morgan Murray

Dirty Birdsis a humorouscoming-of-age novel set against the backdrop of the 2008 global recession.A young man named Milton Ontario (yes, it's alsoa place)leaves his small hometown in Saskatchewan to pursue fame and fortune in Montreal andto find his idol,the iconic singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen.

• Dirty Birdsa pitch perfect send up of hip, artistic, romantic Montreal

Morgan Murrayis a writer from Alberta who now lives in Nova Scotia.Dirty Birdsis his first novel.

The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O'Neill

The Lonely Hearts Hotelis a historical tragicomic love story about two orphans hustling in Montreal's underground who dream of opening a circus together. Despite it seeming like everything is against them, they eventually make their dreams come true but at what cost?

• 9 books that inspired Heather O'Neill

Heather O'Neill is a writer from Montreal. Her booksinclude the novelsLullabies for Little Criminals,The Girl Who WasSaturday Night, the short story collectionDaydreams of Angelsandthe nonfiction bookWisdom in Nonsense.She the first back-to-back finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize: The Girl Who WasSaturday Nightwas a finalist in 2014 andDaydreams of Angelswas a finalist in 2015.

The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk

In the fantasy novelThe Midnight Bargain, Beatrice is makingher debut at "bargaining season" an annual event where wealthy young men and women gather from all over the world to make advantageous marriages. But she harbours secret plans that will upend society. Rather than get married, Beatrice plans to bind a greater spirit and become a full magician. Performing the secret ritual goes against the rules of her world, which prohibits women from practicing magic while they can still bear children. With the help of the wealthy Lavan siblings, fiery Ysbeta and her handsome brother Ianthe, Beatrice searches for a way to change old patriarchal traditions.

• The best Canadian fiction of 2020

C.L. Polk is a fantasy writer from Calgary. Her other books includeWitchmarkand Stormsong. Witchmark wasnominated for aSunburst AwardandAurora Award

Tatouine by Jean-Christophe Rhel, translated by Katherine Hastings and Peter McCambridge

Tatouineis a novel about what life would be like on another planet, one of your own making. In his humorous novel, the unnamed narrator dreams of a life on Tatouine, instead of his mundane one in Montreal. Instead of writing poems and working at a grocery store, he would be making sand angels and playing video games.

Tatouinewas originally published in French in 2018. It was translatedbyKatherine Hastings and Peter McCambridge.

• The CBC Books fall 2020 reading list

Jean-Christophe Rhel is a writerfrom Quebec. He has written several collections of poetry.Tatouineis his first novel, and it is his first book available in English.

Thunder Through My Veins by Gregory Scofield

Gregory Scofield is a poet who has helped shape contemporary Indigenous writing. But the path to getting to becoming an accomplished writer wasn't easy. Scofield's father left him when he was five years old and hegrew up surrounded by violence andpoverty. But he had the love of his mother, the support of a kind neighbour and a desire to figure out who he was and what he wanted.Thunder Through My Veinsis a memoir that recountsScofield's early life and his experiences defining his identity and place in the world.

Thunder Through My Veinswas originally published in 1999, when Scofield was 33, and was re-released with a new foreword in 2020.

• What Gregory Scofield learned by revisiting his memoirThunder Through My Veins20 years later

Scofield is a Red River Mtis poet, writer, academic andactivist. In 2016, he receivedtheLatner Writers' Trust Poetry Prize, a $25,000 award given to an accomplished mid-career poet.His other books include the poetry collectionsLove Medicine and One SongandWitness, I Am.

Wendy, Master of Art by Walter Scott

In the comicWendy, Master of Art,Wendy is a serious art student at the University of Hell in a small Ontario town. As she works towardher Master Fine Arts, Wendy confronts her ever-ballooninginsecurities, fears and doubts with therapy, excessive drinking and partying.

• Walter Scott's Wendy comics depict the hilarious and tender misadventures of an aspiring artist

Walter Scott is aKahnaw:ke-born artist who lives in Toronto. He's published two other Wendy books,includingWendy's Revenge,and has appeared in The New Yorker and the Best American Comics anthology. You can watch Scott discuss his work on CBC Arts's In the Making on CBC Gem.

You Are Eating An Orange You Are Naked. by Sheung-King

You are Eating an Orange. You are Naked.is a surreal novel about a translator who travels the globe with his lover. Along the way, they tell each other stories, pose philosophical questions and share their ideas about the world. It's glamorous and stimulating, but the lover often disappears without explanation.

Sheung-Kingis a writer born in Vancouver, raised in Hong Kong and currently living in Toronto.You are Eating an Orange. You are Naked.is his first book.

Tilly and the Crazy Eights by Monique Gray Smith

Tilly and the Crazy Eightsis a novel thatfollows a woman named Tilly, as she impulsively agrees to drive eight elders on a life-changing road trip to Albuquerque for the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow. The eight elders, who call themselves the Crazy Eights, each choose a stop on the way to check something off on their bucket list. Each new place unearths old stories and offers healing to ancient scars.

• How a road trip inspired Monique Gray Smith'snovel Tilly and the Crazy Eights

Monique Gray Smith is a writer of Cree, Lakotaand Scottish heritage who currently lives inVictoria. She is also the author of the novelTilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience, the nonfiction middle-grade book Speaking Our Truth, and the picture books When We Are Kind and My Heart Fills with Happiness.

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

Henchis a novel about Anna, a woman who pays the bills by doing administrative work for villains. But then an incidentinvolving the world's most popular superhero leaves her injured and gets her fired. Annarealizeswhat happened to her isn't unique and she might have the means to take down the so-called hero who hurt her. How? With every office workers's secret weapon: data.

• The best Canadian fiction of 2020

Natalie Zina Walschotsis a writer and journalist from Toronto.She is also the author of the poetry collectionsDOOM: Love Poems for SupervillainsandThumbscrews.

Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead

JonnyAppleseedis a novel about a Two-Spirit Indigiqueer young manwho has left the reserve and becomes a cybersex worker in the big city to make ends meet. But hemust reckon with his past when he returns home to attend his stepfather's funeral.

Jonny Appleseedwas onthe longlist for the 2018 Scotiabank Giller Prizeand theGovernor General's Literary Award for fiction shortlist and was afinalist for theAmazon Canada First Novel Award.

Jonny Appleseedwonthe Lambda Literary Award for gay fiction.

• Why Joshua Whitehead wroteJonny Appleseed

Joshua Whitehead is a Two-Spirit, Oji-nhiyaw member of Peguis First Nation, currently pursing his PhD. He is also the author of the poetry collectionfull-metalindigiqueerand is the editor of the anthology Love Afterthe End.JonnyAppleseedis his first novel.