Humble The Poet, championing Fifteen Dogs, wins Canada Reads 2017

Writer and rapperHumble The Poethas emerged victorious in this year'sCanada Reads, with the book he defended,Fifteen DogsbyAndrAlexis, survivingthe final elimination vote Thursday, March 30, 2017.

• Watch the Canada Reads 2017 finale

The former schoolteacher successfully navigated his book a thought-provoking novel that uses canine characters to explore human nature through the week's debates, eventually topping runner-upCompany Town,MadelineAshby's dystopianthriller championed by opera starMeashaBrueggergosman.

Fifteen Dogs wins Canada Reads 2017

8 years ago

Duration 6:31

Andre Alexis's book about a group of dogs that are granted human consciousness was defended by Toronto MC and spoken word artist Humble the Poet

Throughout the week,Humble The Poetargued thatFifteen Dogsoffered universal lessons about the human condition. Alexis' modern-day parable follows the fates of 15 dogs that have been gifted human consciousness by a pair of Greek gods.

"I didn't pick a book that looks like me, sounds like me, represents any type of minority that I might check off the box," Humble The Poetsaid on Day Two of the debates.

"I picked the book that represents me to my core. Everybody in this room has regrets, anxieties. Everybody in this room is struggling with the thoughts in their head, which ones they should believe [and] which ones they should not. Everybody in this room struggles with jealousy, irrespective of their race, their gender, their orientation, their economic background. This is the only book that talks about that over and over again."

Humble The Poet comes out swinging for Fifteen Dogs

8 years ago

Duration 1:33

Humble The Poet defends Fifteen Dogs against criticisms of accessibility and misogyny.

Humble The Poet consistently won over his fellowpanellistswith his poetic eloquence and layered defence of Fifteen Dogs. Up until the final day of debating, only one vote had been cast against it. In the finale, Brueggergosman was the only panellist who voted to eliminate it.

This year's debates werecenteredon the question:what book does Canada need to read now? ForHumble The Poet, the answer to that question changed throughout the week.

"First it was:'Canada needs a harsh lesson. Canada needs a wake-up call.' Then it was like, 'Canada needs a hug. Canada needs a laugh. Canada needs a pat on the back. Canada needs a spank in the butt,'" Humble The Poetsaid in the Q&A after Day Three of debating.

"I think the real debate, at the end of the day,is what does Canada need? And Canada is one of the most diverse countries in the world. Those needs are going to be extremely diverse."

Fifteen Dogs won the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2015, making it the first Giller recipient to also win Canada Reads. Alexis was recently honoured with the Windham-Campbell Prize, which recognizes an author's body of work and is oneof theworld'srichest literary awards.

The other three books were eliminated earlier in the week.The Break by Katherena Vermettewas the first to go, followed by M.G. Vassanji's Nostalgia and then The Right to be Cold by Sheila Watt-Cloutier.

• Counting up the votes: Results for each day of the Canada Reads debate

All three were cast off in tight votes, after being passionately defended by their respectivepanellists:broadcaster Candy Palmater, author and politician Jody Mitic and singer-songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk.

It was a week full of high-praise for all the contending books, but also featured some sharp exchanges and criticisms.

This year's show was hosted by Laugh Out Loud's Ali Hassan.

Humble The Poet will appear on q with Alexis on Friday, March 31.

Fifteen Dogs: Book trailer for Canada Reads 2017

8 years ago

Duration 0:38

Fifteen Dogs, written by Andr Alexis, follows a group of dogs that have been gifted with human consciousness.