Lisa Ray Instagram – This is the incredibly moving, poetic book charged with rhythm and emotion that I choose to defend as the ‘One book to move You’ for @cbcbooks #canadareads2019. #Brother by David Chariandy is set in a working class neighbourhood of Scarborough in the 90s. It takes us through the universal experience of loss by way of a coming of age story of two brothers of Trinidadian origins. This book is a ballad. It is NOW. It addresses ideas of kinship, class, race, striving hopes and senseless tragedy. It is a contemporary OPERA set in one of Canada’s most disparaged neighbourhoods. Brother will linger long after you finish, move you to examine your own prejudices and perceptions, force you to look beyond the headlines and make you question your own idea of what is valour and heroism. And reconciliation. How we heal from grief is both a very specific and yet very universal experience. The debates will air from March 25-28th on @cbc and I’m happy to share my fellow panelists (@mrjoezee @chuckcomeau @yanic_truesdale and #ZiyaTong) are all incredible individuals with distinct achievements and life experiences. It was a privilege to meet them and hang together (though I’ve been struggling with maj jet lag!) CBC Toronto