A query about the group assignment

Here's a question that came to me recently that is likely in line with what many of you are wondering about today:

hey prof. martin,
i'm having a really difficult time finding canadian book reviews from
2002-present for our group book choosing assignment. i've tried searching
multiple things on many different search engines and i've checked a countless
number of library websites and i just can't seem to find some book reviews or
anything. do you have any suggestions on where i could find out about some
canadian novels from 2002-present?

Wayne Gretzky

Hi Wayne,

Not a problem. In fact, you'll note that I never told anyone they couldn't just ask me. I simply instructed everyone to think as widely as they can in trying to find recent books.

That said, I'm not going to make it quite THAT easy. :)

Here are a couple of questions for you that might help you find what you're looking for:

Searching various library websites is a good idea, as is looking for reviews.

If you couldn't find a book you were looking for in a library, where would you go?

Also, remember that many books by Canadian writers never even make it to the US marketplace. Knowing that, where might you need to go to obtain a Canadian book that isn't available in the US?

To take another approach, reviews are one way of finding out if someone else thinks a particular book is of high quality. What is another way that the public or an organization like the Canada Council might choose to recognize books that they deem to be excellent or even "the best" published in a given year?

Hope that helps,

Paul

Groups

Here is the makeup of the groups for both sections of English 180

English 180 B (MWF 11:15-12:05)

Group A: James B., Eric B., Katrina B, Katy C, Brandon C
Group B: Rebecca C, Elizabeth D, Ellie F, Brittany F, Ted G.
Group C: Tiffany G, Paul H, Laura I, Alex K, Coco K
Group D: Meghan L, Kate L, Emma L, Samantha M, Brendan M
Group E: Ross M, Stephanie P, Alysa P, Stephanie R, Alanna T
Group F: Eve T, Jill V., Renae W, Reuben W, Erica W, Catherine W

English 180 A (MWF 2:30 - 3:20)
Group A: Carolyn A, Jeremy B, Tom B, Mary B, Ashley C
Group B: Adam, Margaret D, Chris D, Katherine F, Laura F
Group C: Kyle H, Betsy H, Jesse J, Scott K, John L
Group D: Tal M, Joanna M, Edward M, Evan M, Doug P
Group E: Ben P, Alexa R, Sarah S, Jesse S, Kendra S,
Group F: Kyla S, Shannon S, Andrew T, Billy W