Feeling bookish
Last year I was listening to CBC radio and heard the host talking about the Whitbread Award winner for 2004, a book called "Small Island" by Andrea Levy.
I was so intrigued by the story, set in post-WWII (my favourite time period), about a Jamaican couple who come to England to make a better life for themselves based on the wonderful things they had always been taught about "the Mother Country" in Jamaica, and the "scratched record sound" they experience when they arrive. I promptly picked it up from the library and read it. It was funny, quirky, educational and thought-provoking. I enjoyed every minute of it!
So naturally when I logged on to CBC.ca today and saw that one of the headlines was about the Whitbread Award for 2005, I wanted to know more. And now I have a new book to add to my "to read" list, "The Accidental" by Ali Smith. And after visiting the website and going through the lists of past winners, I am finding more books that I either recognize or will be adding to my requests at the library.
However, now the Whitbread Group is passing the torch:
Whitbread Group announced last year it would no longer back the prizes, which were founded in 1971 and are open to residents of Britain and the Republic of Ireland. The search is on for a new sponsor.
The company, once Britain's largest brewer, said it doesn't have any products carrying the Whitbread brandname anymore and therefore, doesn't need to promote itself through the awards. Whitbread owns restaurants (Costa Coffee, TGI Fridays), hotels (Marriott, Travel Inn) and fitness clubs.
I hope they find a new sponsor, and I hope the new sponsor continues to award books like "Small Island." I'll be looking for a winner to add to my list next year!
I was so intrigued by the story, set in post-WWII (my favourite time period), about a Jamaican couple who come to England to make a better life for themselves based on the wonderful things they had always been taught about "the Mother Country" in Jamaica, and the "scratched record sound" they experience when they arrive. I promptly picked it up from the library and read it. It was funny, quirky, educational and thought-provoking. I enjoyed every minute of it!
So naturally when I logged on to CBC.ca today and saw that one of the headlines was about the Whitbread Award for 2005, I wanted to know more. And now I have a new book to add to my "to read" list, "The Accidental" by Ali Smith. And after visiting the website and going through the lists of past winners, I am finding more books that I either recognize or will be adding to my requests at the library.
However, now the Whitbread Group is passing the torch:
Whitbread Group announced last year it would no longer back the prizes, which were founded in 1971 and are open to residents of Britain and the Republic of Ireland. The search is on for a new sponsor.
The company, once Britain's largest brewer, said it doesn't have any products carrying the Whitbread brandname anymore and therefore, doesn't need to promote itself through the awards. Whitbread owns restaurants (Costa Coffee, TGI Fridays), hotels (Marriott, Travel Inn) and fitness clubs.
I hope they find a new sponsor, and I hope the new sponsor continues to award books like "Small Island." I'll be looking for a winner to add to my list next year!
Is TGI Fridays the same restaurants we have here? because here they're owned by Carlson Companies.
Another interesting Canadaian/US relations thing.
Suddenly I wonder if Bex is in Canada. You are aren't you? It's Dex who is in Portland, right? *nervous*
Posted by
Anonymous |
3:17 PM
Yeah I'm in Canada. I assumed the TGI Friday restaurants they were talking about were the same ones in the US - maybe Whitbread owns Carlson?
And yup, Dex is in Portland.
Posted by
Bex |
12:44 PM