Canada Reads panellist Greg Johnson and Precious Cargo author Craig Davidson get to know each other
Craig Davidson's memoir Precious Cargo is a finalist on Canada Reads 2018. Storm chaser Greg Johnson is defending the autobiographical book that chronicles Davidson's year driving a special needs school bus.
In the video above, Johnson and Davidson get to know each other a little better in a rapid-fire Q&A round.
Canada Reads 2018, which will be hosted by Ali Hassan, takes place March 26–29, 2018.
Craig Davidson: "How do you describe Canada Reads to people who don't know what it is?"
Greg Johnson: "I call it — and I actually tweeted this today — the Super Bowl of literature. Oh, actually that's incorrect. It's the Grey Cup of literature."
Craig Davidson: "What was it about my book that you connected with?"
Greg Johnson: "You, man. The story's great. The story is funny. The message is powerful, but that exists in all five books. The thing that I really took away from your book was you. I saw so much of your life story in myself, that failure upon failure upon failure — you failed a lot. You were really horrible for a long time and we all go through that. I got to that same point, where you're doing this crappy job because it's like the last possible outlet and then it turns into this really incredible, powerful experience that changes who you are and how you look at life. I saw a lot of that in me. Then on top of that, I laughed throughout the book. At a few points, there were some tears shed."
Greg Johnson: "What was the best part of writing the book?"
Craig Davidson: "I think the best part of writing the book happened before writing the book, which was the actual experience itself. Spending time on the bus with those kids, getting to know them, getting to know their families and basically getting a breakneck education on a topic that I had very little understanding of beforehand."
Craig Davidson: "What is the first word that pops into your head when I say: Canada Reads?"
Greg Johnson: "The first thing that would into pop in my head when I say Canada Reads is: 'honoured.' My guidance counsellor from high school would be shocked that I'm somehow even involved in this — I was more of a sciences, math kind of guy back then — at the idea of me actually picking up a book and reading it."
Greg Johnson: "When did you realize that you wanted to be a writer?"
Craig Davidson: "It was pretty early in my life. I did a Grade 12 creative writing course and I was a terrible student in every other way. I remember my teacher Ms. Jefferies came up to me and she said: 'I can't believe I'm saying this Davidson, but you actually seem to show some proficiency and talent at this.' And there were days later on, when I was poor and impoverished wishing she'd never even given me a glimmer of hope. But the desire to be a writer happened early in my life."
Greg Johnson: "What's the best book you've ever read?"
Craig Davidson: "That's a tough one. I would say something by Stephen King. He's my favourite author, so I would say It is my favourite book. Less because of the horror aspects of it — though those are very terrifying — and more because he captures childhood in a way that, in my reading, no one else has done successfully and it's poignant."
The Canada Reads 2018 contenders
- Mozhdah Jamalzadah, defending The Boat People by Sharon Bala
- Tahmoh Penikett, defending American War by Omar El Akkad
- Greg Johnson, defending Precious Cargo by Craig Davidson
- Jeanne Beker, defending Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto
- Jully Black, defending The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline