The writer Jennifer Manuel discusses her new novel, The Heaviness of Things That Float (Douglas & McIntyre, 2016), as well as the TRC Reading Challenge, where she challenges Canadians to read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s summary report, with Joseph Planta.

The Heaviness of Things That Float by Jennifer Manuel (Douglas & McIntyre, 2016). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Heaviness of Things That Float

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, at TheCommentary.ca.

The Heaviness of Things That Float is the new novel from the writer Jennifer Manuel. In it, she explores the relationship between First Nations communities and non-natives in a story that takes place in a remote community in British Columbia. The Tawakin Reserve has about a hundred people, and Bernadette, lives on the outskirts, serving the community as a its nurse. Early on in the book, which I’ve just started, you get a sense of the isolation, how far everything is, as well as how far the people are, especially Bernadette, who’s spent her career there, yet as she retires feels unsettled. A young man, named Chase Charlie, whom Bernadette loves like a son goes missing. As the community is thrown into upheaval, questions about knowing one another arise. I’ll get Ms. Manuel who joins me now to tell us about her book, about the themes therein, as well as the TRC Reading Challenge. By 21 June 2016, she wants at least a thousand people to read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s summary report. We’ll find out how many people thus far have taken up the challenge, and why we ought to read this report. Jennifer Manuel has won awards for her short fiction, and she’s been published in PRISM International, The Fiddlehead, Room Magazine, and Little Fiction. She lives in Duncan, BC, where she joins me from today. The website for more is at www.jenmanuel.ca. The site to sign up to read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report is at www.trcreadingchallenge.com. I’ve pledged to read it. The Heaviness of Things That Float is published by Douglas & McIntyre. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Jennifer Manuel; Ms. Manuel, good morning.

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