Thomas Wharton in Canada Reads; a note from NeWest Press:

Astronaut picks Icefields by Thomas Wharton (NeWest Press, 1995) for 7th annual Canada Reads competition!

Steve MacLean, Chief Astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency, will boldly champion Thomas Wharton’s [see his 12 or 20 questions interview here] first novel, Icefields, for the CBC’s Canada Reads 2008 literary showdown. This is the first time a book by an Alberta author will compete in Canada Reads!

Book lovers across the country are invited to read this novel and participate in scheduled events. The Canada Reads debates will air daily on CBC’s Radio One from February 25 to 29, 2008, each episode ending with the elimination of a title.

Join the nation and cheer for Icefields as it battles against four other books chosen by celebrity panelists. Visit the NeWest Press website for related news and event listings: http://www.newestpress.com/.

Written by acclaimed author and Edmonton resident Thomas Wharton, this remarkable book has been published in 6 countries, won numerous awards, and developed a following of rapt and loyal readers. Icefields has been cited by the Times Literary Supplement for its “crystalline beauty.” People magazine calls it “a finely etched tale of love in a cold climate.”

www.cbc.ca/canadareads