Omar El Akkad

Tareq Hadhad is defending What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad on Canada Reads 2022.

Canada Reads will take place March 28-31. The debates will be hosted by Ali Hassan and will be broadcast on CBC Radio One, CBC TV, CBC Gem and on CBC Books. 

• Meet the Canada Reads 2022 contenders

About Omar El Akkad

Omar El Akkad is a Canadian journalist and author who currently lives in Portland, Ore. He is also the author of the novel American War, which was defended on Canada Reads 2018 by actor Tahmoh Penikett. El Akkad was born in Cairo, Egypt and grew up in Doha, Qatar before moving to Canada with his family. He is an award-winning journalist and author who has traveled around the world to cover many of the most important news stories of the last decade. His reporting includes dispatches from the NATO-led war in Afghanistan, the military trials at Guantànamo Bay, the Arab Spring revolution in Egypt and the Black Lives Matter movement in Ferguson, Mo. He is a recipient of Canada's National Newspaper Award for Investigations and the Goff Penny Memorial Prize for Young Canadian Journalists, as well as three National Magazine Award honourable mentions. What Strange Paradise won the 2021 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

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• Read an excerpt from What Strange Paradise
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Books by Omar El Akkad

The Canada Reads 2022 contenders

• Christian Allaire champions Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
• Malia Baker champions Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez
• Tareq Hadhad champions What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad
• Suzanne Simard champions Life In the City of Dirty Water by Clayton Thomas-Müller
• Mark Tewksbury champions Washington Black by Esi Edugyan

Interviews with Omar El Akkad

18:06Omar El Akkad on What Strange Paradise

Omar El Akkad in conversation with Shelagh Rogers about his novel, on What Strange Paradise.

Q12:18Omar El Akkad reflects on winning $100K Scotiabank Giller Prize

Omar El Akkad is the winner of the 2021 Scotiabank Giller Prize for his novel What Strange Paradise. The author joined Tom Power to talk about being honoured with Canada's most prestigious literary award.

Q10:07Canada Reads contender Tareq Hadhad on defending Omar El Akkad's What Strange Paradise

Speaker and entrepreneur Tareq Hadhad joined Tom Power to talk about competing in this year's battle of the books and why he's defending Omar El Akkad's What Strange Paradise.

Book trailer: What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad

12 months ago

Duration 1:10

Omar El Akkad's novel will be championed by Tareq Hadhad on Canada Reads 2022.

Watch the 2018 Canada Reads panellists & authors in conversation with Gill Deacon

5 years ago

Duration 1:07:45

The Canada Reads defenders and authors took the stage in Toronto to discuss the five books that will be championed on CBC's battle of the books from March 26-29, 2018. Here and Now's Gill Deacon hosted the event in the Glenn Gould Studio.

CBC Books5:56Omar El Akkad on Afternoon Drive with Chris dela Torre

Omar El Akkad talks to Chris dela Torre about his Canada Reads shortlisted novel, American War.