‘Forgiveness’ by Mark Sakamoto wins CBC’s Canada Reads

Mark Sakamoto’s Second World War-era novel “Forgiveness” has won CBC’s Canada Reads competition.

The annual battle of the books pits five titles against each other, with each represented by a celebrity advocate.

Fashion journalist Jeanne Beker had argued on behalf of “Forgiveness,” which was originally published in 2015.

The runner-up was “American War” by Omar El Akkad, which was supported by “Battlestar Galactica” actor Tahmoh Penikett.

The other books in the running were Sharon Bala’s “The Boat People” (defended by Mozhdah Jamalzadah), Craig Davidson’s “Precious Cargo” (backed by Greg Johnson), and Cherie Dimaline’s “The Marrow Thieves” (supported by Jully Black).