Lots of enthusiasm for Oxford Reads Gala about Claire Cameron’s ‘How to Survive a Bear Attack’

Emily Stewart, Echo Correspondent

The Oxford Reads Gala is more than a month away and there’s already plenty of enthusiasm.

The Oxford County Library and the Woodstock Public Library will hold the annual event at Woodstock Collegiate Institute on Oct. 30 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The Oxford Reads Gala will feature a conversation between outgoing Oxford County Warden Marcus Ryan and Claire Cameron, the author of the featured Oxford Reads Book How to Survive a Bear Attack, audience Q and A, and a book signing.

"Our community is so excited about this book and we're really, really excited to hear her story,” said Sarah Adam, systems librarian.

She is also looking forward to Ryan hosting the discussion.

"He's going to bring some incredible energy to the gala. He's read the book. He absolutely loved it. He anecdotally told me this has reinvigorated his love of reading,” she said.

The Oxford Reads program is in its ninth year, with the featured title first selected by a staff committee made up of members from both libraries. The committee reviews book nominations submitted by library staff before shortlisting five titles. Library patrons and Oxford County residents then vote to select the winning book.

"It's kind of a collaborative community process,” Adam said.

How to Survive a Bear Attack explores Cameron’s obsession with bear attacks that happened in Northern Ontario as well as her own cancer journey and the parallels between the two.

"There's something about her voice in the book that I think really connects with readers. It's a very accessible book. From the start, you are pulled right into her story, and her voice is so clear,” Adam said.

Leading up to the gala, Oxford Reads will host an array of events related to the book throughout the fall, including nature hikes in Pittock Park, Hodges Pond Trail, and Trillium Woods, book club meetings at the Woodstock Public Library and Ingersoll’s Commonplace Books, and presentations from wildlife photographer Terry Parker. There will also be a chance to hear from bear attack survivor Laura Darby, who is mentioned in How to Survive A Bear Attack, in a virtual meeting.

The Oxford Reads programming was just announced a week ago, and already some events are filling up with a waitlist.

"Every year we have such great programming that ties the book into the themes that we hope resonate with our community, so things that they’re already dealing with daily or thinking about daily,” Adam said. “We’re really hoping to weave the threads of the book into their life and through this programming. This year, I really think we hit the nail on the head.”

The Oxford Reads Gala is free to attend, but reservations can be made online via Eventbrite to secure a spot. Visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/oxford-reads-gala-featuring-author-claire-cameron-tickets to reserve a ticket.

To place a hold on a copy of How to Survive a Bear Attack before the Oxford Reads Gala and to learn more information online, visit https://www.oxfordreads.ca.