Litsy

A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder | Ma-Nee Chacaby

pick

5🌟/5🌟

Parts of this book hurt my heart. Parts of this book made me so very angry. What I do know is that Ma-Nee is a very strong, resilient person that I have a lot of respect for. Even though this book is full of trigger warnings, I believe it's a very important read that all of us can learn from.

7 likes

Nebklvr

Where Wolves Don't Die | Anton Treuer

so-so

Hunting, trapping, tradition, and a great love between Grandfather and Grandson. The family bonds were lovely. The nature scenes intense. The reason for Ezra being sent to the wilderness seemed almost irrelevant.

38 likes1 stack add

Writeme

Where Wolves Don't Die | Anton Treuer

bailed

I tried, but I did not not enjoy the writing or the characters. :(

8 likes

BookishTrish

A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder | Ma-Nee Chacaby

pick

Holy moly did Ma-Nee live through some terrible terrible shit. Her empathy, compassion, and generosity shine through. I found the tough parts really tough to listen to and so it‘s my third pick for #CanadaReads winner this year.

38 likes

TracyReadsBooks

Desolation Mountain: A Novel | William Kent Krueger

pick

Another quick, fun Cork O‘Conner mystery. The premise of this one gets a little out there but it doesn‘t really matter because you get to spend more time with Cork and his family and, most of all, Henry Meloux. As always the story starts fast and then Krueger keeps cranking up the tension…and then in this one the ending hits hard too. If you love mysteries and haven‘t started this one, I can‘t recommend it highly enough. Another good read.

23 likes

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

No surprise that Indian Horse was the best book I read in February and that it topped West with Giraffes. The rest of the books I read in February were just ok and while West with Giraffes is good - Indian Horse is in a class of it's own.

Note: Not my template - off Pinterest.

#ReadingBracket #ReadingBracket2025 #BookBracket2025 #BookBracket

43 likes

CarolynM

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

#BookReport for February

My favourite this month was Indian Horse.

melissajayne Indian Horse is such a sad, but beautiful story. 3mo

66 likes1 comment

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

This post contains spoilers

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Saul is such a strong character. I don't think many would make it through what he goes through at such a young age and then all through childhood. To have such focus on a sport while he is being abused and his culture and way of life have been completely ripped away from him shows a strong will to survive.

Thoughts on Saul?

Pictured is a Birch Bark Canoe - one of the main forms of transportation for the Ojibwe.

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten #OhCanada 3mo

Ruthiella My heart broke for him. I did like, however how the book opens with him already on a healing journey because reading the rest and not knowing if he‘d make it through would have been tough. 3mo

Jess861 @Ruthiella I agree. I also like how Wagamese subtly hinted at the abuse but didn't confirm it until closer to the end. It really made you think again at the end of the book about everything he'd been through. 3mo

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Jess861 Birch was critical to the Ojibwe lifestyle. It is interesting to read about if you are interested. Another interesting fact is that Birch Bark Canoes were a great transportation form for the inland waterways. It is thought that the Europeans would not have been able to discover and explore much of the land without this type of transportation. The boats they had weren't made for inland waterways. 3mo

Tamra The revelation was startling, even though there were hints, but they were easily dismissed. 😔 Speaks to the survival strategy of victims and craft of Wagamese‘ writing! (edited) 3mo

Kitta @Ruthiella agreed, I liked having the certainty that he would pull through. I missed or dismissed quite of few of the hints that abuse was occurring tbh. I even thought partway through the novel that it was strange other kids were being abused but not Saul 😆 3mo

DogMomIrene Saul was so real. Agree that the opening pages help me cope with the set up that this character will survive. I had the same thought “strange he‘s not abused” and dismissed it. Makes me think that may be Wagamese‘s point in hinting at abuse. I think people, me included, tend to not see abuse and dismiss the hints, even when we shouldn‘t. I want a sequel, even just a short story, to know that Saul‘s okay. 3mo

Jess861 @DogMomIrene Sadly, Wagamese passed away in 2017 so we will never get a sequel. 3mo

kwmg40 Saul was a great character. I love how Wagamese makes us care so much about characters who are usually marginalized or disdained by society. I loved his novel Ragged Company about four homeless people. 3mo

13 likes9 comments

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

This post contains spoilers

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Another major part of the book is hockey. Saul manages to find an escape through hockey although it only masks the suffering he is going through. It isn't until much later in life that he digs deep into that past so that he can truly heal.

Thoughts on the hockey portion of the book? Did you know this book was originally only supposed to be about hockey?

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten #OhCanada 3mo

Ruthiella I have to say, as beautiful as the writing was, it lost me with hockey ! 😂 I‘m not a sports person at all. 3mo

Jess861 I enjoyed the hockey portion of the book as I find Wagamese can write about anything and it's still magical. I think a bit less hockey would have been ok with me though.

The fact that Saul finds an escape through hockey and then manages to bottle away his abuses for years is quite something. Sad that he didn't realize he was using hockey for something else as he did seem to love the sport. 3mo

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Jess861 @Ruthiella I agree, a bit less hockey would have been ok with me! 3mo

Tamra I was surprised at the hockey middle section. I‘d didn‘t mind too much because it was well written and personable. Had it not moved on to post hockey life, I would have been disappointed. 3mo

Jess861 @Tamra I agree, the book wouldn't have been as complete if it had ended with hockey. I really felt like we went on the journey of Saul's life in this book. 3mo

CarolynM I loved the hockey part of the book, but I wondered how much it would alienate people who weren‘t familiar with the sport. I can imagine some readers outside Canada just switching off from it, which would be a shame as I think the way it makes Saul feel, in both positive and negative ways, is really important to his journey. It‘s a reminder that, although similar in some ways, our countries each have cultures of their own. 3mo

Kitta I am not a sports person except for gymnastics and I actually loved the hockey part of this, I am Canadian though and familiar with the rules and gameplay which must have helped. I think the intricate detail spent on discussing the hockey was a way for Saul‘s mind to switch off from the abuse and purposely forget about it or ignore it as much as possible. He had to dive into a passion to distract himself. 3mo

lauraisntwilder I loved the hockey parts. My son played hockey for years. We're originally from TN and follow the Nashville Predators. This book made me think about former-Pred Jordin Tootoo, the first Inuk player in the NHL, and how he also played for the Blackhawks. (Imagine wearing that jersey.) I also remember watching a game on TV where Boston fans were yelling the n-word at PK Subban. There are still people who think of it as a white man's game. 3mo

Jess861 @CarolynM Agree - I can see how the hockey portion could turn off a reader who isn't into hockey or sports because there are so many chapters that are just hockey. But it was critical to the book so hopefully most aren't turned off by it. 3mo

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder I remember Jordin Tootoo as well and got to see him play a time or two in Canada. Even though he was a 'fighter' he was quite skilled at the game. 3mo

lauraisntwilder @Jess861 In Nashville, fans loved Tootoo. They would bring train whistles to the games, a play on Tootoo rhyming with "choo choo" that I sincerely hope didn't bug him, and they'd blow them whenever he was on the ice. It was a special cheer, just for him. And they continued to do it after he was traded, but came back to play on opposing teams. 3mo

DogMomIrene I‘m not a sports person, but I loved the hockey section because it was serving as his escape. I wondered if Fr. Hockey Coach had been abusing him, but thought “why would he let him go?” But when Saul refused to fight, then blew his chance at a pro-career, I knew. That was the most heart-breaking part for me. This beautiful skater who played the game with skill & grace who should have had every hockey success had that ripped from him bc of abuse. 3mo

kwmg40 I loved the hockey part. I grew up in Montreal, and my father, a Chinese immigrant, completely embraced the hockey culture (as a spectator if not a player). I grew up watching Hockey Night in Canada every week. In Quebec, it was really a sport for everybody, rich or poor. 3mo

13 likes14 comments

Jess861

Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese

This post contains spoilers

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A Residential School is a big part of this book. Saul is sent to one after losing both his siblings to them, his parents to grief and his grandmother to the cold. Due to his hard work and skills in hockey he manages to find a way out but not until he has suffered from many abuses. This will require him to take his own healing journey.

Thoughts on Residential Schools and/or that aspect of the book? Crazy that 1996 was when the last one was closed!

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder @KathyWheeler @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LapReader @kwmg40 @Readergrrl @JenlovesJT47 @Tamra @PurpleyPumpkin @Kitta @DogMomIrene @Blueberry @BiblioLitten #OhCanada 3mo

Ruthiella Crazy that they closed so late and yet, not. They still exist in the US though attendance is not compulsory as far as I know. 3mo

Jess861 I can't even begin to imagine having my kids ripped away from me and never seeing them again. These were babies! I also feel that this portion of the book shows exactly what happens when the Church is put in charge of schools. Absolutely disgusting! 3mo

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Jess861 @Ruthiella Really? I'm surprised they still exist at all. That is sad. 3mo

Ruthiella @Jess861 I think it‘s now more a case that reservations don‘t have local schools so children go to boarding schools run by the BIA more than forced assimilation but I don‘t really know. 3mo

Tamra Isn‘t Canada still struggling with how to deliver education to rural First Nations people? 3mo

Jess861 @Tamra Yes, it is a huge struggle. While the Residential Schools are gone the government still lacks in understanding that the First Nations deserve a curriculum more in line with their culture and identity (just my opinion). In general, I also don't think kids education should just be about sitting at a desk all day and there should be more hands on learning. 3mo

CarolynM It is horrifying to me that both Canada and Australia engaged in the shameful practice of taking indigenous children from their families until so very recently. In Australia we call them the “stolen generations” and some (inadequate) effort has been in the last decade or so to redress the harm done. The callousness of the system is heartbreaking and so well illustrated in this book. 3mo

Kitta @Ruthiella wow they still exist in the US? I don‘t know what the answer is in terms of education for First Nations children, but the system we have currently isn‘t working. 3mo

lauraisntwilder What I find especially sad is how few non-Indigenous people seem to know about residential schools. As a Caucasian of mostly European descent, living in the US, I only know about them because of specifically seeking out diverse books, movies, and TV shows. I was never formally educated that they exist -- and they did (and still do??) while I still in public school. 3mo

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder I could be wrong but I think now most Canadians understand these existed. That is only because of a recent movement which brought the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. I was not taught anything about them in school but they do talk about it in schools now days. Our son is in grade 3 and has learned about the Residential Schools the last few years. Last year was the year he really understood. 3mo

lauraisntwilder @Jess861 Yeah, definitely a different situation in Canada! I don't think the US has ever been good at owning up to its mistakes. 3mo

Jess861 @lauraisntwilder I wouldn't say Canada has been good at owning up to their mistakes but it is progress. Many issues still exist today. But the fact that it is being taught in schools brings me hope that the younger generation will know and understand the history and hopefully learn from it. 3mo

lauraisntwilder @Jess861 I hope that's the case, too! 3mo

DogMomIrene The National Day for Truth & Reconciliation brought awareness to me as a PR. I looked up the Truth & Reconciliation Commission to see what data they had. There‘s several reports. I read the summaries and they‘re horrific. Not sure I could make it through the reports. Saul escaping the school through hockey is a great plot device, but I‘d guess most kids didn‘t have a way out until they aged out. 3mo

DogMomIrene We moved from BC (progressive) to PEI (conservative) for slower pace, but sometimes I question our decision. There‘s a local councilor who posted a sign on his personal property “Truth: mass grave hoax”. He was suspended, fined, and told to apologize. He refused. He applied for judicial review (late). Case may go before the PEI Supreme Court as a freedom of expression case. https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7452388 Curious if judge will allow case to move 3mo

Jess861 @DogMomIrene I agree, the government only recognized this day because there was enough pressure. However, even though I don't believe the government necessarily had true intentions with this day - I believe it has brought more awareness about Residential Schools. When our son came home from grade 2 last year he truly understood what a Residential School was. He does not necessarily know about the full abuse but understands kids died because ofthem 3mo

kwmg40 @Jess861 @DogMomIrene I too had wondered about the effectiveness of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission and National Day for Truth & Reconciliation. However, I'd recently finished a memoir by Marie Wilson, one of the commissioners and feel more optimistic about these efforts.

North of Nowhere: Song of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner

3mo

Jess861 @kwmg40 Thank you so much for the recommendation - I'll have to pick that book up! 3mo

kwmg40 You're welcome. I hope you will find it interesting. 3mo

DogMomIrene @Jess861 I love that your son is learning a more complete history. That‘s tricky to navigate too. When I taught the Holocaust in the States, we had to adjust curriculum to student age. And the awareness is a good first step. As a PR, I see much more education aimed at adults, like books and documentaries, than I think I would see in 🇺🇸 3mo

DogMomIrene @kwmg40 That one‘s on my list with Murray Sinclair‘s book. 3mo

Jess861 @DogMomIrene So tricky, I was kind of surprised that at the age of 7 he understood that the kids were taken from their families and that some died. I would have waited until he was a little older but he handled it well and asked smart questions about it. I'm not sure every 7 yo would be ready to learn about this topic and I'm not sure that every kid in his class understood in the same way he did. Still, I was impressed that school taught it though 3mo

DogMomIrene @Jess861 Smart boy! Whenever students ask those really good clarifying questions, it gets even trickier. I‘m not going to lie to a student, but there were times when I would say that those details would be covered in HS curriculum, and encourage the student to ask parents if they wanted more info earlier. Found I had to be more careful closer to my last years of teaching than earlier years in conservative Arizona. 3mo

kwmg40 @DogMomIrene Thanks for bringing to my notice Murray Sinclair's book. Adding that to my TBR list! 3mo

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