This is the memoir of Richard Wagamese, who was sent away by his parents because they didn't know how to be parents. They had been raised in a residential school, so they didn't know how to relate to their 4 or 5 year old son. And he was abused. He was then placed into the foster care system, where he had more troubles. His foster family moved almost every year. He tells how he lived in every city west of Toronto. Later, when he was older he hitch-hiked to Calgary and back again. Richard didn't know what it meant to be an Indian. He felt close to the land, and would spend a lot of time just being out in nature. He met many people in his life who were there for just awhile, but each helped him along his journey to self-discovery. He learned everywhere he went many lessons from nature that he applied to his life. One man told him he had to be a good human being, then a good man, then a good Indian. This lesson stuck with him. This book is about the lessons Richard learned for life, not just for him as a Native person, but lessons that we all can apply in our lives.

Young adults - adults

I especially liked that Richard learned about himself and what was important to him by learning to be one with nature. I also liked that Richard was naive, in that he didn't know what prejudice was, even when other kids made fun of him and called him racist names. So, it didn't hurt him.

I didn't like that even the teachers called him names, put him at the back of the class and didn't even try to teach him, just because he couldn't read English.

I was deeply moved by Richard's story, because it wasn't a "woe is me" story. It is a book of hope and power. What Richard learned from those around him, gave him an inner strength, that made him fight to succeed. At one point he became an alcoholic, then he got himself cleaned up. He settled in Kamloops, British Columbia with his wife. I felt so happy for him at the end of the book.

It made me feel bad that I let my own past cripple me as much as it has. Life is too short for that. And this book made me feel like there is still hope for me. I want everyone to read it.

It is full of life lessons that we can all learn from and apply in our lives.

This is an uplifting book of hope and strength. It is written in a very poetic (sometimes) style, with lots of very vivid imagery.

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Created Sep 27, 2024 at 10:14pm • Submit your own review...