Since arriving in Canada, I have tried to immerse myself in Canadian writing of all kinds, both ‘fact’ and fiction. I often find that reading fiction rooted in place and culture gives me a fast-track to insights that may be less obvious in non-fiction.
Here is my Indigenous reading list – the books I’ve read and the books I’ve heard about but not got to yet – and I’m always open to additional suggestions!
Books I’ve Read
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie
- The Native Creative Process: A Collaborative Discourse, Jeanette Armstrong, Douglas Cardinal
- As Long as the Rivers Flow, James Bartleman
- The Orenda, Joseph Boyden
- Through Black Spruce, Joseph Boyden
- The Marrow Thieves, Cherie Dimaline
- VenCo, Cherie Dimaline
- The Round House, Louise Erdrich
- Love Medicine, Louise Erdrich
- The Painted Drum, Louise Erdrich
- LaRose, Louise Erdrich
- The Sentence, Louise Erdrich
- Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Green Grass, Running Water, Thomas King
- The Truth About Stories, Thomas King
- The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America, Thomas King
- Medicine River, Thomas King
- Truth & Bright Water, Thomas King
- Indians on Vacation, Thomas King
- The Back of the Turtle, Thomas King
- A Grandmother Begins the Story, Michelle Porter
- The Way to Rainy Mountain, N Scott Momaday
- Monkey Beach, Eden Robinson
- Son of a Trickster, Eden Robinson
- Chasing Painted Horses, Drew Hayden Taylor
- Motorcycles & Sweetgrass, Drew Hayden Taylor
- Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth, Drew Hayden Taylor
- Embers, Richard Wagamese
- One Story, One Song, Richard Wagamese
- Indian Horse, Richard Wagamese
- Keeper’n Me, Richard Wagamese
- The Next Sure Thing, Richard Wagamese
- Medicine Walk, Richard Wagamese
- Starlight, Richard Wagamese
- Beautiful Scars: Steeltown Secrets, Mohawk Skywalkers and the Road Home, Tom Wilson
- Speaking My Truth: Reflections on Reconciliation & Residential School, Glen Rogers, Shelagh DeGagne, Mike Dewar, Jonathan Lowry
On My Reading List
- Kaandossiwin, 2nd Edition: How We Come to Know: Indigenous Re-Search Methodologies, Kathleen E. Absolon (Minogiizhigokwe)
- War Dances, Sherman Alexie
- All the Quiet Places, Brian Thomas Isaac
- The Dance Boots: Stories, Linda LeGarde Grover
- Ravensong, Lee Maracle
- The Exile Book of Native Canadian Fiction and Drama, Daniel David Moses
- A Fair Country : Telling Truths About Canada, John Ralston Saul
- Dancing With a Ghost: Exploring Indian Reality, Rupert Ross
- Split Tooth, Tanya Tagaq
- Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City, Tanya Talaga
- The Night Wanderer: A Native Gothic Novel, Drew Hayden Taylor
- The Moon of Letting Go: and Other Stories, Richard Van Camp
- One Drum: Stories and Ceremonies for a Planet, Richard Wagamese
- What Comes From Spirit, Richard Wagamese
- The Seven Circles: Indigenous Teachings for Living Well, Chelsey Luger, Thosh Collins
- The Trail of Nenaboozhoo: and Other Creation Stories, Bomgiizhik Isaac Murdoch, Christi Belcourt (Contributor)