One Native Life

One Native Life is Richard WagameseвЂTMs look back at the long road he traveled in reclaiming his identity. It's about the things he's learned as a human being, a man, and an Ojibway. Whether he's writing about playing baseball, running away with the circus, listening to the wind, or meeting Johnny Cash, these are stories told in a healing spirit. Through them, Wagamese shows how to appreciate life for the remarkable learning journey it is. From Booklist Ojibway novelist Wagamese disclosed the details of his childhood abuse and abandonment in an earlier autobiography; here he moves beyond that painful past to celebrate the learning journey the rest of his life has become. He gradually unearthed his tribal identity, and in these short essays of memories and traditions, he has found the essence of his Ojibway self. He begins with a tribute to one of his many foster fathers, a Ukrainian Canadian who helped him understand his Ojibway need for a strong connection to the land. Writing becomes his most powerful means of expression early on—saving him from feelings of displacement. To Wagamese the library was an enchanted forest, and he worked his way through Homer, Joyce, Shakespeare, and Ibsen, mostly to prove to himself he could tackle anything. In his twenties, Wagamese reconnected with his native family and later began learning the Ojibway language. His memoir is an insightful look at his search for his roots and the traditions binding him not only to his people but the great, grand circle of humanity. --Deborah Donovan « In 2005, award-winning writer Richard Wagamese moved with his partner to a cabin outside Kamloops, B.C. In the crisp mountain air Wagamese felt a peace he’d seldom known before. Abused and abandoned as a kid, he’d grown up feeling there was nowhere he belonged. For years, only alcohol and moves from town to town seemed to ease the pain.In One Native Life, Wagamese looks back down the road he has travelled in reclaiming his identity and talks about the things he has learned as a human being, a man and an Ojibway in his fifty-two years. Whether he’s writing about playing baseball, running away with the circus, attending a sacred bundle ceremony or meeting Pierre Trudeau, he tells these stories in a healing spirit. Through them, Wagamese celebrates the learning journey his life has been.Free of rhetoric and anger despite the horrors he has faced, Wagamese’s prose resonates with a peace that has come from acceptance. Acceptance is an Aboriginal principle, and he has come to see that we are all neighbours here. One Native Life is his tribute to the people, the places and the events that have allowed him to stand in the sunshine and celebrate being alive. »-- Résumé de l'éditeur "One Native Life is a look back down the road Wagamese has travelled. It's about the things he's learned as a human being, a man and an Ojibway in his fifty-two years on the planet. Whether he's writing about making bannock, playing baseball, listening to the wind, meeting Johnny Cash or running away with the circus, these are stories told in a healing spirit. This is a book about roots: uncovering them, tending them, watching life spring up all around you. It is also a book about Canada. Acceptance is an Aboriginal principle, and Wagamese has come to see that we are all neighbours here. Once we understand that, he says, we realize it's all one great, grand tale."--BOOK JACKET. One Native Life is a look back down the road Richard Wagamese has traveled — from childhood abuse to adult alcoholism — in reclaiming his identity. It’s about what he has learned as a human being, a man, and an Ojibway in his 52 years on Earth. Whether he’s writing about playing baseball, running away with the circus, making bannock, or attending a sacred bundle ceremony, these are stories told in a healing spirit. Through them, Wagamese shows readers how to appreciate life for the journey it is.