The Canada Day long weekend is almost upon us... and you know what that means: an entire extra day to kick up your feet, pour something strong in your morning coffee, and read! Even if you aren't in Canada, I hope you have some time to yourself to relax and pick up a good book.
Below are two of my book recommendations with short reviews.
Small Beneath The Sky by Lorna Crozier
This lyrical memoir, written by one of Canada’s celebrated poets, is set in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. The language used to describe the Prairies is so precise that you feel the light, the wind, and the dust. You don’t have to know Saskatchewan to appreciate Crozier’s exploration of how we are shaped by the places we are from.
Each chapter is written almost as if it could be a standalone story and reveals her skill with form. If you are a writer of creative non-fiction, this is a book worth studying. For instance, one chapter is titled “Spit” and is comprised of seven definitions of the word interspersed with her own life story.
If you appreciate language or if you have a longing for home (wherever that may be), you’ll love this book.
Disinherited Generations: Our Struggle to Reclaim Treaty Rights for First Nations Women
While we may be marking Canada’s 150th birthday this long weekend, the truth is there have been people on this land for millennia.
This book is an oral autobiography of two remarkable Cree women: Nellie Carlson and Katheleen Steinhauer as told to journalist Linda Goyette. These two activists fought for treaty rights for their generation and for their descendants; this book tells their lifestories against a complex, problematic (and indeed, ongoing) situation.
If you’re interested in Canadian history and learning about some of the other side of #Canada150, this is book well-worth reading.
Looking for a few fiction suggestions? Check out Robert Kroetsch’s What the Crow Said and Diana Davidson’s Pilgrimage.
I’d love to know what books you recommend!