Jun 01, 2023
Ottawa Public Library is honouring National Indigenous History Month by offering Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice to read or listen to digitally in June. Read Waubgeshig Rice’s modern classic, Moon of the Crusted Snow, a daring post-apocalyptic novel from a powerful rising literary voice, without a waitlist, now through June 30.
June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, a time to recognize the rich history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Here are some exceptional titles available at OPL that you will definitely want to read this month. In English, there are enough digital copies for your whole book club to read at once. Take this opportunity to experience and enjoy the talents of Indigenous writers.
In eBook try There There by Tommy Orange. This commanding debut chronicles contemporary Native Americans in Oakland, as their lives collide in the days leading up to the city’s inaugural Big Oakland Powwow. The propulsion of both the overall narrative and its players are breathtaking as Orange unpacks how decisions of the past mold the present, resulting in a haunting and gripping story.
In eAudio listen to One Story, One Song by Richard Wagamese. A collection of warm, wise, and inspiring stories that invite readers to accompany the author on his travels. The focus is on how stories shape us, how they empower us, how they change our lives. Ancient and contemporary, cultural and spiritual, funny and sad, the tales are grouped according to the four essential principles Ojibway traditional teachers sought to impart: humility, trust, introspection, and wisdom.
For book clubs in French, here are some titles that are sure to inspire great discussions!
Enfants du lichen by Innu poet Maya Cousineau Mollen is an exploration of the importance of memory and a reminder about the need for continued work on issues affecting Indigenous peoples. The book dives into subjects such as missing women and children and exclusion from society. The book was highly reviewed in Le Devoir and Lettres québécoises, and judged to be necessary reading.
Innu author Michel Jean is one of Canada’s most popular writers in the French language. He won the Prix France-Québec in 2019 for his novel Kukum. In Tiohtiá:ke, the traditional Kanien’kéha name for Montreal, which means “where the boats and rivers meet,” we follow Élie Mestenapeo who was recently released from prison and has to become part of a new urban community. This audiobook is read by the author.