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| Wherein we look at some of the local books that have been published this year and give you some ideas of what to get your book-loving friends and family for Hanukkah, Solstice, Festivus, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or just because it's a day ending with "y". |
| Don't forget to support your local independent bookstores! |
Indian Horse
by Richard Wagamese
Douglas & McIntyre
A few weeks ago the 5 finalists for Canada Reads 2013 were announced, with this next iteration having a twist: each book represents a different geographical area of Canada. After reading seven of the top 10 chosen by Canada Reads fans in B.C. and Yukon, Olympic gold-medal wrestler Carol Huynh chose Richard Wagamese's Indian Horse as her contender. It seems very Canadian that for 2 years running there has been a book about hockey in the Canada Reads competition.
Indian Horse is the story of Saul Indian Horse, a northern Ojibway. He is also a residential school survivor, a former hockey superstar, and an alcoholic. When we first meet him he's been at The New Dawn Centre for a month, after six weeks in a hospital. "The longest I've been without a drink for years, so I guess there's some use to it," he admits.
Finding it difficult to tell his story in the sharing circle at the treatment facility, Saul gets permission to write it down instead, taking us on his journey of remembrance and revelation.
Indian Horse is Wagamese's twelfth book and in it, as with his previous work, he examines the themes of abuse, displacement, and cultural alienation. He doesn't gloss over the experiences of residential school survivors (and non-survivors) but neither does he dwell on the details. There is also, however, a lot of joy when Saul is immersed in his means of escape, hockey. Saul's description of how he feels when he watches and plays the game is something that many Canadians can identify with, and for a while it unites the reader with Saul, ignoring their differences and celebrating a commonality.
There's bound to be at least one literary hockey fan on your gift list who is hankering after something to help fill the void created by the current lockout. Indian Horse will take them to a place where the game exists in its purest form.
You can read our interview with Wagamese, who used to call Vancouver home, HERE.
