Richard Wagamese Books

A new curated collection of Richard Wagamese's short writings.

A posthumous volume of stories and ceremonies-and a fitting tribute to Richard Wagamese's spiritual and literary legacy.

The story revolves around four homeless individuals who find solace in a movie theatre during a harsh Arctic Front. Their initial refuge evolves into a newfound passion for cinema, leading them to return even after the storm passes. Their lives intertwine with Granite, a disillusioned journalist seeking escape from repetitive stories. Together, they navigate their struggles and form an unexpected bond, exploring themes of friendship, escapism, and the transformative power of art in the face of adversity.

Saul Indian Horse has hit bottom. His last binge almost killed him, and now he's a reluctant resident in a treatment centre for alcoholics, surrounded by people he's sure will never understand him. But Saul wants peace, and he grudgingly comes to see that he'll find it only through telling his story. With him, readers embark on a journey back through the life he's led as a northern Ojibway, with all its joys and sorrows. With compassion and insight, author Richard Wagamese traces through his fictional characters the decline of a culture and a cultural way. For Saul, taken forcibly from the land and his family when he's sent to residential school, salvation comes for a while through his incredible gifts as a hockey player. But in the harsh realities of 1960s Canada, he battles obdurate racism and the spirit-destroying effects of cultural alienation and displacement. Indian Horse unfolds against the bleak loveliness of northern Ontario, all rock, marsh, bog and cedar. Wagamese writes with a spare beauty, penetrating the heart of a remarkable Ojibway man.

This book serves as an excellent introduction for newcomers to Wagamese's work while also being essential for longtime fans. It highlights the universal themes and profound insights that characterize his writing, making it a valuable read for anyone interested in impactful literature.

Set in the dramatic landscape of the BC Interior, 16 year-old Franklin Starlight is called to visit his father, Eldon, a man he barely knows. The rare moments they have shared trouble Frank, but, he answers the call, a son's duty to a father. He finds Eldon dying of liver failure after years of heavy drinking. Eldon asks his son to take him into the mountains, so he may be buried in the traditional Ojibway manner.

Originally published: Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, A2011.

Having developed an impressive reputation for his many novels and non-fiction works, Richard Wagamese now presents a collection of stunning poems ranging over a broad landscape. He begins with an immersion in the unforgettable world where "the ancient ones stand at your shoulder . . . making you a circle / containing everything."These are Medicine teachings told from the experience of one who lived and still lives them. He also describes his life on the road when he repeatedly ran away at an early age, and the beatings he received when the authorities tried "to beat the Indian right out of me." Yet even in the most desperate situations, Wagamese shows us Canada as seen through the eyes and soul of a well-worn traveller, with his love of country, his love of people. Through it all, there are poems of love and music, the language sensuous and tender.

"First published by Doubleday Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Ltd."--Title page verso.

The story follows Garnet Raven, who, at the age of three, is removed from his Ojibway Indian reserve and shuffled through foster homes. As a teenager, he seizes a chance to escape, only to face the harsh realities of life on the streets of a bustling city. This journey explores themes of identity, belonging, and survival as Garnet navigates his challenging circumstances.