Walking the Ojibwe Path: A Memoir in Letters to Joshua

By Richard Wagamese

Book Overview

"A wonderful place to start if you've never read Wagamese, a must-read if you have, and an indispensable read for everyone." --LITERARY HUB

"We may not relight the fires that used to burn in our villages, but we can carry the embers from those fires in our hearts and learn to light new fires in a new world."

Ojibwe tradition calls for fathers to walk their children through the world, sharing the ancient understanding "that we are all, animate and inanimate alike, living on the one pure breath with which the Creator gave life to the Universe." In this new entry in the Seedbank series, an intimate series of letters to the six-year-old son from whom he was estranged, Richard Wagamese fulfills this traditional duty with grace and humility, describing his own path through life--separation from his family as a boy, substance abuse, incarceration, and ultimately the discovery of books and writing--and braiding this extraordinary story with the teachings of his people, in which animals were the teachers of human beings, until greed and a desire to control the more-than-human world led to anger, fear, and eventually profound alienation.

At once a deeply moving memoir and a fascinating elucidation of a rich indigenous cosmology, Walking the Ojibwe Path is an unforgettable journey.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 157131394X
• ISBN13: 9781571313942
• Release Date: July 2023
• Publisher: Milkweed Editions
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Book a must read

This beautifully written book is a treat to read. Richard Wagamese writes an autobiography that is sincere and forthright. It contrasts the lessons he learns from elder's traditional teachings with his struggle with alcoholism. I bought several copies to give friends and highly recommend it for any First Nations person who loves someone who is alcoholic, or for any alcoholic who is also struggling to keep sober. Professionals who deal with substance abuse should not miss this one. Richard's love for his son, shines clearly throughout this sensitively written book. Meegwetch!

For those Lost and /or Seeking the Understanding

One has to admire anyone who can expose their soul to the world. Wagamese gifts us this rare honesty which alone makes the book worthy of a read. At times painful and at times joyful - the journey we take thru Wagamese's life offers many lessons to the reader. A rare gem. Worth every penny and then some. I have put aside a few copies for my kids. One day, they will need to read it.