From the Ashes
My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way
Book - 2019 | Simon & Schuster Canada edition
"From the Ashes is a remarkable memoir about hope and resilience, and a revelatory look into the life of a Métis-Cree man who refused to give up. Abandoned by his parents as a toddler, Jesse Thistle briefly found himself in the foster-care system with his two brothers, cut off from all they had known. Eventually the children landed in the home of their paternal grandparents, but their tough-love attitudes meant conflicts became commonplace. And the ghost of Jesse's drug-addicted father haunted the halls of the house and the memories of every family member. Struggling, Jesse succumbed to a self-destructive cycle of drug and alcohol addiction and petty crime, spending more than a decade on and off the streets, often homeless. One day, he finally realized he would die unless he turned his life around. In this heartwarming and heartbreaking memoir, Jesse Thistle writes honestly and fearlessly about his painful experiences with abuse, uncovering the truth about his parents, and how he found his way back into the circle of his Indigenous culture and family through education. An eloquent exploration of what it means to live in a world surrounded by prejudice and racism and to be cast adrift, From the Ashes is, in the end, about how love and support can help one find happiness despite the odds."-- Provided by publisher.
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Publisher:
Toronto : Simon & Schuster Canada, 2019
Edition:
Simon & Schuster Canada edition
ISBN:
9781982101213
Branch Call Number:
971.004970092 Thist
Characteristics:
x, 354 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
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Add a CommentPowerful book: very descriptive and immersive. Jesse’s story is harrowing and I feel grateful that he shared it.
From the Ashes is an intense and hard read but at the same time impossible to put down. It is a very well-written book that left a deep impact on me. I can not imagine how the author came back from the seemingly endless cycle of addiction and homelessness. I also loved the poems in the book, so sad yet gut-wrenchingly beautiful.
A heart-breaking, lyrical memoir that highlights the struggles Thistle overcame to become the man he is today. Provides some insight into historical issues for indigenous people without overgeneralizing.
I truly enjoyed this debut novel by Jesse Thistle, a journey of trauma, addiction and life on the streets through to hope, survival and redemption. Abandoned by his parents as a toddler, along with his two older brothers, Jesse's memoir takes us on a rough and tumble ride thru a life of adversity as an indigenous young man in Brampton, Vancouver and Ottawa' s Lowertown and Byward Market area. While various social service agencies and his own Cree Metis family members attempted to Pull him from the gutter, he was often his own worst enemy, sabotaging any and all efforts. But he persevered and without giving too much away, Thistle rallies to emerge a true success story. A great read.
I love a book that changes me and the way that I see the world. Jesse helped me to understand the indigenous people and the challenges that they are facing to overcome generations of abuse and distrust. I could not put this one down. It was so difficult for Jesse to write this memoire, and I am so grateful that he did. How do people live through that? Amazing!
Jesse’s story is one of both suffering and overcoming. It weaves together cultural and family wounds with the choices and outcomes that follow. It was gripping and hard to put down, but at the same time very difficult to read. It’s raw. This memoir shed light on some issues that I have not walked through personally, and gave me a greater compassion for people who suffer from addiction, childhood turmoil and racial discrimination. Despite the heaviness of this book, I read it with a deep hope for a triumphant ending.
Fantastic and well written. Did not put it down til finished. Bravo to Jesse Thistle!
Ordinary writing, present tense makes for juvenile tone, short chapters easy to read, but too lengthy overall.
I wish it had won Canada Reads 2020.
Book club July 2020