8th Fire’s Essential Reads List
8th Fire is a multiplatform, multicultural documentary project that explores the richness and diversity of Aboriginal cultures and Canada’s complex 500-year relationship with Indigenous peoples.
In February of 2012, 8th Fire asked Paul Seesequasis, Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair, and Richard Van Camp to help put together a list of ten books that represent some of the best reading from the past decade by fascinating Aboriginal writers in Canada. They came up with the following list.
- Native Poetry in Canada: A Contemporary Anthology edited by Jeanette Armstrong (Broadview Press, 2001)
- Deadly Loyalties by Jennifer Storm (Theytus Books, 2007)
- Red Rooms by Cheri Dimaline (Theytus Books, 2007)
- The Night Wanderer by Drew Hayden Taylor (Annick Press, 2007)
- Will’s Garden by Lee Maracle (Theytus Books, 2008)
- Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden (Penguin, 2008)
- One Native Life by Richard Wagamese (Douglas & McIntyre, 2009)
- Restoring the Balance: First Nations Women, Community, and Culture edited by Gail Guthrie Valaskakis, Madeline Dion Stout, and Eric Guimond (University of Manitoba Press, 2009)
- Think Indian by Basil Johnston (Kegedonce Press, 2010)
- Discovery Passages by Garry Thomas Morse
CBC published a slide show depicting the book covers with some commentary on their significance. The list has just been formalized as a PDF available online.
(Source: http://talonbooks.com/news/8th-fires-essential-reads-list)
