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In this extraordinary and inspiring debut memoir, Jesse Thistle—once a high school dropout and now a rising Indigenous scholar—chronicles his life on the streets and how he overcame trauma and addiction to discover the truth about who he is.
In this extraordinary and inspiring debut memoir, Jesse Thistle—once a high school dropout and now a rising Indigenous scholar—chronicles his life on the streets and how he overcame trauma and addiction to discover the truth about who he is.
"If I can just make it to the next minute . . . then I might have a chance to live; I might have a chance to be something more than just a struggling crackhead."
"If I can just make it to the next minute . . . then I might have a chance to live; I might have a chance to be something more than just a struggling crackhead."
Summary
Summary
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, whose tough-love attitudes quickly resulted in conflicts. Throughout it all, the ghost of Jesse’s drug-addicted father haunted the halls of the house and the memories of every family member. Struggling with all that had happened, 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. Finally, he realized he would die unless he turned his life around.
In this heart-warming and heart-wrenching memoir, Jesse Thistle writes honestly and fearlessly about his painful past, the abuse he endured, and how he uncovered the truth about his parents. Through sheer perseverance and education—and newfound love—he found his way back into the circle of his Indigenous culture and family.
An eloquent exploration of the impact of prejudice and racism, From the Ashes is, in the end, about how love and support can help us find happiness despite the odds.
If you're looking for a book that you can't put down, then this is it.
From the Ashes drops readers into the life of an indigenous boy who takes us on a journey through loss, love, drugs, crime and self discovery.
I cried, laughed, hurt and cheered for him as he faced the conflicts of self and society that lead to a sense of identity through connecting with his culture; and renowned accomplishment.
If you aren’t yet familiar with the name Jesse Thistle, I can assure you that he is making his place in Canadian history. I look forward to the days when my children and grandchildren read his books in school and write papers on his scholarly articles. I commend him for addressing how indigenous youth has been affected by Canada’s dark history of assimilation and cultural genocide. These societal issues need to be addressed and Jesse is bringing them to the forefront. I wish I could put this book in the hands of every indigenous kid that has been scooped up by the system so they know they are not alone.
-E Ma
There are some books that just come into your life at the exact right time. This book is one I will remember forever. I read this in one sitting (no kidding).
I have been wanting to learn more about individual Indigenous stories of those that end up addicted to drugs and homelessness. Then low and behold this book comes my way. It is a page turner.
Jesse was able to write such a dark book in a beautiful poetic way. Every chapter, I felt my heart long to help him. There were so many times I just wished I could reach into the book and be a shoulder to lean on. It also had me wondering about all the children who start life in such a way. The abandoned, the broken, and traumatized. This book needs to be read by every Canadian. It is powerful and also a testament to the power of humankind.
Wish I could erase this book from my memory and read it again for the first time to have the same powerful impact it had on me.
-Aarthy
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