Status
Call number
Collection
Publication
Description
The dragon is the spirit of change…therefore of life itself…taking new forms according to its surroundings, yet never seen in its final shape. It is the great mystery itself. — Kakasu Okakura, The Awakening of Japan “Being a teller of stories and myths, I have always been fascinated by dragons, but I hadn't really understood what they symbolize. Then my father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and his life was thrown into jeopardy. In my mind's eye, I kept seeing the dragon and my father marshaling all of his forces to meet it. I went looking for real live stories from people who could honestly say that they had met a dragon and survived.” In conversation with her friend Eleanor Nielsen at the Canadian Cancer Society, Michelle learned that survivors of breast cancer had adopted the ancient Chinese ritual of dragon boating as a sport symbolic of their struggle with this prolific disease. Those who race dragon boats meet at festivals every summer to “ride the dragon”. “A priceless tapestry, interwoven with threads of gold and silver” is perhaps the best way to describe How to Ride a Dragon. It is a beautifully crafted blend of mythology, fantasy, narrative and first-hand human experience telling the stories of 22 courageous women, their families and friends and their epic struggles in coming to terms with cancer. These are the stories of survivors of breast cancer banded together. They have met and conquered dragons. Royalties will benefit the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative.… (more)