Status
Available
Call number
Call number
820 K56 2003 c.3
Collection
Local notes
Shelved in Aboriginal Collection
Description
"In The Truth About Stories, Native novelist and scholar Thomas King explores how stories shape who we are and how we understand and interact with other people. From creation stories to personal experiences, historical anecdotes to social injustices, racist propaganda to works of contemporary Native literature, King probes Native culture's deep ties to storytelling." "Thomas King weaves events from his own life, as a child in California, an academic in Canada, and a Native North American, with a wide-ranging discussion of stories told by and about Indians." "That imaginative Indian that North Americans hold dear has been challenged by Native writers - N. Scott Momaday, Leslie Marmon Silko, Louis Owens, Robert Alexie, and others - who provide alternative narratives of the Native experience that question a past, create a present, and imagine a future. King reminds the reader, Native and non-Native, that storytelling carries with it social and moral responsibilities."--BOOK JACKET.… (more)
Series
Publication
Toronto, ON : House of Anansi Press, 2003.
Original publication date
2003
User reviews
LibraryThing member Laurenbdavis
All the Massey Lecture books are worthwhile, but this is particularly wonderful. Indeed, I found it a brilliant, perspective-changing book. It should certainly be required reading for anyone who cares about stories, First Nations people, history, religion or politics (and particularly the Idle No
King, whose novels I have loved just as much, is an erudite, deeply knowledgeable man of great wit, much of it gently subversive. He challenges the reader to open his heart, and ways of listening, by opening and ending each essay/story in the same way. Having had the honor of listening to a number of First Nations Elders and story-tellers over the years, I recognize the cadence and the method of teaching. King begins each piece with a re-telling of a creation story, which I won't repeat here except to say it's turtles all the way down... and ends with this directive: "Take this story. It's yours. do with it what you will. . . But don't say in the years to come that you would have lived your life differently if only you had heard this story. You've heard it now."
This simple sentence is, of course, much more profound than it appears at first reading. We are all changed by every story we hear, by ever story we tell. Stories are, King posits, what make us. They are us and we are them. The power of narrative -- for good or ill -- has never been more evident.
This is a book I'll be reading again and again.
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More Movement). The light he shines on the machinations of government actions in the US and Canada against First Nations people is devastatingly bright. King, whose novels I have loved just as much, is an erudite, deeply knowledgeable man of great wit, much of it gently subversive. He challenges the reader to open his heart, and ways of listening, by opening and ending each essay/story in the same way. Having had the honor of listening to a number of First Nations Elders and story-tellers over the years, I recognize the cadence and the method of teaching. King begins each piece with a re-telling of a creation story, which I won't repeat here except to say it's turtles all the way down... and ends with this directive: "Take this story. It's yours. do with it what you will. . . But don't say in the years to come that you would have lived your life differently if only you had heard this story. You've heard it now."
This simple sentence is, of course, much more profound than it appears at first reading. We are all changed by every story we hear, by ever story we tell. Stories are, King posits, what make us. They are us and we are them. The power of narrative -- for good or ill -- has never been more evident.
This is a book I'll be reading again and again.
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LibraryThing member b.masonjudy
Thomas King's collection of CBC Massey Lectures is a tightly constructed critique of North America's relationship, primarily the US, with First Nations people and a moving personal narrative. King brings himself into each of the five pieces in a way that elucidates his material and creates context
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for his anger and cynicism. There's hope, too, but not optimism, it's the belief that re-telling our stories can create a new future even if we're uncertain that future will come. Show Less
LibraryThing member SandyAMcPherson
In 2003, Tom King presented a series of short stories as his contribution to the CBC Massey Lectures. The author’s premise was that “…We are all changed by every story we hear, by every story we tell”. Further, depending on the perspective of the story, we will take away a message. That
In my reading of the author’s stories, I was struck by how often Thomas King showed the reader/listener new ways to examine our collective history in North American colonisation, driven by religion and cultural differences. Views, for example, of the arrogance of European settlements which perpetuated intolerance and racism towards First Nation inhabitants. These chronicles of the centuries that have passed, tell us that attitudes haven’t changed. King uses imaginative stories to illustrate this proposition and by the end of the book, we have heard that the story you tell can be dangerous, because the narrative is incomplete or chooses a vengeful philosophy, or is unaccepting of humans who are culturally and physically different. A different story could have a different outcome, perhaps a more accepting philosophy by which to live.
Aside from these weighty matters, King has an incisive humour and brings an articulate rendering of “life on the rez” (urban or otherwise) from his own experiences. A particularly telling narrative that was amusing and cynical by turns is Let Me Entertain You. In this story, as in most of them, there are so many quotable passages. I urge you to read them. It’s a bittersweet tale, no matter which story you choose to examine.
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take-away idea is what influences the listener, creates a way of looking at life that might improve on the old narrative. Or not. The message is conditional on the perspective of the chronicle. And the reception by the listener.In my reading of the author’s stories, I was struck by how often Thomas King showed the reader/listener new ways to examine our collective history in North American colonisation, driven by religion and cultural differences. Views, for example, of the arrogance of European settlements which perpetuated intolerance and racism towards First Nation inhabitants. These chronicles of the centuries that have passed, tell us that attitudes haven’t changed. King uses imaginative stories to illustrate this proposition and by the end of the book, we have heard that the story you tell can be dangerous, because the narrative is incomplete or chooses a vengeful philosophy, or is unaccepting of humans who are culturally and physically different. A different story could have a different outcome, perhaps a more accepting philosophy by which to live.
Aside from these weighty matters, King has an incisive humour and brings an articulate rendering of “life on the rez” (urban or otherwise) from his own experiences. A particularly telling narrative that was amusing and cynical by turns is Let Me Entertain You. In this story, as in most of them, there are so many quotable passages. I urge you to read them. It’s a bittersweet tale, no matter which story you choose to examine.
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LibraryThing member Fence
From what I remember I bought this book a few years ago because of Aarti’s A More Diverse Universe reading challenge. I didn’t get around to reading it then, but for some reason it popped out at me when I went to shelve a different book. So I picked it up and started reading.
It is a non-fiction
King writes in almost a conversational way which is easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to empathise with. He also covers a huge amount of ground. Not just the power of the story, but also history, colonialism, prejudice, racism and poverty. He has a huge amount to say and he writes intelligently about it all. He also references many other Native authors in his work, only one of whom I’ve read, so I must take a flick through his bibliography and see if there are others to pick up.
It is a non-fiction
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book, a look at the power of stories and how what we tell stories about is what we become. And also what we come from. How stories influence society and culture and therefore influence everything. And all told in a very readable, entertaining way. I really enjoyed it.King writes in almost a conversational way which is easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to empathise with. He also covers a huge amount of ground. Not just the power of the story, but also history, colonialism, prejudice, racism and poverty. He has a huge amount to say and he writes intelligently about it all. He also references many other Native authors in his work, only one of whom I’ve read, so I must take a flick through his bibliography and see if there are others to pick up.
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LibraryThing member francescadefreitas
Based on the author's Massey Lectures, this book is a moving look at the power story has to inform, transform, or bury people. The tales told range from the historical and sweeping, to the personal and shameful. They describe the damage that false stories can do to how a nation is perceived, and to
But while the author describes how the stories we listen to and tell shape our ability to perceive our world, each chapter ends with the invitation to take story and do as we wish with it - which adds a note of hope (and a sinking feeling of responsibility.)
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how a nation perceives itself. But while the author describes how the stories we listen to and tell shape our ability to perceive our world, each chapter ends with the invitation to take story and do as we wish with it - which adds a note of hope (and a sinking feeling of responsibility.)
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LibraryThing member mahallett
i liked this. i ****ed it. in the last lecture he talked about the disgraceful treatment of indians. i didn't do this. but the problem i do have is what do indians expect me to do about their situation now, i can't fix it. they have to fix it. stop stealing money from the band/government, stop
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drinking and drugging, stop abusing children, stop being poor. like the rest of us, they don't accept help easily so they must help each other. i don't see the reward in fighting with the government about previous disgusting treatment. the issue is NOW. Show Less
LibraryThing member quondame
The written version of a series of broadcasts, all but the ultimate chapter which is unique to the book, begin with turtles all the way down and end with the reminder that you have taken on the burden of the chapter's truth -
"Just don't say in the years to come that you would have lived your life
You've heard it now."
Some Native American stories, some biographical tales, some horror stories of what North American Europeans have done to, stolen from, made of, Native Americans - and are still busy doing, or not. No sweet nobility here, as his final chapter nails home, Thomas King knows how hollow our ethics are from the inside, as he has lived by them as well as beside them.
"Just don't say in the years to come that you would have lived your life
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differently if only you had heard this story.You've heard it now."
Some Native American stories, some biographical tales, some horror stories of what North American Europeans have done to, stolen from, made of, Native Americans - and are still busy doing, or not. No sweet nobility here, as his final chapter nails home, Thomas King knows how hollow our ethics are from the inside, as he has lived by them as well as beside them.
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LibraryThing member juniperSun
Each chapter of this collection of essays begins with a similar recounting of a storyteller presenting a traditional story to an audience. Like the "what's different" puzzles, or like oral stories themselves, each time there are a few changes in the details. And each chapter ends with the same
So, while it does include some traditional stories, King focuses more on how the white culture's own stories impacts their dealings with and expectations of Native Americans. And how people in general limit or expand their behavior because of the 'stories' they tell themselves. Although he is Canadian, he has enough knowledge of history to include references to United States to demonstrate that his insights are not unique to Canada. The book was a pleasant surprise (I was gifted the tape & had no expectations) as I'm always interested in learning about how others see the world and adapt to change.
Heard as audiobook with frequent interruptions, so my review is not as cohesive as several other LT reviews.
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message: 'Take this story. It's yours. Do with it what you wish....Just never say your life would have been different if only you had heard it...'So, while it does include some traditional stories, King focuses more on how the white culture's own stories impacts their dealings with and expectations of Native Americans. And how people in general limit or expand their behavior because of the 'stories' they tell themselves. Although he is Canadian, he has enough knowledge of history to include references to United States to demonstrate that his insights are not unique to Canada. The book was a pleasant surprise (I was gifted the tape & had no expectations) as I'm always interested in learning about how others see the world and adapt to change.
Heard as audiobook with frequent interruptions, so my review is not as cohesive as several other LT reviews.
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LibraryThing member LDVoorberg
Short stories about Natives and the storytelling culture. Each chapter begins with the same basic story (minor details changed) which conveys the idea that you are following the narrator through several speaking engagements with different audiences. It also conveys the message that people are
Thomas King is a great storyteller and I always enjoy his books.
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predictable in their responses to stories. I didn't look much closer than that at the meaning or themes to the book, but it would be interesting to really contemplate them with a group of readers.Thomas King is a great storyteller and I always enjoy his books.
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ISBN
0887846963 / 9780887846960