From the Ashes: My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way

by Jesse Thistle

Paperback, 2019

Status

Available

Call number

971.004 T45 2019

Call number

971.004 T45 2019

Collection

Indigenous Collection - Non-Fiction

Tags

Description

Biography & Autobiography. Multi-Cultural. Sociology. Nonfiction. HTML:This #1 internationally bestselling and award-winning memoir about overcoming trauma, prejudice, and addiction by a Métis-Cree author as he struggles to find a way back to himself and his Indigenous culture is "an illuminating, inside account of homelessness, a study of survival and freedom" (Amanda Lindhout, bestselling coauthor of A House in the Sky). Abandoned by his parents as a toddler, Jesse Thistle and his two brothers were cut off from all they knew when they were placed in the foster care system. Eventually placed with their paternal grandparents, the children often clashed with their tough-love attitude. Worse, the ghost of Jesse's drug-addicted father seemed to haunt the memories of every member of the family. Soon, Jesse succumbed to a self-destructive cycle of drug and alcohol addiction and petty crime, resulting in more than a decade living on and off the streets. Facing struggles many of us cannot even imagine, Jesse knew he would die unless he turned his life around. Through sheer perseverance and newfound love, he managed to find his way back into the loving embrace of his Indigenous culture and family. Now, in this heart-wrenching and triumphant memoir, Jesse Thistle honestly and fearlessly divulges his painful past, the abuse he endured, and the tragic truth about his parents. An eloquent exploration of the dangerous impact of prejudice and racism, From the Ashes is ultimately a celebration of love and "a story of courage and resilience certain to strike a chord with readers from many backgrounds" (Library Journal… (more)

Genres

Publication

Simon & Schuster (2019), Edition: Illustrated, 384 pages

Original publication date

2019-08-06

Original language

English

Language

English

User reviews

LibraryThing member vancouverdeb
A fascinating and sad, but ultimately redemptive, read abouta Metis /Cree child and his journey into adulthood. It's one of five Canada Reads Contenders. This is an autobiography. Jesse is born into a dysfunctional family. His dad drinks and beats his wife. Shortly after Jesse's birth, his mother
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 leaves. The children are left to their own devices and soon taken into government custody. Shortly after their paternal grandparents take the three brothers in. The grandparents try their best with the Jesse and his brothers, but are not really up to the task. Jesse ends up doing badly in school, getting addicted to drugs, committing petty crimes and eventually is thrown out by his grandfather to live on the streets. A very eye opening look at drug addiction, living on the streets, a few rounds of prison and eventually rehab. I imagine this is life for many of the people that we see on the street. It was really worth the read.

Highly recommended. 4 Stars.
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LibraryThing member LynnB
This autobiography is one of the Canada Reads contenders for 2020. It tells the story of Jesse Thistle, a Metis child born into a dysfunctional family -- the father is an addict and abuses the mother. The mother leaves the boys with him, but he disappears and the children are taken in by their
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 paternal grandparents. While the two older brothers seem to adjust well, Jesse is plagued by addictions and ends up living on the streets. In his story, we see the racism implicit in so many of his interactions with officialdom and with kids at school. We get an honest, unvarnished look at life on the streets -- addictions, petty crimes, jail time -- which is probably common among so many homeless people. Jesse is able to rise above this life through determination, some helping hands and, ultimately, love.
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LibraryThing member JRlibrary
Thoroughly enjoyed Thistle’s painful memoir but was so distressed that he had to experience such a dismal life for so long. Read it for my book club, and looking forward to hearing him read on Wednesday night.
LibraryThing member ShannonRose4
Are you ready to be swiftly taken by the wrist and not let go till the final page?
Written with the most lyrical and raw prose is the love story of a broken family and the search for self.
Thistle and his journey to find peace will hold you awe; will break your heart, make you laugh and bring you
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 to tears.

*Definitely for fans of Educated
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LibraryThing member ShannonRose4
Are you ready to be swiftly taken by the wrist and not let go till the final page?
Written with the most lyrical and raw prose is the love story of a broken family and the search for self.
Thistle and his journey to find peace will hold you awe; will break your heart, make you laugh and bring you
Show More
 to tears.

*Definitely for fans of Educated
Show Less
LibraryThing member LibraryCin
Jesse and his two older brothers (Metis-Cree) were abandoned by their parents when Jesse was only 3-years old (older brothers Jerry and Josh were 4 and 5). They spent a short time in a foster home before their paternal grandparents in Ontario came to get them. Jesse did not do well growing up –
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 he got into trouble with alcohol and drugs, stealing, and he was off-and-on homeless. He was in and out of jail a few times before he eventually turned his life around.

This was really good. Jesse also writes poetry and it is sprinkled throughout the book. The chapters are short and overall, the book is fairly quick to read. So many times I shook my head, and thought: ok, this has to be rock-bottom, when you’ll turn your life around. But it wasn’t. So many times. I also wondered occasionally how he remembered as much as he did looking back on his life, given all the drugs and alcohol, but he addressed this in a note at the end.
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LibraryThing member tinkerbellkk
A very sad story of a young man who loses his way very early on and to no fault of his own. It is a raw account of his drug and alcohol addiction and eventually (thankfully) a rising to find his true calling. This book has parts that are hard to read given the graphic description of his addiction
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 and homeless situation but important to really understand these issues that impact people everywhere. Insightful and well written.
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LibraryThing member GeauxGetLit
Whoa! This memoir was a devastatingly emotional and intense journey of Jessie’s life. This is a heavy hitter and I was engulfed with by what cards life dealt him and I cried throughout the book. The true life struggles with abandonment, addiction, abuse, poverty and homelessness.

His life was
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 formidable, but he was able to overcome by his sheer determination…and that my friends is NOT an easy feat to achieve!!
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ISBN

1982101210 / 9781982101213

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