Jesse Thistle and George Canyon discuss Canada Reads contender From the Ashes
Canada Reads 2020 takes place July 20-23
Country singer George Canyon will defend Jesse Thistle's memoir From the Ashes on Canada Reads 2020. Ahead of the debates, the musician and the first-time author chatted about what it was like to write a very personal book.
Canada Reads 2020 will take place July 20-23.
The Métis-Cree writer's memoir describes how he transformed his life — from being homeless and struggling with addiction to winning awards in academia. Thistle is now a professor at York University and a bestselling author.
Watch Canyon and Thistle's conversation above or read a condensed transcript of their talk below.
George Canyon (GC): This is kind of a weird question, but what inspired you to write this story? Because you are very vulnerable in writing this and I would never have the confidence.
Jesse Thistle (JT): Well, I was asked to write it. I went back to school after years of being on the streets and in and out of the justice system with addictions. I went through school and I graduated and I did really well. I won a bunch of really high-tier academic doctoral awards. The Toronto Star came to do a story on me and I told them about my past life, previous to academia. That story came out and caught the attention of Simon & Schuster and they came and asked me if I wanted to write a book. A lot of the stories were actually me doing my 12-step AA program.
GC: That's an interesting thing with the 12-step recovery process. For that to be actually a part of the recovery.
JT: Oh for sure. The book was like recovery. The little fragments the book was written in appear that way because that's how I wrote my fourth step, which is my moral inventory, where I had to go through different things in my life that I did to other people, that other people did to me, that made me resentful or was locking me into my addiction. So I really had to understand my past and that's how I did it.
GC: Did you have any struggles writing about yourself? Saying, "Oh my gosh, what's the family going to think when I write this?"
JT: I talk about some of the crimes that I committed, like I was stealing bottles or not being the nicest to my brothers or my grandparents. I have to put it all out there for people to understand who I was and who I became. I had to talk about everything and that was part of the process where I was kind of afraid, but also had to face it with courage. GC: It's an incredible story, as I've said a gazillion times and I keep saying to you. You're going to be tired of me saying that. But I think it's also a very inspiring story for a lot of youth, no matter where they're at in Canada and in the world, that could really look to that. When I was young, I didn't think I could do well in school. Did you ever think that you would ever end up being a professor?
The story is about losing connection and family and it's a quest for love. - Jesse Thistle
JT: No. No way. I dropped out early. I didn't have support when I was in school. I'm a high school drop out, right? And so I spent years trying to get my education and I just didn't have the supports. I could barely read. I went through my GED when I was getting sober in my 30s and that's when I started to re-teach myself how to read and write. I did that in jail. I used that as a vehicle into a new life, so I replaced my addictions with education. Other people might be inspired by it, but for me I was just on a quest to better my life and be a better person.
GC: What advice do you have for me when it comes to making certain I represent your book honestly and transparently?
JT: Well, recognizing one that a lot of Métis were and are cowboys. That's a big part of our culture. From the post-World War Two era onwards. All my uncles were great with horses and were raised on the Prairies so it's part of our culture. So the culture that you live and work within is part of our culture as well. Also to know that my ancestors are with you, they are walking with you to tell this story.
GC: What's the one thing that I should make sure that everybody knows about your book?
JT: It's a quest for love. The story is about losing connection and family and it's a quest for love and I eventually find it with my wife, where I learn self-love, to take care of myself, love my wife and then she re-teaches me how to in turn love society.
GC: I love that part of the story. But it makes sense after what I've learned about you and your musical taste. I believe one of your favourite artists, I might just say, is Ms. Taylor Swift. And of course, one of your favourite movies, Notting Hill. Or Titanic.
JT: Lucie told you? Yeah. I'm a romantic at heart.
Read the book. It's an experience. It's not words on a page.- George canyon
GC: In all seriousness, as an author, because you're a very tough man what you grew up through and what you went through on the streets and, I'm going to throw this one out, falling out of a three-storey window.
JT: Yeah, it was rough and tumble.
GC: Three storeys. You realize three storeys is, you don't make it.
JT: I shouldn't have lived. I know that I was very lucky and that God was with me.
GC: Thanks for writing the book. It's incredible. I'm going to learn some new adjectives for the show, like spectacular. That's a big word. I'm still working on words like gymnasium, but I'll get there. But in all seriousness, it's an experience, that's what I'm telling everybody. Read the book. It's an experience. It's not words on a page. Make sure everybody you tune in. Canada Reads is on from March 16 to 19 where you're going to get to witness this big fella's book win.
The Canada Reads 2020 contenders
- Alayna Fender defending Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club by Megan Gail Coles
- Akil Augustine defending Radicalized by Cory Doctorow
- Amanda Brugel defending We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib
- Kaniehtiio Horn defending Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
- George Canyon defending From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle
