The Candy Palmater Show

How a library helped Richard Wagamese become a writer

Indigenous author Richard Wagamese discovered literature when he stepped into the library for the first time as a homeless teenager.
Writer Richard Wagamese first walked into a library seeking shelter as a homeless youth. (CBC)

Richard Wagamese has had a successful career as a journalist and author, and his books, including Indian Horse and Medicine Walk, have earned him accolades across Canada.

But Richard may never have become a writer, were it not for the kindness of a group of librarians in St. Catharines, Ontario, where he stumbled into the public library at the age of 16, seeking shelter and refuge from a life on the streets.

Richard talks to Candy about books that shaped him as a reader and a writer, and gives an update on an upcoming movie based on one of his books.