Best Selling Books by Joseph Boyden

Set in Canada and the battlefields of France and Belgium, Three-Day Road is a mesmerizing novel told through the eyes of Niska—a Canadian Oji-Cree woman living off the land who is the last of a line of healers and diviners—and her nephew Xavier. At the urging of his friend Elijah, a Cree boy raised in reserve schools, Xavier joins the war effort. Shipped off to Europe when they are nineteen, the boys are marginalized from the Canadian soldiers not only by their native appearance but also by the fine marksmanship that years of hunting in the bush has taught them. Both become snipers renowned for their uncanny accuracy. But while Xavier struggles to understand the purpose of the war and to come to terms with his conscience for the many lives he has ended, Elijah becomes obsessed with killing, taking great risks to become the most accomplished sniper in the army. Eventually the harrowing and bloody truth of war takes its toll on the two friends in different, profound ways. Intertwined with this account is the story of Niska, who herself has borne witness to a lifetime of death—the death of her people. In part inspired by the legend of Francis Pegahmagabow, the great Indian sniper of World War I, Three-Day Road is an impeccably researched and beautifully written story that offers a searing reminder about the cost of war.

Before internationally acclaimed author Joseph Boyden penned his bestselling novel Three Day Road and his Scotiabank Giller Prize–winning novel, Through Black Spruce, he published a powerful collection of thirteen stories about modern Aboriginal life that made readers and reviewers take notice. These stories of love, loss, rage and resilience match virtuosic style with clever wit to turn stereotypes on their head and reveal the traditions and grace of our First Peoples. Readers come to know a butterfly-costumed boy fascinated by the world of professional wrestling, a young woman who falls in love with a wolf, to the leader of an all-girl Native punk band and Painted Tongue, the unforgettable character from Through Black Spruce. Though each story is told in a different and distinct voice, they are all united by their captivating vitality, nuanced perceptions and vigorous prose.

A haunting novel of love, identity, and loss-from the internationally acclaimed author of Three Day Road Beautifully written and startlingly original, Through Black Spruce takes the considerable talents of Canadian novelist Joseph Boyden to new and exciting heights. This is the story of two immensely compelling characters: Will Bird, a legendary Cree bush pilot who lies comatose in a remote Ontario hospital; and Annie Bird, Will''s niece, a beautiful loner and trapper who has come to sit beside her uncle''s bed. Broken in different ways, the two take silent communion in their unspoken kinship, revealing a story rife with heartbreak, fierce love, ancient feuds, mysterious disappearances, murders, and the bonds that hold a family, and a people, together. From the rugged Canadian wilderness to the drug-fueled glamour of the Manhattan club scene, this is thrilling, atmospheric storytelling at its finest.

WINNER OF THE LIBRIS AWARD FOR BEST FICTION & BEST AUTHOR SHORTLISTED FOR THE GOVERNOR GENERAL''S LITERARY AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROGER WRITERS'' TRUST FICTION AWARD LONGLISTED FOR THE SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE ''Historical fiction at its best'' Sunday Telegraph A mesmerizing epic set in the wilds of 17th century North America, from a Giller Prize-winning author 1640s, The New World In the remote winter landscape, a brutal massacre and the kidnapping of a young Iroquois girl violently re-ignites a deep rift between two tribes. The girl''s captor, Bird, is one of the Huron Nation''s great warriors and statesmen. Years have passed since the murder of his family, but they are never far from his mind. In the girl, he recognizes the ghost of his lost daughter, but as he fights for her heart and allegiance, small battles erupt into bigger wars as both tribes face a new, more dangerous threat. Travelling with the Huron is Christophe, a charismatic missionary who has found his calling among the tribe. An emissary from distant lands, he brings much more than his faith to this new world, with its natural beauty and riches. As these three souls dance with each other through intricately woven acts of duplicity, their social, political and spiritual worlds collide - and a new nation rises from a world in flux.

"Wabusk Outside the Wire / Nanook Looking In" is Joseph Boyden''s contribution to Northwords, a cross-platform project that takes urban Canadian writers to some of the world''s most extreme environments. Introduced by award-winning journalist and radio personality Shelagh Rogers, Northwords is a collection of stories written by acclaimed Canadian authors as they experienced one of Canada’s most awe-inspiring northern national parks Torngat Mountains National Park, the country’s newest national park, and a place steeped in geological and human history. The cross-platform project, which includes a documentary film that follows the authors as they explored the harsh and stunning terrain, had adventures, and created these new works, adds to the continuing story of the North. The stories explore the idea of the North, and what happens when the country’s best writers tackle its most overwhelmingly beautiful places. Taking advantage of opportunities presented by transmedia integration, users can experience the stories in the writers’ own words through Anansi Digital, as well as learn more about their processes and what inspired them through interactive content. Users will have access to film and audio content, and together, these related media will create a larger story web, allowing the audience to truly immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, and stories of the North.

Shortlisted for the 2017 OLSN Northern Lit Award An Ojibwe boy runs away from a North Ontario Indian School, not realizing just how far away home is. Along the way he''s followed by Manitous, spirits of the forest who comment on his plight, cajoling, taunting, and ultimately offering him a type of comfort on his difficult journey back to the place he was so brutally removed from. Written by Scotiabank Giller Prize–winning author Joseph Boyden and beautifully illustrated by acclaimed artist Kent Monkman, Wenjack is a powerful and poignant look into the world of a residential school runaway trying to find his way home.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 187-188).

Northwords is a cross-platform project that takes urban Canadian writers Joseph Boyden, Sarah Leavitt, Rabindranth Maharaj, Noah Richler, and Alissa York to some of the world’s most extreme environments, to join the conversation about the north. Introduced by award-winning journalist and radio personality Shelagh Rogers, Northwords is a collection of stories written by acclaimed Canadian authors as they experienced one of Canada’s most awe-inspiring northern national parks Torngat Mountains National Park, the country’s newest national park, and a place steeped in geological and human history. The cross-platform project, which includes a documentary film that follows the authors as they explored the harsh and stunning terrain, had adventures, and created these new works, adds to the continuing story of the North. The stories explore the idea of the North, and what happens when the country’s best writers tackle its most overwhelmingly beautiful places. Taking advantage of opportunities presented by transmedia integration, users can experience the stories in the writers’ own words through Anansi Digital, as well as learn more about their processes and what inspired them through interactive content. Users will have access to film and audio content, and together, these related media will create a larger story web, allowing the audience to truly immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, and stories of the North.

Louis Riel is regarded by some as a hero and visionary, by others as a madman and misguided religious zealot. The Métis leader who fought for the rights of his people against an encroaching tide of white settlers helped establish the province of Manitoba before escaping to the United States. Gabriel Dumont was a successful hunter and Métis chief, a man tested by warfare, a pragmatist who differed from the devout Riel. Giller Prize—winning novelist Joseph Boyden argues that Dumont, part of a delegation that had sought out Riel in exile, may not have foreseen the impact on the Métis cause of bringing Riel home. While making rational demands of Sir John A. Macdonald''s government, Riel seemed increasingly overtaken by a messianic mission. His execution in 1885 by the Canadian government still reverberates today. Boyden provides fresh, controversial insight into these two seminal Canadian figures and how they shaped the country.

Après Le Chemin des âmes et Les Saisons de la solitude qui l’ont imposé parmi les grands écrivains canadiens contemporains, Joseph Boyden poursuit une œuvre ambitieuse. Situé dans les espaces sauvages du Canada du XVIIe siècle, ce roman épique, empreint tout à la fois de beauté et de violence, est d’ores et déjà considéré comme un chef-d’œuvre. Trois voix tissent l’écheveau d’une fresque où se confrontent les traditions et les cultures : celle d’un jeune jésuite français, d’un chef de guerre huron, et d’une captive iroquoise. Trois personnages réunis par les circonstances, divisés par leur appartenance. Car chacun mène sa propre guerre : l’un pour convertir les Indiens au christianisme, les autres, bien qu’ennemis, pour s’allier ou chasser ces « Corbeaux » venus prêcher sur leur terre. Trois destins scellés à jamais dans un monde sur le point de basculer. Mêlant lyrisme et poésie, convoquant la singularité de chaque voix – habitée par la foi absolue ou la puissance prophétique du rêve – Boyden restitue, dans ce roman d’une puissance visuelle qui rappelle Le Nouveau Monde de Terrence Malick, la folie et l’absurdité de tout conflit, donnant à son livre une dimension d’une incroyable modernité, où « le passé et le futur sont le présent. » « Le nouveau roman de Joseph Boyden est un livre surprenant, magistral, et très certainement le premier grand roman canadien du XXIe siècle. » The Vancouver Sun « Un grand livre : déchirant, débordant de scènes d’action incroyables, habité par de magnifiques personnages et une formidable humanité. » The Globe and Mail « Une épopée étonnante et, bien davantage qu’un simple roman, un livre sans âge, un classique-né. » The National Post

1919. Nord de l''Ontario. Niska, une vieille Indienne, attend sur un quai de gare le retour d''Elijah, un soldat qui a survécu à la guerre. À sa grande surprise, l''homme qui descend du train est son neveu Xavier qu''elle croyait mort, ou plutôt son ombre, méconnaissable. Pendant trois jours, à bord du canoë qui les ramène chez eux, et tandis que sa tante essaie de le maintenir en vie, Xavier revit les heures sombres de son passé l''engagement dans l''armée canadienne avec Elijah, son meilleur ami, et l''enfer des champs de bataille en France...

Là-haut, vers le nord de l’Ontario, vivent des femmes et des hommes, indiens pour la plupart. Joseph Boyden évoque avec sensibilité leurs histoires singulières au parfum de légende : une jeune fille tombe amoureuse d’un loup ; un jeune homme prétend envers et contre tout être un ours ... Ces nouvelles étonnantes de l’auteur du Chemin des âmes, mélange fascinant d’émotion, de violence et de poésie, dessinent les pleins et les déliés d’une communauté humaine.En quelques pages éclate tout le talent du jeune écrivain canadien aux racines indiennes : la dérision et l’ironie salvatrices ; l’humour à froid et l’incommensurable tristesse. Martine Laval, Télérama.Là-haut vers le nord, au milieu du chaos, résiste toujours une lueur tendre, un clin d’oeil ironique, une parenthèse de délire ou de flamboiement lyrique. Magistral. Marie Chaudey, La Vie.

A visceral portrait of life at a crossroads, The Orenda opens with a brutal massacre and the kidnapping of the young Iroquois Snow Falls, a spirited girl with a special gift. Her captor, Bird, is an elder and one of the Huron Nation''s great warriors and statesmen. It has been years since the murder of his family and yet they are never far from his mind. In Snow Falls, Bird recognizes the ghost of his lost daughter and sees the girl possesses powerful magic that will be useful to him on the troubled road ahead. Bird’s people have battled the Iroquois for as long as he can remember, but both tribes now face a new, more dangerous threat from afar. Christophe, a charismatic Jesuit missionary, has found his calling amongst the Huron and devotes himself to learning and understanding their customs and language in order to lead them to Christ. An emissary from distant lands, he brings much more than his faith to the new world. As these three souls dance each other through intricately woven acts of duplicity, small battles erupt into bigger wars and a nation emerges from worlds in flux.

In 2007 Joseph Boyden, author of the bestselling novel Three Day Road, was invited by the Canadian Literature Centre to deliver the inaugural Henry Kreisel Lecture at the University of Alberta. Boyden spoke passionately, relating Aboriginal people in Canada to poor African-Americans, Whites, and Hispanics in post-Katrina New Orleans. At the end of his lecture he presented a manifesto to the audience, demanding independence from the shackles of North American governments on behalf of these oppressed cultures. The lecture was received with much acclaim and enthusiasm.

1919, Nord de l''Ontario. Niska, une vieille Indienne Cree, attend sur un quai de gare le retour d''un soldat. Pourtant l''homme qui descend du train n''est pas Elijah, mais son neveu Xavier qu''elle croyait disparu, ou plutôt son ombre malade et méconnaissable. Trois jours durant, à bord du canoë qui les ramène chez eux, Xavier, entre la vie et la mort, replonge dans les eaux sombres de son passé. Lorsque, en 1914, il avait décidé avec Elijah, son meilleur ami, de s''engager dans l''armée canadienne, certains l''un et l''autre de connaître l''aventure de leur vie. Mais sur les champs de bataille français, l''enfer les attendait...

Driven by deep frustration, anger, and sorrow in the wake of yet another violent assault upon a First Nations woman in November 2014, dozens of acclaimed writers and artists have come together to add their voices to a call for action addressing the deep-rooted and horrific crimes that continue to fester in our country. Kwe means woman in Ojibwe. More specifically, kwe means life-giver or life-carrier in Anishinaabemowin, the Ojibwe language. It is a pure word, one that speaks powerfully of women’s place at the heart of all our First Nations. These women who bring light and life to our world are in peril. Aboriginal women in our country are three times more likely to face violent attack and murder than any other of their gender. We must take concrete steps to stop this and we must do it now. A nation is only as good, is only as strong, as how it treats its most vulnerable and those of us in danger. This book is a call to action. It’s sometimes a whisper, sometimes a scream, but we speak our words as one when we demand justice for our more than 1200 murdered and missing Indigenous women. After all, they are our mothers, our daughters, our nieces, our aunties, our sisters, our friends. Penguin Canada is donating all proceeds from the sale of Kwe: Standing With Our Sisters to Amnesty International''s No More Stolen Sisters initiative.

Canada, 1919. La Grande Guerra è finita e Niska, un''anziana donna-medicina del popolo Cree che si è rifiutata di ritirarsi nelle riserve e vive solitaria nelle foreste dell''Ontario, affronta un faticoso viaggio lungo il fiume per raggiungere la cittadina più vicina, dove per la prima volta vede il treno. È venuta a prendere Elijah, l''amico del cuore e compagno di cacce di suo nipote Xavier, l''unico parente che le è rimasto e che lei ha allevato come un figlio. Arruolati nell''esercito canadese, i due ragazzi sono finiti sul fronte francese in Europa, a combattere una guerra feroce: Elijah viene rimandato a casa ferito, Xavier risulta caduto. Ma in realtà è Xavier quell''uomo senza una gamba che Niska vede scendere dal treno.

1919. Niska, la última curandera de los Oji-Cree que queda por las tierras de Ontario, Canadá, ha hecho un largo viaje para recibir a uno de los dos muchachos de su tribu que se habían alistado en el ejército y que vuelve herido de la guerra en Europa. Pero el que baja del tren no es quien Niska esperaba, sino su único pariente, su sobrino Xavier, que todos daban por muerto. ¿Qué ha sucedido con su mejor amigo Elijah, con el que combatió en los campos de batalla de Francia y Bélgica? ¿Por qué ha llegado Xavier bajo la identidad de otro? Gravemente herido y adicto a la morfina, Xavier deambula entre la vida y la muerte mientras recuerda los años vividos en el campo de batalla con Elijah y cómo su reputación como francotiradores que era el orgullo de su regimiento se convirtió en horror y vergüenza. Niska comprende que su cometido no es sólo llevar a Xavier a casa sino devolverle al mundo de los vivos, cueste lo que cueste. Inspirada en parte en la vida del héroe de la primera guerra mundial Francis Pegahmagabow, Tres días de camino es una gran novela de verdadero aliento épico, en la tradición de las grandes historias de guerra, pero ante todo es una historia cautivante e iluminadora de amistad y esperanza.

Aus dem Dunkel der Wälder in das Dickicht der Städte Der Cree-Indianer Will lernte in seiner Kindheit die Kunst des Jagens von seinem Vater. Doch die Lebensweise der Alten ist den Stürmen der neuen Zeit nicht gewachsen. In der modernen Welt finden die Indianer weder Arbeit noch Würde, und für viele - auch für Will - ist Alkohol ein gefährlicher Tröster. Als er in einen Konflikt zwischen rivalisierenden Clans verwickelt wird, flieht er in die Wildnis. Doch der Winter treibt ihn zurück in die Siedlung, wo er Opfer eines brutalen Überfalls wird. Nun liegt er im Koma. Seine Nichte Annie versucht, ihn mit ihren Geschichten von der Wildnis der grossen Städte ins Leben zurückzuholen. Joseph Boyden, 1967 in Kanada geboren, hat indianische Vorfahren. Zu seinem Roman wurde er durch die historische Figur des indianischen Kundschafters Francis Pegahmagabow angeregt. ''Der lange Weg'', nominiert für den angesehenen Governor General''s Award for Fiction 2005, stand in seiner Heimat wochenlang auf den Bestsellerlisten. Die Übersetzungsrechte wurden in über zehn Länder verkauft. Joseph Boyden lebt in New Orleans.

Een Canadese indiaan die in coma ligt, vertelt in gedachten zijn verhaal aan zijn nichtje, dat op haar beurt hem vertelt over haar zoektocht naar haar verdwenen zuster.

History reveals itself when, in the seventeenth century, a Jesuit missionary ventures into the Canadian wilderness in search of converts-the defining moment of first contact between radically different worlds. What unfolds over the next several years is truly epic, constantly illuminating and surprising, sometimes comic, always entrancing and ultimately all too human in its tragic grandeur. Christophe has been in the New World only a year when his native guides abandon him to flee their Iroquois pursuers. A Huron warrior and elder named Bird soon takes him prisoner, along with a young Iroquois girl, Snow Falls, whose family he has just killed, and holds them captive in his massive village. Champlain''s Iron People have only recently begun trading with the Huron, who mistrust them as well as this Crow who has now trespassed onto their land; and her people, of course, have become the Huron''s greatest enemy. Putting both to death would resolve the issue, but Bird sees Christophe as a potential envoy to those in New France, and Snow Falls as a replacement for his two daughters who were murdered by the Iroquois. The relationships between these three are reshaped again and again as life comes at them relentlessly: a dangerous trading mission, friendly exchanges with allied tribes, shocking victories and defeats in battle, and sicknesses the likes of which no one has ever witnessed.

Will, un ancien trappeur, est dans le coma après avoir été agressé ; c’est Annie, sa nièce, de retour d''un long voyage, qui veille sur lui, qui lui parle. Dans une communion silencieuse, ces deux êtres évoquent leurs douleurs les plus secrètes, celles de leur peuple, les Indiens Anishabe. De l''immensité sauvage des forêts canadiennes aux gratte-ciel de Manhattan, c’est le choc de deux mondes, de deux cultures, que décrit l’auteur. Ce roman saisissant, deuxième volet du triptyque inauguré par Le Chemin des âmes, a été couronné par le plus grand prix littéraire canadien, le Giller Prize.Un magnifique roman à deux voix, tout à la fois thriller et chant d’amour à un peuple maltraité par l’histoire et par l’homme blanc. Alexis Liebaert, Marianne.Si vous aimez Jim Harrison... vous aimerez Joseph Boyden. Clémentine Goldszal, Elle.En trois livres, le romancier canadien s’est imposé, à côté de Louise Erdrich ou de David Treuer, comme une des voix les singulières de la littérature d’Amérique du Nord. Christophe Mercier, Le Figaro littéraire.

Twee Cree indianen uit Frans Canada vechten in de loopgraven van Frankrijk en België tijdens de Eerste Wereldoorlog.