> Babelio : https://www.babelio.com/livres/Boyden-La-haut-vers-le-Nord/66321

> LÀ-HAUT VERS LE NORD, de Joseph Boyden. — Vers le nord de l’Ontario, du côté de la Baie James, cohabitent les Anishabe (les Indiens) et les Wemestikushu (les Blancs). Là-haut vers le nord dresse le portrait tragique d’un peuple dont est issue une myriade de personnages étonnants ; Jenny Two Bears, la fille Sucre, Joe Cul-de-Jatte, etc. « Joseph Boyden parvient à conférer à ses personnages une beauté, une humanité, celle de peuples à moitié déracinés mais entretenant néanmoins un lien inaliénable avec la terre », selon un journaliste du Voir. L’auteur canadien du Chemin des âmes signe ici treize histoires au parfum de légendes, inspirées par ses propres origines amérindiennes, écossaises et irlandaises. Le Livre de Poche, 320 p., 12,95$
—Le libraire, No 60 | Août - Septembre 2010

Boyden's collection of stories has a wide-range of point-of-view, but all take place in Northern Ontario. A real stand out story was "Legend of the Sugar Girl," a heart-breaking fable about the reality of the impact of residential schools on the body, diet, and culture of First Nations people. Mostly, I found myself missing the acute depth and clarity of the author's later work, but the seeds of his excellence are strewn across these narratives that often dip into bleak, hopelessness, but do not emerge without a ray of hope, however faint.

Full disclosure - Boyden's book Three Day Road is on my Top Ten List. I saw him speak in Toronto and he is very charming and very cute! This book of short stories is his first book. The stories are divided into 4 sections with 4 different themes. They are brilliant. I usually need to intersperse short stories with a novel, but I read this book in one day, and although the stories are not connected, they flow beautifully.

He is now teaching in New Orleans and I so impatient for a new book! ( )

I don't usually enjoy short stories but I do love Joseph Boyden's books so I decided to give this one a shot. This included thirteen short stories of native life and spirituality. If only all short stories were as enjoyable as Boyden's! ( )

I love a good short story collection, and Boyden’s Born with a Tooth fits the bill perfectly. These 13 short stories were the fuel that launched Boyden’s award winning career.

Each of these stories (with one exception) is told from the perspective of a modern day First Nations person—man, woman, young, old. Boyden writes in a simple engaging way that gives you a sense of what it’s like to share in that person’s culture.

Of course, many of the themes are difficult. Land appropriation, residential schools, alcoholism, suicide, homelessness, and casinos are all part of Born with a Tooth. Boyden’s storytelling, even while relating a tragic story, uncovers unexpected glimpses of nobility and beauty, grace and life.

If you’ve read The Orenda, the last four stories in this collection will be especially interesting. In them, Boyden tells the same story through the eyes of four different participants. As in The Orenda, cultural misunderstanding is vividly illustrated. Each story will elicit empathy for its respective lead character.

Thanks to Brian Lachine for this great gift! ( )