PERMANENT ASTONISHMENT: A MEMOIR

Tomson Highway. PERMANENT ASTONISHMENT: A MEMOIR. Penguin, Random House, 2021.

Memories from Tomson Highway's early years with family and nine years at Guy Hill Residential School. All the time I was reading it, I was wishing I had the audio book read by the writer. He has such a beautiful voice, and he would be able to say the names and the Cree words properly. His way of speaking is OTT as always, hyperbolic. Which is part of the humour and part of the culture--especially his insistence in naming a person along with his position in family, both parents' family of origin, and home community. Such a positive attitude. So determined to see the best possible way to interpret even traumatic situations (such as routine molestation of boys at school) or the disappointment when a promised gift did not materialize because of a loss at gambling. A musical prodigy. A student who loves learning and performing and dramatic ritual. I am hoping there will be a sequel talking about his high school years in Winnipeg, his musical and writing careers, and the loss of his beloved younger brother.