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When he was in his lowest moments, Joseph Boyden never imagined where he’d end up: one of Canada’s top literary stars. His first novel, Three Day Road – the story of two Cree men in the First World War – was an international bestseller. His second, Through Black Spruce, which also drew on his Ojibway heritage, uncovered the harsh reality of modern aboriginal life and won the prestigious Giller Prize.
But here’s the thing: there was a time when Joseph felt totally lost. When he was 16 years old and suffering from depression he tried to end his life. Then two things happened. Joseph discovered punk and he got serious about writing. And it helped. He roamed the U.S. like a modern-day Kerouac and found his voice: a writer who’s taken on the big questions in our history. And they don’t get any bigger than his new one. It’s called The Orenda: a bloody and at times brutal fictional account of the wars that gave rise to our nation.
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