Keeper'n Me

Richard Wagamese

Aug 2018 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Deneh'Cho Thompson and Sam Bob

About this audiobook

When Garnet Raven was three years old, he was taken from his home on an Ojibway Indian reserve and placed in a series of foster homes. Having reached his mid-teens, he escapes at the first available opportunity, only to find himself cast adrift on the streets of the big city.

Having skirted the urban underbelly once too often by age 20, he finds himself thrown in jail. While there, he gets a surprise letter from his long-forgotten native family.

The sudden communication from his past spurs him to return to the reserve following his release from jail. Deciding to stay awhile, his life is changed completely as he comes to discover his sense of place, and of self. While on the reserve, Garnet is initiated into the ways of the Ojibway--both ancient and modern--by Keeper, a friend of his grandfather, and last fount of history about his people's ways.

By turns funny, poignant and mystical, Keeper'n Me reflects a positive view of Native life and philosophy--as well as casting fresh light on the redemptive power of one's community and traditions.

Ratings and reviews

Definitely a great book to read.

About the author

RICHARD WAGAMESE, an Ojibway from the Wabaseemoong First Nation in northwestern Ontario, was one of Canada's foremost writers. His acclaimed, bestselling novels included Keeper'n Me; Indian Horse, which was a Canada Reads finalist, winner of the inaugural Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature, and made into a feature film; and Medicine Walk. He was also the author of acclaimed memoirs, including For Joshua; One Native Life; and One Story, One Song, which won the George Ryga Award for Social Awareness in Literature; as well as a collection of personal reflections, Embers, which received the Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award. He won numerous awards and recognition for his writing, including the National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Media and Communications, the Canada Council for the Arts Molson Prize, the Canada Reads People's Choice Award, and the Writers' Trust of Canada's Matt Cohen Award. Wagamese died on March 10, 2017, in Kamloops, B.C.

DENEH'CHO THOMPSON is a director, actor and playwright recently arrived in Edmonton, and based in Vancouver for the past decade. Since 2009 Deneh’Cho has been developing an artistic practice that focuses on new play development and centres the values of reciprocity, respect and reflexivity. 
In 2017 Deneh’Cho appeared on stage in the world premiers of REDPATCH, by Sean Oliver Harris and Reas Calvert, and Thanks for Giving, by Kevin Loring. Deneh’Cho’s directing credits include The Girl Who was Raised by Wolverine (written by Deneh, and winner of the 2016 Fringe new Play prize), The Dudes of My Life by Christina Andreola, and The Governor of the Dew by Floyd Favel. The Girl Who was Raised by Wolverine was presented at the Vancouver Fringe Festival 2016, as part of the Playwright Theatre Centre's Fringe New Play Prize, and at Weesageechak Begins to Dance 29, 2016.  Deneh also teaches youth and community theatre workshops.

SAM BOB (traditional name-Tulkweemult') of the Snaw-Naw-us First Nation has performed nationally in television, film, radio, and theatre. He is a Jessie Richardson GVTA nominee for Best Actor in Headline Theatre's production of Out of the Silence and nominated Best Actor by Edmonton’s Dreamspeaker’s Film Festival for Dana Claxton’s The Red Paper. Theatre productions include Crees in the Caribbean and Popcorn Elder with Saskatoon's Gordon Tootoosis Theatre. As well as Drylips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing (Arts Club), Paradise in the Wasteland (Tahmanous Theatre), Age of Iron, Farewell, and Ecstacy of Rita Joe (at the Firehall Arts Centre), Time Stands Still (Native Earth Theatre/Toronto), Swaa'ahmut  and maladjusted with Theatre for Living, as well as several Lytton River festival productions with Kevin Loring’s Savage Society. Mr. Bob can also be seen in film and TV in Blackway with Anthony Hopkins, Unclaimed, a CBC film about murdered and missing women and later this year in Laudermilk, an Audience comedy in which he has a recurring role as 'Cloud'.  Sam has recently finished a national tour with Vancouver Moving Theatre productions of Reconciliation-Our Way. Sam has also taught free community theatre classes at the Vancouver Friendship Centre for several years. Putting young people on stage is a particular joy, as well as performing with his sketch comedy troupe The Coyote Brothers.