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Valley of the Birdtail

Written by: Andrew Stobo Sniderman, Douglas Sanderson
Narrated by: Greg Rogers
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Publisher's Summary

THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER

Winner – 2023 Stubbendieck Great Plains Distinguished Book Prize

Winner – 2023 John W. Dafoe Book Prize

Winner – 2023 High Plains Book Award for Indigenous Writer

Winner – 2022 Manitoba Historical Society Margaret McWilliams Book Award for Local History

Finalist – 2023 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize

Finalist – Writers’ Trust Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing

Nominated – 2023 Ontario Library Association Forest of Reading Evergreen Award

Shortlisted – 2023 Quebec Writers’ Federation Mavis Gallant Prize for Non-Fiction and Concordia University First Book Prize

Finalist – Canadian Law and Society Association Book Prize

Longlisted – 2023-2024 First Nations Communities Read

A heart-rending true story about racism and reconciliation

Divided by a beautiful valley and 150 years of racism, the town of Rossburn and the Waywayseecappo Indian reserve have been neighbours nearly as long as Canada has been a country. Their story reflects much of what has gone wrong in relations between Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous Canadians. It also offers, in the end, an uncommon measure of hope.

Valley of the Birdtail is about how two communities became separate and unequal—and what it means for the rest of us. In Rossburn, once settled by Ukrainian immigrants who fled poverty and persecution, family income is near the national average and more than a third of adults have graduated from university. In Waywayseecappo, the average family lives below the national poverty line and less than a third of adults have graduated from high school, with many haunted by their time in residential schools.

This book follows multiple generations of two families, one white and one Indigenous, and weaves their lives into the larger story of Canada. It is a story of villains and heroes, irony and idealism, racism and reconciliation. Valley of the Birdtail has the ambition to change the way we think about our past and show a path to a better future.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Douglas Sanderson and Andrew Stobo Sniderman (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

What listeners say about Valley of the Birdtail

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Stories throughout Canada's history all tied toget

This book had so many stories that all tied together, that paint a very clear picture of the overt and structural racism that was created for Indigenous Peoples. But there is also stories of success that showcase possible pathways to reconciliation.

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Essential reading for Canadians

An important story that will change your understanding of Canada and Indigenous Peoples. The recommendations are thoughtful and if implemented would fundamentally change our country for the better.

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Very Interesting from a fresh point of view.

The book has lot of information and the narrator was easy to listen to. An enlightening perspective from the Idigenous Peoples point of view.

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Best book by far on understanding the need for reconciliation

Greg rogers is a wonderful story teller. His enunciation in both English and Cree added to the credibility of the reconciliation story. So much history and information packed into this book and made accessible through the art of story telling. I now have a better understanding of the history of settlement, the laws and the basis for racism. Should be a must read in high school.

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A magnificent book

This incredible book about the settlement of Canada should be required reading for citizenship. It is disturbing, enlightening and an absolute revelation.

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An Outstanding Book

The authors frame the history of Canada's relationship with the First Nations in a powerful way. They chose to tell it through several generations of two families whose lives exist in parallel but very different universes. The critical differences, and their results frame everything we need to know to understand the shocking wrongs done to Indigenous peoples in Canada. This book would be an excellent addition to any Indigenous studies curriculum.

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The Truth

Thank you for such a wonderful, informative and more truthful telling of the history of this area. I taught/was Principal in Pauingassi First Nations for 12 years. It was such a shock to see and continue to see the unfairness that our First Nations people live with. I’m proudly married to a First Nations man and extremely lucky to have my mother in law who is a residential school survived living with us. Thank you again.

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