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Moccasin Square Gardens: Short Stories
The characters of Moccasin Square Gardens inhabit Denendeh, the land of the people north of the sixtieth parallel. These stories are filled with in-laws, outlaws and common-laws. Get ready for illegal wrestling moves (“The Camel Clutch”), pinky promises, a doctored casino, extraterrestrials or “Sky People,” love, lust and prayers for peace. While this is Van Camp’s most hilarious short story collection, it’s also haunted by the lurking presence of the Wheetago, human-devouring monsters of legend that have returned due to global warming and the greed of humanity. The stories in Moccasin Square Gardens show that medicine power always comes with a price. To counteract this darkness, Van Camp weaves a funny and loving portrayal of the Tłı̨chǫ Dene and other communities of the North, drawing from oral history techniques to perfectly capture the character and texture of everyday small-town life. “Moccasin Square Gardens” is the nickname of a dance hall in the town of Fort Smith that serves as a meeting place for a small but diverse community. In the same way, the collection functions as a meeting place for an assortment of characters, from shamans and time-travelling goddess warriors to pop-culture-obsessed pencil pushers, to con artists, archivists and men who just need to grow up, all seeking some form of connection.
160 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2019
13 people are currently reading
911 people want to read
About the author
Richard Van Camp
55 books316 followersA Dogrib (Tlicho) Dene from Fort Smith, NWT, Richard Van Camp is an internationally renowned storyteller and best-selling author. He is the author of the novel, The Lesser Blessed, a collection of short stories, Angel Wing Splash Pattern, and two children’s books with Cree artist, George Littlechild. His new baby book: Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns is the official selection of the Books for BC Babies program and is being given to every newborn baby in British Columbia in 2008. His new novel, Blessing Wendy, will be released in the fall of 2009 through Orca Book Publishers. Richard was awarded Storyteller of the Year for both Canada and the US by the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. You can visit Richard at his website: www.richardvancamp.org.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
August 15, 2019
Most neechies have a cousin who’s really, really good at telling a story. Picture this: it’s 1 a.m. on the rez, you’re sitting around your aunties kitchen table drinking tea or kool-aid and the only thing keeping you awake is the yarn your cousin is spinning. Every word, every pause is intricate and planned, leaving you wanting more and more until you finally erupt in laughter. Holy heck. That was good.
And then there’s your kookom who tells you stories of her time here on the land, of loss, of love. The stories that seem to punch you right in the gut while also soothing your heart at the same time.
That balance is Richard Van Camps gift and it’s one he readily shares in this collection.
I really laughed, I truly cried, I was honestly horrified but moreover I was always deeply moved.
Van Camp has outdone himself with these short stories which all take place in Denendeh, the land of the Dene.
I feel like I say this a lot when reviewing Indigenous books (it’s always true though) but this was unlike anything I’ve read before.
At 155 pages it’s a breeze to get through but I can’t stress enough how moving and unique Moccasin Square Gardens is.
5/5 forever & ever.
And then there’s your kookom who tells you stories of her time here on the land, of loss, of love. The stories that seem to punch you right in the gut while also soothing your heart at the same time.
That balance is Richard Van Camps gift and it’s one he readily shares in this collection.
I really laughed, I truly cried, I was honestly horrified but moreover I was always deeply moved.
Van Camp has outdone himself with these short stories which all take place in Denendeh, the land of the Dene.
I feel like I say this a lot when reviewing Indigenous books (it’s always true though) but this was unlike anything I’ve read before.
At 155 pages it’s a breeze to get through but I can’t stress enough how moving and unique Moccasin Square Gardens is.
5/5 forever & ever.
May 26, 2019
This low rating does not reflect the storytelling ability of the author, but my inability to connect with many of the tales. Moccasin Square Garden is the local name for a dance hall in Fort Smith, North West Territories.
The short stories reflect native Dene storytelling, home life, culture and superstition.
The collection includes stories of supernatural horror, honouring grandparents, and small-town life in the North. Diverse characters are featured. There are con-men, shamans, archivists, gamblers, childhood friendships and quarrels, love and marriage, adult men who have never taken on responsibilities, and extraterrestrials.
I have nothing against supernatural and violent horror stories but found the ones about the Wheatago, legendary human devouring monsters, were too frenzied and disjointed for me. I thought some of the stories of family life could be expanded into novels.
The short stories reflect native Dene storytelling, home life, culture and superstition.
The collection includes stories of supernatural horror, honouring grandparents, and small-town life in the North. Diverse characters are featured. There are con-men, shamans, archivists, gamblers, childhood friendships and quarrels, love and marriage, adult men who have never taken on responsibilities, and extraterrestrials.
I have nothing against supernatural and violent horror stories but found the ones about the Wheatago, legendary human devouring monsters, were too frenzied and disjointed for me. I thought some of the stories of family life could be expanded into novels.
December 21, 2019
Richard Van Camp’s Moccasin Square Gardens was the reminder I needed that a short story collection can really do it all and more - not all stories need to be novels. Based all over the Dene territories in the north, this book takes you everywhere in place and time. From funny stories about local politics and community gossip, to gentle love songs to Elders and their knowledge, to terrifying parables about ancient threats unleashed by the current climate crisis, I laughed, I cried, and I was too scared to sleep. Van Camp was new to me when I read The Lesser Blessed earlier this year, and he’s as great at short stories as he is at the novel. So good.
November 25, 2020
The last story "Grandpa" was amazing and moved my rating from 3 to 4 stars. Also enjoyed "Man Babies" and "Super Indians". All in all an interesting read and as I begin to read more works from Indigenous authors, I learn more about their culture. I saw him at Wordfest in Calgary last year, and if you get the chance to see/hear him, I encourage you to do so.
January 13, 2021
I'm not sure if I've ever read an author that writes people as such genuine persons as Richard Van Camp does. I definitely have not read anyone so fearlessly conversational in their narrative tone. He's a master of it, and you begin to know the personality of each narrator from the very beginning of each story, and they breathe immense life not only into themselves, but also all of the other characters they interact with. It's like sitting down an actually listening to these stories as you do when friends share stories with you.
"Ehtsèe/Grandpa" is certainly my favourite story, but there isn't a bad one out of this bunch. I was fortunate to see him read this story live, and there wasn't a dry eye in the room by the end, and even this second time around I still cried because of how beautiful that story truly is. "Aliens" is also right up there with this story.
This whole collection is fabulous.
"Ehtsèe/Grandpa" is certainly my favourite story, but there isn't a bad one out of this bunch. I was fortunate to see him read this story live, and there wasn't a dry eye in the room by the end, and even this second time around I still cried because of how beautiful that story truly is. "Aliens" is also right up there with this story.
This whole collection is fabulous.
November 2, 2021
Wow, what an incredible collection of tender and brilliant stories. A thin volume with so much range.
June 16, 2020
This was an absolutely fantastic collection of short stories. I loved every entry. This was my first time reading anything by Richard Van Camp that wasn't for kids and I NEED more.
Each story was beautiful in it's own way. I loved that there was a mixture of science fiction, comedy, contemporary, and even horror. It all worked. For every story I could hear each narrator's individual voice.
I never found a single story to be lacking. They all ended perfectly, and all ends were tied off. (That being said, I wouldn't say no to a whole novel about the Wheetago Wars. Or even a series. Just throwing that out into the universe).
Each story was beautiful in it's own way. I loved that there was a mixture of science fiction, comedy, contemporary, and even horror. It all worked. For every story I could hear each narrator's individual voice.
I never found a single story to be lacking. They all ended perfectly, and all ends were tied off. (That being said, I wouldn't say no to a whole novel about the Wheetago Wars. Or even a series. Just throwing that out into the universe).
August 20, 2020
This was a really good collection, there was only 1 story which I didn't enjoy ("The Promise"). I absolutely loved the two Wheetago stories and would love if Van Camp wrote a full length sci-fi novel expanding on those stories.
The voice in all of these is so distinctly Indigenous, and distinctly Canadian, that it was very different from a lot of what I read which was a real treat. All the stories really capture something so unique about the NWT.
The voice in all of these is so distinctly Indigenous, and distinctly Canadian, that it was very different from a lot of what I read which was a real treat. All the stories really capture something so unique about the NWT.
April 11, 2021
There are simply too many things good about this short story collection to mention in this space. What I love about Richard Van Camp's writing is that he seems to use every word, every gesture, every phrase in a vibrant, fun, and exciting way. I am supposing some of the things, like saying, "Sol later" and other phrases and gestures mentioned come from his own youth. Van Camp also makes a lot of cultural references to music, and the main story in this book, Moccasin Square Gardens is such a satisfying and edge of your seat story. These books have the unique ability to entertain me time and again, Van Camp fills his pages with pure gold in storytelling.
February 14, 2020
Thanks to Kristen for recommending this, because I don't think it's something I would have found on my own. I really liked the stories and how weird some of them were. Van Camp has a talent for being able to write in a number of styles and genres and write effectively in all of them. I just wish that this has been a longer collection!
July 4, 2021
There aren’t enough stars to adequately rate this book. These short stories had me veering wildly from laughter to tears, from epiphany to uncertainty. Van Camp is a master storyteller, the sort Michael Chabon talks about in his essay “Trickster in a Suit of Lights,” a literary writer who plays in the fields of genre fiction, jumping from science fiction to horror to coming-of-age to magical realism, always entertaining while at the same time, deeply enlightening. There isn’t a dud in this collection. Every page is golden.
January 4, 2022
Loved these stories!!
June 19, 2021
This collection should be rated higher! It's like people forget what a collection of short novels feels like. Content is clearly very personal, relevant, and relatable to anyone in touch with indigenous issues. If you have problems connecting to the content, it might help to reflect on any that might be.
October 24, 2019
Um... WOW. Wow, wow, wow! This collection absolutely knocked me out. It's so incredible. I have such a minuscule personal connection to the Deh Cho and Moccasin Square Gardens opened my eyes to its people even further. Richard Van Camp expertly finds unique voices for each of the storytellers, and still weaves them together with a common voice coming through: These are the Northern people, and these are just a fraction of their stories.
"I Am Filled With A Trembling Light" was my favourite of the entire collection. By the end of it, my heart was racing. And a little bit of that 'Indian magic' came through, for as soon as I read the line "Oh, here come the sirens", an ambulance whizzed by me with its sirens and lights blaring. It was incredible. I need to put this collection on my list of perennial re-reads - I have a strong feeling that this text gives the reader what the reader needs, no matter where they're at in their life.
Moccasin Square Gardens has rocketed to the top of my list for Canadian Indigenous reads, and Van Camp will be an author that I'll be exploring more. His list of works shocked me - how come I've never heard of him before, much less read any of his texts? I'm so grateful to have discovered him, and through this beautiful collection of stories, no less.
"I Am Filled With A Trembling Light" was my favourite of the entire collection. By the end of it, my heart was racing. And a little bit of that 'Indian magic' came through, for as soon as I read the line "Oh, here come the sirens", an ambulance whizzed by me with its sirens and lights blaring. It was incredible. I need to put this collection on my list of perennial re-reads - I have a strong feeling that this text gives the reader what the reader needs, no matter where they're at in their life.
Moccasin Square Gardens has rocketed to the top of my list for Canadian Indigenous reads, and Van Camp will be an author that I'll be exploring more. His list of works shocked me - how come I've never heard of him before, much less read any of his texts? I'm so grateful to have discovered him, and through this beautiful collection of stories, no less.
May 19, 2019
Aww! The stories are so good.
July 24, 2020
This oftentimes laugh-out-loud collection of short stories from Richard Van Camp is centered around the author's hometown of Ft. Smith, North West Territories, and the all too flawed characters who inhabit it.
There are aliens, con men, crooked politicians, shamans and elders, as well as a kid or two just trying to find their way in the world. Oh, and there are some monster cannibals too.
Van Camp is a born storyteller. You can imagine him sitting on the front porch or at the kitchen table effortlessly spinning these tales of the Tlicho (Dogrib) Nation to a rapt and appreciative audience. And although a couple of the stories ( Wheetago War) are a bit gruesome, all have a central character who is trying to do their best: to live with dignity and honor and to uphold what they believe are the Tlicho Dene ideals and way of life.
There are aliens, con men, crooked politicians, shamans and elders, as well as a kid or two just trying to find their way in the world. Oh, and there are some monster cannibals too.
Van Camp is a born storyteller. You can imagine him sitting on the front porch or at the kitchen table effortlessly spinning these tales of the Tlicho (Dogrib) Nation to a rapt and appreciative audience. And although a couple of the stories ( Wheetago War) are a bit gruesome, all have a central character who is trying to do their best: to live with dignity and honor and to uphold what they believe are the Tlicho Dene ideals and way of life.
July 2, 2020
This was fantastic! There's not really any story I could point out as my favourite. They all were. Nearly all of them felt like you were sitting around someone's kitchen table listening to some one tell you a story. The last two Knock Knock and I Have to Trust after extremely sweet and a great way to end off. The two Wheetago War stories have a lot of gore and horror if that's not your thing, please be aware.
I can't recommend this enough. It's a quick read of some great short stories.
I can't recommend this enough. It's a quick read of some great short stories.
August 3, 2019
There are some wonderful & evocative stories in this collection...but I must say, the inclusion of sci-fi elements simply doesn't fit in the grand scheme of things, and ends up giving this book a very weird & unbalanced feel. I like a bit more thematic consistency to my short story collections. All that said, the story of the tug-of-war had me howling with delight.
July 2, 2020
I love this book so much.
May 11, 2023
I’m not usually a fan of short story collections. They either leave me wanting… and okay, a few of these short stories did leave me wanting but only because the world built in them was phenomenal and I’d read a novel (or several) about it. This was a charming and delightful collection and I will now seek out more by Van Camp.
December 4, 2019
Not my favorite collection of short stories that center on Native American life, but pretty good. I liked best the critique of a dishonest chief. A mix of humor and observation, with a bit of criticism.
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November 30, 2020I liked better the stories that had less Sci-fi, more indigenous spirituality. The last few were the best. It’s not that they were necessarily more ‘realistic’ than any of the others, but I felt the sympathetic contract with them in a way I had not responded to the earlier stories.
September 10, 2020
Series of short stories. Loved Aliens, Super Indian (so true) and the Promise. Great stories from a storyteller supreme.
July 17, 2022
*A gift from Kristen, thank you Kristen!!*
I really enjoyed these stories, they were all a good digestible length but long enough to get enough detail in there to care. I could happily read a whole book of The Wheetago Wars, I’m begging Van Camp to please just write it as a novel and not a graphic novel please please. I was a little put off by The Promise, and Trembling Light was a little confusing, but Ehtsée/Grandpa made me cry.
As always, I enjoyed reading an Indigenous voice but I was a little saddened that the narrators and protagonist were all male, and the women were just there as scolding mothers or compliant love interests.
I really enjoyed these stories, they were all a good digestible length but long enough to get enough detail in there to care. I could happily read a whole book of The Wheetago Wars, I’m begging Van Camp to please just write it as a novel and not a graphic novel please please. I was a little put off by The Promise, and Trembling Light was a little confusing, but Ehtsée/Grandpa made me cry.
As always, I enjoyed reading an Indigenous voice but I was a little saddened that the narrators and protagonist were all male, and the women were just there as scolding mothers or compliant love interests.
August 24, 2020
Great collection of northern short stories! Especially loved Man Babies and Ehtsèe.
August 9, 2019
Van Camp’s collection of short stories are beautifully crafted. He weaves these ten tales through the lives of strong, complex, real characters while blending and bending genres. This is how the world of fiction matures and diversifies to change how we all can hear our stories. My favourite line: “He tiptoed his eyes in her direction”. My favourite character: Steve, his strength, hope, and forgiveness. Thank you Richard, what a wonderful way to spend two hours.
September 5, 2019
Oh, I just loved this book. I wish it had been 10 times longer because I could have read these vibrant, vivid, hilarious, touching, frightening characters forever. Standout stories include the Wheetago duo, both so scary and so gruesome they stick in the mind, their message ringing desperately clearly.
October 24, 2019
Van Camp is a terrific storyteller, and I really enjoyed some of these, though couldn’t really get into the sci-fi ones. I particularly loved the last story: Ehtsee/Grandpa. My rating has more to do with my inability to really like short stories collections than the writing.
July 22, 2025
I haven’t had a laugh-out-loud read in a while (reading non-fiction for months on end will do that to you), so Richard Van Camp’s short story collection was the perfect read: a beautiful blend of funny, direct and a dash of sentimental.
The collection is made up of a mix of genres - as most stories were previously published in larger anthologies - from contemporary to speculative fiction that dabbles in dystopian and even horror. But what stays consistent throughout the collection is a vibrant sense of persona in the form of the male Tłı̨chǫ protagonist: one who is self-deprecating, honest with himself, and one who can see others for who they truly are. This character tells each story (no matter the genre) so authentically, with clever turns of phrase and a wonderful conversational style, often cutting himself off and inserting appropriate apostrophe- as if telling his stories out loud to someone beyond the page.
My favourite story was Ehtsèe/Grandpa - a lovely tale about familial love and cultural inheritance - and one in which the grandson shows his grandfather the movie E.T. and then later gets his grandparents high on “American cigarettes”. But at the end, he is there for them and proves to be worthy of their gifts. I also really loved the story “Man Babies” and its commentary on "stay-at-home" grown children. Each story is well-formed and the endings, though not predictable, are extremely satisfying.
A great collection!
The collection is made up of a mix of genres - as most stories were previously published in larger anthologies - from contemporary to speculative fiction that dabbles in dystopian and even horror. But what stays consistent throughout the collection is a vibrant sense of persona in the form of the male Tłı̨chǫ protagonist: one who is self-deprecating, honest with himself, and one who can see others for who they truly are. This character tells each story (no matter the genre) so authentically, with clever turns of phrase and a wonderful conversational style, often cutting himself off and inserting appropriate apostrophe- as if telling his stories out loud to someone beyond the page.
My favourite story was Ehtsèe/Grandpa - a lovely tale about familial love and cultural inheritance - and one in which the grandson shows his grandfather the movie E.T. and then later gets his grandparents high on “American cigarettes”. But at the end, he is there for them and proves to be worthy of their gifts. I also really loved the story “Man Babies” and its commentary on "stay-at-home" grown children. Each story is well-formed and the endings, though not predictable, are extremely satisfying.
A great collection!
April 14, 2022
A fast and enjoyable read.
Aliens: The love story is fine but I want to hear more about these Sky People!
Super Indians: Interesting portrait of a corrupt chief and the mild mannered photographer who's going to take him down.
Wheetago War 1: Creepy and interesting with time travel. Yikes.
Wheetago War 2: A more actiony one - as usual I don't really picture action well when I read that was a bit lost on me. But the details and gore are effectively gross.
The Promise: A story about male friendship (with a lack of father figures I suppose) that makes me terrified that I have a son. So much violence. Yikes. But also love. Confusing.
Man Babies: Pretty heartwarming! A pretty in-depth look at why man babies are a thing (spoilers: trauma) in this community
I Am Filled with a Trembling Light: Probably my favourite. Really interesting and compelling, didn't see ending coming. Kind of long but all the pieces fit together at the end.
Etsee/Grandpa: I also really liked this one. Grandpa's shaman power to the rescue to kick out shitty ex-step-dad!
Knock Knock: Cute love letter to elders
I Have to Trust: Sweet
A few common motifs/themes here, making me wonder if some of the protagonists are the same person: Master's in archiving, grandpas with shaman powers, cancer, drunk male relatives...
Aliens: The love story is fine but I want to hear more about these Sky People!
Super Indians: Interesting portrait of a corrupt chief and the mild mannered photographer who's going to take him down.
Wheetago War 1: Creepy and interesting with time travel. Yikes.
Wheetago War 2: A more actiony one - as usual I don't really picture action well when I read that was a bit lost on me. But the details and gore are effectively gross.
The Promise: A story about male friendship (with a lack of father figures I suppose) that makes me terrified that I have a son. So much violence. Yikes. But also love. Confusing.
Man Babies: Pretty heartwarming! A pretty in-depth look at why man babies are a thing (spoilers: trauma) in this community
I Am Filled with a Trembling Light: Probably my favourite. Really interesting and compelling, didn't see ending coming. Kind of long but all the pieces fit together at the end.
Etsee/Grandpa: I also really liked this one. Grandpa's shaman power to the rescue to kick out shitty ex-step-dad!
Knock Knock: Cute love letter to elders
I Have to Trust: Sweet
A few common motifs/themes here, making me wonder if some of the protagonists are the same person: Master's in archiving, grandpas with shaman powers, cancer, drunk male relatives...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews