From the Ashes: My Story of Being Indigenous, Homeless, and Finding My Way

by Jesse Thistle

This #1 internationally bestselling and award-winning memoir about overcoming trauma, prejudice, and addiction by a Métis-Cree author as he struggles to find a way back to himself and his Indigenous culture is "an illuminating, inside account of homelessness, a study of survival and freedom" (Amanda Lindhout, bestselling coauthor of A House in the Sky ). Abandoned by his parents as a toddler, Jesse Thistle and his two brothers were cut off from all they knew when they were placed in the foster care system. Eventually placed with their paternal grandparents, the children often clashed with their tough-love attitude. Worse, the ghost of Jesse's drug-addicted father seemed to haunt the memories of every member of the family. Soon, Jesse succumbed to a self-destructive cycle of drug and alcohol addiction and petty crime, resulting in more than a decade living on and off the streets. Facing struggles many of us cannot even imagine, Jesse knew he would die unless he turned his life around. Through sheer perseverance and newfound love, he managed to find his way back into the loving embrace of his Indigenous culture and family. Now, in this heart-wrenching and triumphant memoir, Jesse Thistle honestly and fearlessly divulges his painful past, the abuse he endured, and the tragic truth about his parents. An eloquent exploration of the dangerous impact of prejudice and racism, From the Ashes is ultimately a celebration of love and "a story of courage and resilience certain to strike a chord with readers from many backgrounds" ( Library Journal ).

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Indigenous, Canada, Book Club, Biography, Audiobook

677 pages, Library Binding

First published August 6, 2019

About the author

Jesse Thistle is Métis-Cree, from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He teaches Métis Studies at York University in Toronto, where he lives. He won a Governor General’s Academic Medal in 2016, and was a Pierre Elliot Trudeau Scholar and a Vanier Scholar.

Reviews

[CM · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extremely intense. I have multiple family members who have dealt with many of the things he has dealt with and it was just really hard to read. I literally felt sick to my stomach reading it, found it hard to sleep and felt overall pretty down. It is very heavy. If you or anyone in your family has dealt with addiction then please be warned, this entire book is basically one big trigger. This honestly may not be the best book for you, although if you make it through, it may provide hope. It is very honest and very dark.

I loved the perspective it gives. It really helps to show how such small steps can spiral out of control to the point where decisions are not just poor decisions but become about survival. Not everyone is given an equal chance starting out in life and it can be very hard to overcome the effects that has on a developing child's mind.

Overall, I loved this book. I found it hard to put down and I genuinely feel so proud of Jesse. Not many people who live the life that he lived are ever able to come back from it and achieve what he has. I applaud him for his courage. I'm sure the book would have been interesting based on content alone but the writing was very good as well.

I do recommend this book. I thought it was amazing but it definitely will not be for everyone however, I suggest you at least try it out because it is so good.

[Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

For A spoiler-free Q& A with Jesse Thistle can be found Here in The Behind the Pages Group

Jesse Thistle shows us through his raw, honest and courageous voice his journey from his early years in Saskatchewan, being abandoned by his parents, living with his grandparents in Toronto, his self-destructive cycle of drugs, alcohol, crime and homelessness, to finding his way. It is an extraordinary, remarkable and inspiring story of survival, an inspiration to others, and a lesson in empathy.

His story is ugly and beautiful at the same time. His voice is quiet and hopeful but powerful with his raw, honest dark realities as he shares his story. At times it was difficult to read his heartbreaking reality not only with his life on the harsh streets but with the stereotyped words said to him. Words that I often heard when growing up that now pierced my heart to see. As painful as it is I feel these are dark realities that can't be ignored and not seen.

Even though Jesse becomes caught in a vicious cycle for years and it seems the odds are against him, we see his determination to survive and the heartwarming love and support he receives and his courage to find his way. I highly recommend this inspiring memoir.

Travel Sisters Book Reviews

[Lindsay L · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ outstanding stars!

Easily earned a spot on my 2020 Favourites List.

Raw. Eye-opening. Informative. Heart wrenching. Impactful.

I am forever changed after reading this. One of the toughest, most honest and powerful memoirs I have read. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jesse Thistle for being brave enough to put his story out in the world. This is heart wrenching, yet hopeful. Upsetting yet inspiring. Heavy yet freeing.

This extremely well written memoir gives the highly uncomfortable tragic personal details of living through the brutal darkness of addiction and homelessness. There are many shocking, cringe worthy scenes that had me on edge and wondering if I could stomach reading any further. As uncomfortable as this story can be, it is one I am so glad I read and has easily earned a spot on my Favourites Shelf.

I thought the way this story was written was brilliant and exceptional. Each chapter has a title that offers a glimpse into a certain memory or scene from Jesse’s past ranging from childhood to present day. The chapters are short, to the point and extremely powerful. Each one felt like a punch to the gut, leaving me feeling more sympathetic toward Jesse as his story progressed.

In all honesty, I don’t have any experience with addiction within my circle of family and friends. Before reading this, I am shameful to admit, I may have even been slightly judgemental of people in Jesse’s type of situation (why can’t they get a job?). I thank Jesse for sharing his story which has opened my heart to beginning to understand how dark, deep and uncontrollable addiction is. I have a whole new outlook after reading this. What an extremely powerful, unforgettable story that I insist you add to your reading list.

Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan of this phenomenal book!

[Debbie W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I chose to read this book:
1. I added it to my WTR list after reading its interesting premise on the Canada Reads site; and,
2. July 2024 is my self-appointed "O' Canada" Month.

Praises:
1. several reviewers seemed incredulous that author Jesse Thistle could "remember" so many details, especially when he was often in a drug- and/or alcohol-induced stupor. Readers must remember that this is a memoir, and that one's memories may differ from what other people recall. I highly advise reading Thistle's A Note From the Author first - he clearly states who helped him with his "memories";
2. this memoir is broken into several short vignettes that occurred during different time periods in Thistle's life;
3. I appreciated the odd black & white photos interspersed throughout the book; and,
4. although some of his dreams seem questionable to me, Thistle's poetry is quite thought-provoking.

Niggles:
1. I wish Thistle was clearer about the catalyst that turned his life around for the better. Unfortunately, only the final 58 pages refer to his recovery;
2. I had to laugh when he states that a former girlfriend's parents didn't like him "for a bunch of other reasons". Pray tell! What could those "other reasons" be? Own it!
3. some "street lingo" he used was difficult to interpret at times; and,
4. I had to raise my eyebrows when Thistle calls himself an "expert on homelessness and Métis history". That seems grandiose! Perhaps "quite knowledgeable" would have been more appropriate.

Overall Thoughts:
To witness violence, substance abuse, and neglect as a youngster is heartbreaking. Thistle's story demonstrates how kids react to these in different ways.

This man is lucky to be alive! I'm happy to see that he realized it was the choices that he has made that led to his lifestyle, then and now.

Good luck, Jesse!

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Canadian friends on Instagram firmly placed From the Ashes on my radar. It’s a compelling memoir of Jesse Thistle’s life, a finalist for the CBC Canada Reads awards, and the top selling Canadian author in 2020.

Jesse’s background is Métis-Cree, and his story begins quite early in his life. He’s living with his two brothers, as well as his parents who have a volatile and unstable relationship. Eventually Jesse and his brothers are placed in his paternal grandparents custody, and for quite some time, he doesn’t know where his mother or father are.

Little by little, Jesse’s life goes more and more astray; however, his story is about overcoming those hardships. He truly comes full circle in the book, even finding himself in familiar locations with people he once knew, who no longer know him, once he’s recovered. Jesse also finds love. A deep, abiding, healing love along the way.

I can definitely see why this book is receiving accolades. I was invested in Jesse’s story and shared many highlights and notes. I especially enjoyed the parts where he was figuring out who he was, and how important his family’s indigenous roots are to his own identity.

Jesse’s story isn’t pretty. In fact, it’s raw and completely open, a story of defeating addiction and finding oneself in the process.

I received a gifted Kindle copy from Goodreads, but I’ve already bought my own physical copy for my shelf.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

This book was heartbreaking and what Thistle went through and overcame is highly admirable. He is a very strong person and I'm glad he found himself after all of what happened in the past. This memoir is raw and Thistle doesn't shy away from the ugly truths.

So my rating isn't regarding his life itself and his experience (needless to say, that would be very high but rating someone’s life is weird so let’s not do that) but rather the book and writing. the audiobook didn't work for me perhaps because of the writing style and narration. It's narrated by Thistle himself so I expected to "feel" more. I didn't. I was mostly detached from the story (except for the parts where I cringed at what happened -bad events- and the ending). I honestly loved the ending and it was my favorite part of the book. I wish it was more elaborate and how he overcame everything instead of his past (which was important but a lot of the time I found myself thinking of the ending -the recovery- instead of the current events).

Nonetheless, it’s a solid memoir just maybe read the book instead unless you’re avid audiobook listener but then again, I am that and it didn’t quite for me. Thistle journey was truly inspiring and anyone looking for powerful memoir on drug addiction & recovery should read it.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Technically....Jesse Thistle’s memoir is rough around the edges.
His failures seem to matter less than his need to share them.
His voice uncovers devastating struggles of his development.
Parental neglect, abuse, and poverty are revealed—concealing a hidden world of monstrous injustice to innocent young children.
Josh, (5), Jamie (4), and Jesse (3), were left at home alone - starving.

Removed from their parents - the boys were moved into a foster care home.
Later- his grandparents took them in.
Later - they kicked Jesse out.
I would have too.

Ongoing stories unfold...like fireworks growing bigger and louder until explosion.

Jesse gives us a penetrating unflinching, intimate look at emotional ache and grief —the crazy and confusing world he lived....
....dangerous...
counterproductive choices...
horrifying and heartbreaking...
often surreal....

He moves us through haunting years of abandonment, estrangement, hunger, survival, addiction, shame, disgrace, crime, [small and large], adolescent rebellion, homelessness, while examining and connecting his brokenness to his ethnic origin.
I wasn’t always convinced that being Indigenous was the core issue for all the despair....
But...
while listening to the audiobook...
Jesse shares his story with compassionate authenticity...tinged with humor.

If I had chosen to ‘read’ this book — I think the prose itself — with editing needs —might have irritated me —
But ‘listening’, felt like I was eavesdropping on a conversation.

“Fall from Ashes” is an unsweetened heart-shredder...raw as it is real.

It’s the later years of transformation — education - and perseverance that inspires hope.

**an audiobook walking companion great choice pick.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An immediate and important memoir from a Métis man who experienced homelessness and addiction after his parents abandoned him. Jesse Thistle writes about how even though he and his brothers eventually went on to live with his grandparents, their shelter and care did not prevent his later suffering. He ends the memoir on a note of hope about how he reclaimed his Indigenous heritage and set himself on the path to healing and success.

I loved the brutal vulnerability Thistle imbues in this memoir. He writes in great, vivid detail about his struggle with homelessness and his substance use disorder. At the same time, in a showing and not telling way, he portrays how intergenerational trauma, toxic masculinity, corporal punishment, and other oppressive forces contributed to the individual choices he made that exacerbated his physical and mental anguish. His journey to recovery at the end of the book felt both empowering and realistic, with little false sentimentality.

I appreciate Thistle’s voice given the stigma surrounding homelessness and addiction. I hope that we can all take action to treat those suffering with compassion and to address the structural issues (e.g., anti-Indigenous racism, patriarchal gendered socialization of boys and men) that contribute to these dilemmas.

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I appreciate Thistle sharing his story with the world, it didn't really work for me.
The narration provided by the author was robotic and added nothing emotionally.
A story with so much heartbreak and tragedy should have been more stirring.
I think in print it would have been.
The monotone narration made everything feel callus and uneventful.
His life was neither of those things.
Do yourself a favour and read this in print instead.

[Paltia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fearless memoir of one man’s journey to find himself. He’s never afraid to look way below the surface at what drives his behaviour. He writes this with the full knowledge that he can’t rewrite or change the past to emerge where he does in the present. He moves from the enchanting whispers of ecstasy and hashish to the screaming nightmares of crack and meth. His story stands as proof that a raging addict can find a way through. This just might be the lifeline that struggling addicts and their loved ones need to read. He’s one brave soul.

[Tom Froh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy reading this book, nor did I find it particularly uplifting, and I say that as a proud rights-bearing Métis citizen.

I’ll get to my issues shortly, but I want to be clear that my problems do not lie with the author. Jesse Thistle is an exceptional person with a truly incredible story. He is a credit to our people and deserves recognition for what he has achieved and overcome, and for the quality of this memoir. I believe that as an author he succeeds in his goal of communicating the brutality of his lived experience as a homeless man, and the contexts in his life that either failed him or pushed him into that hardship. My decent rating for this book is a reflection of my respect for him and the quality of his writing.

This book is unceasingly dark in Thistle’s description of his life and communicates itself in very vivid terms to the reader. The language lends itself well to the task, with clipped straightforward sentences that make frequent use of accessible metaphor. Stylistically this book is about as crude as they come, with constant reference to shit, piss, vomit, blood, pus, etc. (Although it is very chaste when it comes to sex.) Lines like “My eyes looked like two pissholes in the snow” will certainly stay with me. There are frequent pop culture references as well that put you in a time and place. All of this strengthens the story in my view, it accurately reflects Thistle’s experiences and there’s no pretentiousness to this book at all. The bluntness of the language is, no doubt, part of the reason for its success. It’s a very easy read but there’s a shock-value to the way Thistle tells his story that can’t help but get under your skin.

However, I believe that From the Ashes is so unrelentingly focused on the pain of Thistle’s experiences that it forgets to explain how he pushed through them. There are occasional references to his vaguely-felt indigeneity prior to his recovery, and a few people in his life that helped him out, but at the end of the book I was left feeling like I didn’t really know what had driven this man to maintain his humanity or, ultimately, to start making permanent changes for the better. For example, there are frequent mentions that he would see and stay with his brother Jerry even during some of the darkest parts of his life, but we hear no mention of what their interactions looked like past their early childhood and adolescence. Thistle gives us pages of detail about the way gangrene sets into his leg, but nothing except a few sentences about his relationship with his brother in adulthood. He also mentions once or twice that he never goes so far as to deal drugs himself and this marks him out as unusual, but he offers no explanation for how he decides this and manages to stick to it for decades despite all of the hardship he suffers.

The book is divided into four sections with the first three making up 297 of its 354 pages. These initial three sections are made up largely of endless heartbreak and horror, and it is only in the last 50 pages we see Jesse start to piece his life together. It honestly risks veering into the realm of voyeurism in many instances, with Thistle giving us only the worst lowlights of his life. Obviously, this is all his truth, and I recognized and acknowledged his pain, but as a memoir I began to feel detached from him as a person because he seems unwilling to portray himself as a fully-realized human during these dark periods, or explain how he got through them. I can understand that impulse on a personal level, but it weakens the nature of his memoir. From the Ashes communicates Thistle’s experiences without necessarily offering a lot of reflection on them beyond how horrific and wrong they were. It is a book full of anecdote, but any argument it makes must come from its reader rather than Thistle himself. It feels like confession more than memoir.

My gut tells me that a lot of the fault here can be placed at the feet of the publisher. I think they saw how sharp/brutal Thistle’s writing and personal history were (I notice some of the writing from the book used to be a on a personal blog) and wanted as many pages of shocking prose as they could get. Additionally, I cannot help but see the decision to market the book so heavily as an indigenous story as being rather cynical on the part of the Simon & Schuster. If there is a uniquely Métis angle to this story it is that Thistle comes to that identity late in life, during those final 50 pages of redemption. Prior to that, his identity is only guessed at or gestured to in a few incidents or metaphorical dream sequences. Rediscovering a Métis identity is a common experience with our people, but what it means is that there’s very little in From the Ashes that directly relates to being Métis. It is first and foremost a story of losing your parents, addiction to drugs, homelessness, and crime. These are all aspects of Métis history and experience, but they are not unique to us, and certainly not what define us.

I would place From the Ashes alongside Maria Campbell’s Half-Breed as a book that speaks of profound personal suffering from a Métis author. However, Campbell’s story is different as she was very aware of her indigenous context for her entire life, and consequently her memoir is rooted in being Métis in a way Thistle’s is not. Again, this is not a criticism of Thistle, whose story of rediscovering his ancestry is a resonant one for our people, but From the Ashes is not really about that rediscovery, its about the suffering that came before it.

Consequently, I came away feeling that Thistle’s indigenous identity is circumstantial to the story he presents here, and not central to it. It helped to consolidate his redemption, but I’d argue that his wife Lucie seems just as, if not more, important to his recovery than him reconnecting with his Métis history. Simon & Schuster’s decision to market this book as a distinctly indigenous story feels like a calculated one, as a way to pitch the book in a topical way and to add an interesting angle to the popular 'addiction memoir' format that details how someone overcame poverty, homelessness, and broken families. But that's exactly what From the Ashes is before anything else: an addiction memoir that compels its reader by having them witness the author's suffering.

This doesn't sit well with me. If the book had been structured differently, with more time given to Thistle's reconnection with his identity, then I might feel otherwise. Again, I don't think this is Thistle's fault, he is entitled to tell his story how he wants using his skill at writing accessible, gritty prose. But the choice to pitch this book, with its unrelenting focus on its author's hardships, as a quintessential indigenous story lies squarely with the publisher.

There’s certainly a need to acknowledge the suffering of Métis people, but I also want to see depictions of our lives that are not rooted entirely in that suffering. There is a great deal of nuance to Métis identity that is quite unique to our people and which is not dealt with in From the Ashes. Reading it reminded of the discussions around the release of the film 12 Years a Slave, how it’s brilliance couldn’t entirely underwrite its unrelenting focus on Black suffering. Similarly, Métis people should not need to go through what Thistle and Campbell did in order for our lives and stories to be thought of as compelling for a white mainstream audience.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abandoned to the foster system, taken in by grandparents then thrown out in highschool, Jesse Thistle ends up homeless and addicted on the streets of Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa.

Spoiler - Jesse Thistle is currently an Assistant Professor in Métis Studies at York University in Toronto, a Governor General’s Academic Medal winner, as well as a Pierre Elliot Trudeau and Vanier Scholar. Knowing this, knowing that he makes it out alive, adds some much needed air to this memoir because on the page there is no shortage of circumstances that sees this ending in a far more grim, frankly more dead, way.

The memoir benefits from his clear prose and sharp editing as we jump from scene to scene. The matter of fact tone avoids easy sentiment - it never feels like misery porn or the nostalgic showing of scars. Thistle is nonetheless ruthless in his recounting; from a night consumed by the rhythm of the ragga jungle high on E and dancing for days until his nipples were open wounds, rubbed raw against his muscle shirt as if on a belt sander - to detoxing in solitary, bones vibrating in agonizing pain, shattering his frame until he felt like a pile of bloody talcum powder.

I don't know why I'm a sucker for these breathless memoirs of youthful indiscretion and tragedy, it feels almost like a genre unto itself from Nico Walker's Cherry, to the troubled Million Little Pieces (both being made into movies) and I feel a bit like a salacious voyeur into another's troubled past. But I also appreciated Thistle's slight nods to his indigenous background that coloured the edges of this work and brings a tiny bit of magic into this redemptive arc.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If I can just make it to the next minute, then I might have a chance to live; I might have a chance to be something more than just a struggling crackhead."

FROM THE ASHES: MY STORY OF BEING METIS, HOMELESS, AND FINDING MY WAY by Jesse Thistle is a heart-wrenching memoir that reads like a novel. The book cover is beautiful!
This is one of the five books chosen to be debated on CANADA READS 2020. I have two more to read, but FROM THE ASHES....is my favourite of the three I read.
I highly recommend this book and agree with the following quotes. The first is a favourite author and poet, Katherena Vermette. (She wrote the novel - THE BREAK.)
"The best stories are the ones that stay with you. FROM THE ASHES...Is an important one. The revolutionary kind. The kind of story that changes how you look at the world, that shows us how amazing human beings can be, so capable, strong, resilient, powerful."

"A memoir of resilience, spirit, and dignity from a gifted storyteller…. When you plan to read this book, clear your schedule. It will hold you in its grasp and won't let you go, like a great novel."
- Quote from Shelagh Rogers, host and producer of CBC Radio's The Next Chapter

"You'll be drawn into the life journey of someone who's struggled so deep yet has risen up to share with us what it means to be human. A deeply moving read."
- Quote by Clara Hughes, Olympian and author of Open Heart, Open Mind


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SPOILER ALERT ##################################################################


"Abandoned by his parents as a toddler, Jesse Thistle briefly found himself in the foster care system with his two brothers, cut off from all they had known. Eventually the children landed in the home of their paternal grandparents, whose tough-love attitudes quickly resulted in conflicts. Throughout it all, the ghost of Jessie's drug-addicted father haunted the halls of the house and the memories of every family member. Struggling with all that had happened, Jesse succumbed to a self-destructive cycle of drug alcohol addiction and petty crime, spending more than a decade on and off the streets. Finally, he realized he would die unless he turned his life around.
In this heartwarming and heart-wrenching memoir, Thistle writes honestly and fearlessly about his painful past, the abuse he endured, and how he uncovered the truth about his parents. Through sheer perseverance and education - and newfound love - he found his way back into the circle of his Indigenous culture and family.
An eloquent exploration of the impact of prejudice and racism, FROM THE ASHES is, in the end, about how love and support can help us find happiness despite the odds."
- Quote from front cover book flap

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I highly recommend this memoir that reads like a novel and give it 5 stars! ⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️

[Mikey B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gut-wrenching autobiography about a man (Jesse Thistle) who descended into relentless depths. He was addicted to all kinds of drugs and alcohol – anything to get a high and to remove himself from the real world and what he could not face in himself. He was homeless many times. He stole from all kinds of stores to get food, money, alcohol and any commodity to trade for drugs.

He was a prime example of someone surrounding himself by enablers who kept reinforcing his habits. Finally, after some unsuccessful attempts he kicked his addictions at a rehabilitation clinic in Ottawa, Canada. I think he realized he had reached rock-bottom – and it was either pull himself out of the addictions or die despairing and lonely on the street.

Jesse Thistle gives us his background – he was raised at a young age (4-5 years old) by his grand-parents from his father’s side. His parents abandoned him when he was young, in fact he and his two brothers were removed from his father’s care because he was unable to look after his sons due to his addiction problems. He never saw his father after this. Apparently, he died virtually unknown, on the streets from being homeless. His mother’s life is a little evasive. Now and then she reached out to her sons, but there was a distance that was never overcome.

I felt the authors’ family, particularly the grandparents who raised him and his two brothers were emotionally detached. They never spoke or confronted the real issues – like what happened to their son (the father of the three boys). I realize I say this being way outside of the sphere of their lives. The grandparents must be given credit for adding some stability and providing a home to the three boys.

It is indeed commendable that Jesse Thistle has extricated himself from darkness and freefall. He also had a lot of help and we can see the value and the struggles that rehabilitation clinics and hostels undergo for their clients.

In many ways the author has a lot to atone for – he hurt emotionally a lot of people through his robberies of liquor stores, Mom and Pop grocery stores, breaking and entering cars and homes, and letting down family and friends.

During rehabilitation he became more aware of his ancestry. His mother is Metis and also his grandmother (father’s mother). He studied avidly and is now an associate professor of Metis Studies at York University in Toronto. I can only wish him well on his new life path. It’s quite a transition and shows that we should never give up on hope for a new day!

[Antoinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

I applaud Jesse thistle for overcoming his addictions and making a better life for himself. It was definitely a harrowing journey to get there.
It’s hard to rate a memoir. The author’s road to recovery deserves a 5 Star. The writing to me deserved a 3 Star.
This book does shed light on how addictions lead to bad choices lead to homelessness lead to destructiveness. The author’s early childhood trauma escalated into his dependency on drugs. The drug crisis in our world is so devastating. It ruins so many people. I am so happy that the author was finally able to find a way out.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

From The Ashes, by Jesse Thistle, is a finalist in Canada Reads 2020.
I was deeply moved by this autobiography. He paints an achingly sad and honest picture of a young man lost and self-destructive, compelled by abandonment, abuse and addiction. He shows us that homelessness is very real and that one can return from this cold, lonely, unforgiving world.
His memoir demonstrates the power of love, life and resilience.
Raw, Honest and Emotional!
Jesse Thistle is truly an inspiration!
I feel From The Ashes could easily win Canada Reads 2020.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bone grinding on wire: that is my morning cup of coffee, that is what wakes me up every day, and that is what reminds me that the fall from my brother's apartment window was real – and that I'm lucky to be alive. The pain also keeps me sober. It reminds me what it was like years ago when addiction and homelessness almost did me in. For that, and those harsh reminders, I am thankful.

When it comes to memoir, redemption stories tend to make me feel good; and especially stories about people heroically overcoming challenging childhoods. From the Ashes looks like this kind of a feel good story – Jesse Thistle and his brothers were abandoned by their parents, raised by strict and unaffectionate grandparents, with Jesse going on to twenty years of drug addictions and homelessness before hitting bottom, getting an education, and becoming a professor himself – but this read left me a bit nonplussed. The storytelling is episodic – with many short chapters telling of incidents from Jesse's life without introspection or much linkage between them; this happened, then this – and I didn't find that satisfying until an endnote in which the author explains that this is how his memories (from deep youth and his drug-addled years) appear to him, “like fragments of light, flickers of a flame, shadows on a wall.” That seems an authentic explanation, but doesn't make the reading any more satisfying. And as pitiable as Jesse's street years were, I couldn't help but continually note how every negative consequence was the result of his own choices: Jesse's brothers, with the exact same upbringing, went on to become contributing members of society, while Jesse himself was lying and stealing and hurting himself and others for decades (when I read how Jesse taught others how easy it is to scam Social Services, over and over again, for a thousand dollars at a time in apartment “startup” money that they could then use to buy crack, I couldn't help but feel resentful: I acknowledge that homelessness is a serious issue in desperate need of resources and shudder to think of all that money up in smoke). Even those events that led to Jesse's reintegration into society – his battle to educate himself, the love and support of a stable life partner, and his rediscovery of his Indigenous identity – don't feel like they were given adequate attention: this happened, then this happened, and it's hard for the reader to see how one thing follows the other. Still, there is plenty of value in this read: So many of us recoil when we encounter the dirty and wild-eyed on the street and it's always valuable to be reminded that within that broken shell remains a human being; someone who just might eventually rise from the ashes if the right opportunities and motivations align.

Grandpa's anger that day wasn't usual – it was the same rage I saw when he warned me about doing drugs after he told me about Dad's disappearance – and it scared me so much that I bawled in my room as Josh received the beating of his life. I lay on my bed and covered my ears with my pillow to hide from the sound of the rod thrashing through the air. In my head, I begged for Josh to cry out, but he kept it together somehow. I knew it was to show he was a man the way Grandpa liked, but that only made things worse. After what sounded like thirty more blows, Josh finally bellowed out in agony. It was a sound so sad it penetrated right to where I was hiding, right through the concrete foundation of our house.

Jesse Thistle's first memories are of going berry picking with his kookum; his maternal grandmother (an “allotment Métis” who, with her husband, lived in a shack on undesirable public road allotment land) who sometimes watched her grandsons while her daughter went off with the boys' abusive father. Jesse's parents eventually split up, with his mother taking the boys and trying to make a home for them in Moose Jaw, but when their father later showed up and asked for the boys, the exhausted mother handed them over. He took them back to Ontario, but as a drug addict, he rarely had food for the boys, teaching them (3-, 4-, and 5-years-old) how to beg for change and steal food from the corner store and hide from anybody who came to the apartment door when he was away for days at a time. Eventually picked up by Social Services, the boys were put into the care of their paternal grandparents (this Grandma was part Algonquin, but Indigeneity doesn't seem to have been a part of her culture); and while they did provide their grandsons with food and shelter and discipline throughout their childhoods, this grandfather (who had himself been raised by a strict and abusive grandfather) had firm expectations and a quick temper. In reaction, all three Thistle brothers became brawlers in the neighbourhood and at school, but it would seem that only Jesse would be set on a path of habitual lying, thievery, and bullying. Even as his brothers were turning their lives around as teenagers, Jesse didn't apply himself in school and began partying and taking drugs; the absolute zero-tolerance rule that their grandfather laid down after the heartbreak of the boys' father's disappearance. When Jesse was found with drugs in their home at eighteen, his grandparents kicked him out and completely cut him off; over his next twenty years of homelessness and drug abuse, trips in and out of prison and rehab, Jesse received no support, visits, or contact with his grandparents (and very little contact with his mother throughout the years). And yes, the path Jesse travelled was a hard one, and I have no idea if he inherited more of his Dad's off-the-rails genes than his brothers did, but throughout, he chose this path and suffered that choice.

There was a silence that came over my spirit, followed by what sounded like a gust of wind. The noise of the rave receded into the background, and I heard something emerge from my own core. My eyes pressed shut, I focused inward on that sound. There was a distant drum – louder, louder, louder still, until it vibrated every molecule in my being. The beautiful cry of Indian drummers rang aloud in every direction – from the north, south, east, west, up, down, over, under, beneath, within, and without. I opened my eyes and saw I was dancing alone on the flatness of the great plains. I was dressed in a plume of feathers, deerskins, a bustle, beads, moccasins, a rattle, and tassels. My legs rushed in perfect coordination over top of the grass, pressing and tamping it down, as vast fields undulated before me. The sun hung low as red clouds of dust were kicked up by my feet, filling the air. I danced and danced, moving this way and that, until my thirst for water and the rave seemed but distant memories of a life I once lived.

I did find it very interesting that, more than once, Jesse would have these out-of-body Indigenous experiences; and not always while tripping on ecstasy. He once had a vivid nightmare about fighting redcoats on the prairies and was astonished to learn (many years later) that the details meshed with the Battle of Batoche, and that he was related to the famed Métis rebel Louis Riel and other noted resistance fighters. From the Ashes doesn't make an explicit link between Jesse's rediscovery of his Indigenous heritage and his blossoming into a man who feels his own worth after years of hurting himself (not in the way that Richard Wagamese does in One Native Life or Wab Kinew in The Reason You Walk), but it does note that it was while beginning to study Indigenous issues at university that Jesse was put on a path to becoming today's foremost expert on Métis history and Indigenous homelessness; he is the recipient of many academic awards and fellowships – after teaching himself to read while in jail. That is a feel good story, and I wish I could pinpoint what it is in the writing that left me underwhelmed. I am still thankful that Jesse Thistle shared his life story; this is the kind of honesty and insight that makes you hope that someday his lost brethren from the streets might also be redeemed. Four stars is a rounding up.

[Matt Quann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jesse Thistle's memoir is a readable account of his addiction, redemption, and his search for his indigenous roots. Written in an almost conversational style, From the Ashes details Thistle's life from boyhood to present day with all the bumps along the way. This is a harrowing memoir whose bulk is about life on the streets, living score-to-score, and the crime that buoyed Thistle's prolific substance abuse. Though the subject matter is difficult, it's message is one of hope for those in society all too often deemed hopeless.

For those readers who were taken with Tara Westover's Educated, I think From the Ashes will scratch a similar itch for stories of redemption. I wish Thistle's book stretched on for a bit longer to tell the reader about his journey through academia, but I can imagine a book coming down the pipeline from the author that might explore those themes along with his research. A must-read for Canadians.

[Lhazin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you should read one book this year, read this.

Jesse is a storyteller, a poet, a Métis scholar, a homelessness expert, and a warrior. His memoir “explores homelessness in a way that would escape them(housing experts)” otherwise. It is a human narrative about the intergenerational trauma of colonization, and the failure of our systems. Above all, it is a story about a man rising from the ashes and being capable of so much.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best memoirs that I have ever read. I enjoyed the descriptive writing, the open nature in which Jesse Thistle discusses his trauma, addiction and the poetry which he places in between the different parts of his novel Jesse's story is one that will stay with me forever.







Goodreads review published 27/01/21

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is yet another example of Can lit that is championed by the Canada Reads competition, where the author’s life story is tremendously powerful, altogether heartbreaking and inspirational, but the writing does not hold up as well as it should.

Despite this, I did appreciate the rawness of Jesse Thistle’s memoir, and his willingness to be frank and honest about his experiences with homelessness, poverty, addiction, mental health and reconciliation. I walked away from this book with a renewed sense of compassion, and also further convinced that the solution to Canadian society’s problems does not lie in the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality. Rather we should continue to invest in programs that will lift people out of poverty, provide compassionate treatment for mental health and addiction, and advocate for meaningful reconciliation and additional means of support for the Canadian Indigenous population.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely incredible!

Review to come.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very moving memoir, in which Jesse Thistle relives his life in short chapters...espousing lessons he’s learned, errors he’s made, milestones he’s achieved, dreams he’s kept, relationships he’s broken and rekindled.

The writing is straight forward and matter of fact. It is interspersed with heartfelt emotions, creative descriptions, ingenious metaphors, heart wrenching anecdotes.

Memoirs are one of my favourite genres to read and this one is riveting in both its storytelling and its message. Interspersed with the storytelling are a few of Jesse Thistle’s poems which are equally captivating.

Abandoned as a young child, growing up often lonely, Jesse continued maintaining the bonds of brotherhood and family even when tested. Living with the unimaginable pain of homelessness and drug addiction he found a way to honor the lessons taught to him by his grandparents.

Much of the storytelling bluntly delivers devastating narratives describing life in shelters, correctional facilities, or rehab, without dwelling on the facts as “oh poor me” but rather to enlighten and to display the author’s resilience, akin to the spiritual powers of his indigenous ancestors. Jesse at one time tried to deny his ancestral history, but has since learned to embrace it.

Jesse’s story is really quite remarkable providing a complete about-face from where he was heading to where he ends up. He explains that he often lived through his challenges by managing only minutes at a time. The telling of this story will surely inspire others to reach deep into themselves and find something both worthwhile and worthy not only when they are facing difficulties but also when they are just looking for everyday answers to life’s questions.

This book also focuses on the continuing challenges of our indigenous population and the systemic discrimination from which they suffer. A most enlightening read and a call to action for Canadians.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book because it had almost nothing but 5 star reviews, but I am not really sure that I liked it. It's a worthwhile read for sure, and well written, but I think maybe the structure of the book just didn't work for me.

I really, really liked the last section about how he finally turned his life around and reconnected with his indigenous roots - I think I wanted more of that, and because it was such a short section it almost got lost. He clearly worked so so hard to change things, and I found it very interesting and inspiring how he reconciled with his family and learned about his ancestry, and that should warrant more than like 20 pages!

The other thing that distracted me was I could never quite tell how much time had passed between chapters/memories. I know he states that due to his addictions a lot of his memories were blurry, I think it's also okay in a memoir to take a few liberties with exactly when things happened to help with readability. It was confusing to me when I wasn't sure if he was 6 or 10 or 15 in a specific situation, which sometimes felt important.

Interesting book nonetheless and it seems that most people who read it are loving it, so maybe I'm just picky! I don't think anyone would regret the read.

[Emmkay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is absolutely remarkable that Jesse Thistle is now a professor at York University, after a rough start to life, dropping out of high school, and spending an extended period of time as a young man mired in homelessness, petty crime, and drug addiction. Merely summarizing it that way still fails to capture how truly terrible his experiences were - his account really made me think about what other people with whom we sometimes only have glancing interactions (or don’t see at all) are dealing with in their lives. The latter part of the book briefly deals with how he finally beat his addictions and found his current focus. Quite amazing, and I would have liked more of this. I appreciated how he returned in the final pages to write about his father, who was faced with the same problems and who, in the early pages of the book, seems so unrelatable.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barely 3 stars. Indistinguishable from basically any addiction memoir. The author's academic career sounds more interesting but was just the very end of the book. Family members in the story also sounded interesting, but were never fleshed out or given enough screen time.

[Lisa Nikolits · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read this year. I was fortunate to get an Advance Reader Copy because in my day job, (I'm a magazine designer), sadly more books come in than can be reviewed. But I'd buy this book and I highly recommend it.

From the moment I started it, I couldn't put it down. I read it every moment I could, on the subway and at lunchtime. That's the mark of a good book.

It's unflinching self-reportage of the darkest moments imaginable to a person. And to a child.

It was, at times, hard to read but the writing is exquisite and Thistle never shies away from absolute self-honesty.

I felt as if I were with Jesse Thistle every step of the way, such was the vivid strength of the writing. There wasn't a moment when I didn't want to reach out to him and help him but he ultimately rescues himself, which is the most important lesson of all. Yes, he had help and support and love but one got the definite sense that Jesse never wanted the life of an addict – he fought it and his demons as fiercely as they battled to keep him in the prison of addiction.

If there is any redemption to the human condition it is that we can, indeed, rise from the ashes.

Thank you, Jesse Thistle for this book. You're a wonderful writer and I look forward to reading more of your work because my feeling is that there are more stories to come. And kudos too, to your courage and determination.

[Aylan Couchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often rate books on Goodreads but feel compelled to write this one because, one week later, I'm still digesting this read. I finished this book over the course of three days on a recent trip because I couldn't put it down. From The Ashes provides a powerful truth-telling of what far too many Indigenous children and adults endure within the settler state that is Canada. While the book is a heart-wrenching narrative, there were often tear-jerking and uplifting points of light, places along the way where Jesse finds his path through. Jesse's story is one of weathering hardships - the likes of which many Canadians will never know - but the inspiration readers will take with them after finishing the last page will endure.

[Jaime M · Rating 5 out of 5]

By the end of the book, my foot hurt. I had searing pain right to the bone towards the last few pages. I’m always impressed when someone takes the time, energy and effort to write a biography. I’m so proud of Jesse for rescuing his life. For taking up the help around him and for writing a poignant biographical piece about the inner workings of homeless and addiction from a first hand experience. I’m afraid I can relate. I’m glad I can relate. So much to regret. So much to learn from. The person we are because of it all.

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book well written and unputdownable for sure! It shows the dark side of abandonment, drug addiction, homelessness, and crime! Jesse is very courageous to share his story so openly and honestly. As dark and tragic as this book is, it leaves you with hope. Jesse overcame so many obstacles in his life, and with the support of loved ones, he has turned his life around. I highly recommend this this memoir, it's such a powerful read!! I literally flew through it!