The reason we walk

by Wab Kinew

Genres: Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Wab Kinew was named by Postmedia News as one of “9 Aboriginal movers and shakers you should know.” He is the leader of the Manitoba New Democratic Party and the 25th premier of Manitoba. Before that, he was the Associate Vice-President for Indigenous Relations at The University of Winnipeg and a correspondent with Al-Jazeera America.

After successfully defending Joseph Boyden’s The Orenda on CBC’s Canada Reads literary competition, he was named the 2015 host. In 2012, he also hosted the acclaimed CBC-TV documentary series 8th Fire. His hip-hop music and journalism projects have won numerous awards. He is a member of the Midewiwin, the Anishinaabe society of healers and spiritual leaders. Wab was also an Honourary Witness for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

He lives in Winnipeg with his family.

Reviews

[Courtney McCrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: For 2025 I'm attempting to rate differently than I did before and only use the 5 stars and not use decimals. So going forward:
1 ⭐ - DNF, it was awful
2 ⭐ - Not great, but able to finish
3 ⭐ - Decent book, enjoyed it
4 ⭐ - Good book, would recommend
5 ⭐ - Excellent book, a must read!

This book was decent. I enjoyed Wab's story and his and his father's journey of healing. It is written in a storytelling manner, like you're listening around a campfire hearing Wab tell his life story. It can be a bit hard to follow due to this, but it also feels authentic because oral storytelling is how the Indigenous share their stories and traditions.

[Lynsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written autobiography that continues to enlighten me about the practices and culture of indigenous people. Kinew does not dance around tough subjects and addresses his own personal shortcomings as he grows into the leader he is today.

[Judy Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

the audio format is great as it is read by the author. I