Book of Jessica

by Linda Griffiths, Maria Campbell

Part dialogue, part narrative, part playscript, this unique book contains the award-winning play Jessica, as well as the extraordinary story of its making.

Genres: Drama, Canadian Literature, Canada, Plays, Indigenous

175 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1989

Reviews

[Jenna Hazzard]

Seeing the discussion of the creative process between these two women was incredibly interesting. It's a good discussion of race and cultural appropriation. Nothing against the book or it's message, but it lost one star because it just wasn't my personal taste.

[Cecily - MillennialBookGal]

Another play I studied in University English. Of the many Indigenous plays I have read it was not my favorite but I could appreciate the collaboration in writing between two authors in two different cultures coming together to write this play.

[Debbie Reads]

The process of Linda and Maria really gave me conflicting perspectives. The play itself at the back of the book was also making me a bit hesistant with me thinking about everything that Linda and Maria had talked about with Linda acting and taking parts of Maria. Im not quite sure what to make for the end of the play either.

[ronan]

I found i enjoyed the discussion of the creation of the play more interesting then the play itself

[Jennifer]

This book is worth reading for a great number of reasons, the greatest of which is the multitude of 'readings' this books allows. This book can be read as an account of how to write a play in difficult circumstances, and what that involves. It can be read as a struggling spiritual journey or experience, the success of which is dubious to those involved but invigorating to the audience of the final product. It can be read as a microcosm of racial inequities and struggles towards an understanding between people of different social backgrounds. It can also be read as an examination of strong, conflicting personalities and their sincere attempt to connect and share a creative vision. Or it can simply be read as it is - a shared account of different interpretations of the same situation. Through any of these lenses, The Book of Jessica is a fascinating, honest read. And through any of these, one sees struggle evident. There are successes and failures, some temporary others recurring or unresolvable.

To speak for the work as a whole, rather than in sections, I can say this: If you do not find The Book of Jessica to be interesting as a work of literature, you will in the least find it worth reading sociologically.

[quasialidia]

Wow. This is one of the best and most tense explorations of not only the co-operative creative process but also the problems and politics of hybridity in Canadian and Metis culture. It is deeply problematic to say this is by Linda Griffiths because of her relationship to Maria Campbell and Paul Johnston. Not only is the dialogue between Griffiths and Campbell worth a good reading, but the play "Jessica" itself is intense and poignant.