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From the Ashes

My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way

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From the Ashes

Written by: Jesse Thistle
Narrated by: Jesse Thistle
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About this listen

 *#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER
*Winner, Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Nonfiction
*Winner, Indigenous Voices Awards
*Winner, High Plains Book Awards
*Finalist, CBC Canada Reads
*A Globe and Mail Book of the Year
*An Indigo Book of the Year
*A CBC Best Canadian Nonfiction Book of the Year

In this extraordinary and inspiring debut memoir, Jesse Thistle, once a high school dropout and now a rising Indigenous scholar, chronicles his life on the streets and how he overcame trauma and addiction to discover the truth about who he is.

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 is a remarkable memoir about hope and resilience, and a revelatory look into the life of a Métis-Cree man who refused to give up.

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 Jesse’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 and alcohol addiction and petty crime, spending more than a decade on and off the streets, often homeless. Finally, he realized he would die unless he turned his life around.

In this heartwarming and heart-wrenching memoir, Jesse 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. Indigenous Creators Mental Health Awareness Personal Development Self-Esteem Social Sciences Heartfelt Inspiring Memoir Feel-Good Thought-Provoking

What the critics say

"An exceptionally moving memoir voiced with great steadiness by its author, this audiobook is brimming with details of a life that truly does seem to rise from the ashes. A Métis–Cree man who, for various harrowing reasons, was abandoned by his parents as a child, Thistle tells the entirely engrossing story of his life from a young age to the present day. From his fraught and sometimes abusive familial relationships, his struggle to understand himself within a racist and colonialist society, his deep descent into substance abuse and many, many brushes with death, his titular rise finds him later in life an Indigenous scholar and mentor with strong family and community ties. Thistle is a deft narrator . . . his voice is essential to the story being told. This is a visceral, vital story that shines in its audiobook version."

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A beautifully vulnerable story that touched my soul. Will leave me deep in thought and self reflection for a long time.

life inspiring

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This is a fantastic book, written in a raw, honest way that cuts to the quick. It is not an easy read, but it is thoroughly engrossing. Ultimately, this is a book full of hope - hope that no matter who you are, what you have done or how awful your life is, you are valuable and worthy of redemption. Extraordinary!

A Must-Read

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To be honest, I didn’t have huge expectations from this book but have finished it with the belief that everyone should read it.

The book will leave you with a far better understanding of addiction, homelessness, petty crime, poverty, and many other societal issues. Why they happen and how our systems fail people.

The story is easy to listen to and captures the reader, although that didn’t happen until a few chapters in.

I laughed and I cried at various points. I don’t think I have ever felt so emotionally connected to a book before.

A Must Read

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This book offered understanding of addiction and compassion for those caught up in it and hope for those entangled in it.
Thank you Jesse

Life changing

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This is one of the best books I have listened to. It is an incredible and inspiring story. The narration is fantastic. At times it’s tough to get through as the story is so raw but it is worth every single word. It was recommended to me by a friend and I am grateful.

A Life Changing Book

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