Highway of Tears
A True Story of Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
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Highway of Tears
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Narrated by:
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Emily Nixon
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Written by:
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Jessica McDiarmid
About this listen
A searing and revelatory account of the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls of Highway 16, and an indictment of the society that failed them.
For decades, Indigenous women and girls have gone missing or been found murdered along an isolated stretch of highway in northwestern British Columbia. The highway is known as the Highway of Tears, and it has come to symbolize a national crisis.
Journalist Jessica McDiarmid meticulously investigates the devastating effect these tragedies have had on the families of the victims and their communities, and how systemic racism and indifference have created a climate where Indigenous women and girls are over-policed, yet under-protected. Through interviews with those closest to the victims - mothers and fathers, siblings and friends - McDiarmid provides an intimate, first-hand account of their loss and relentless fight for justice. Examining the historically fraught social and cultural tensions between settlers and Indigenous peoples in the region, McDiarmid links these cases to others across Canada - now estimated to number up to 4,000 - contextualizing them within a broader examination of the undervaluing of Indigenous lives in the country.
Highway of Tears is a powerful story about our ongoing failure to provide justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and a testament to their families and communities' unwavering determination to find it.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2019 Jessica McDiarmid (P)2019 Doubleday CanadaYou may also enjoy...
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Editorial Review
British Columbia Highway 16, part of the Trans-Canada Highway, traverses greater Western Canada. Highway 16 also has a nickname with a dark undercarriage: The Highway of Tears. This stretch of roadway earned its tragic nickname due to the staggering number of disappearances and murders that happen to befall its travellers. What’s more, this Canadian highway has come to represent a national crisis—the callous indifference of Canadian authorities to the plight of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls.
In Highway of Tears, Canadian journalist Jessica McDiarmid dives deeply into the pursuit of justice for missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. Through rigorous investigation and intense interviews with the families of women and girls who have gone missing or whose bodies were found, McDiarmid positions the victims at the front of the conversation. She exposes the systemic problems plaguing Indigenous people in northwestern British Columbia and throughout Canada. With this, McDiarmid can connect the crimes against Indigenous women and girls on The Highway of Tears to other murdered indigenous women across the country.
Powerfully narrated by Emily Nixon, Highway of Tears is a compelling true story of systemic racism, the lack of protection and indifference towards Indigenous people, and the courage and unwavering determination of community members who continue to speak out and seek justice for their loved ones.
What listeners say about Highway of Tears
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sharelle
- 2020-06-30
An eye opening read.
Finished the book last night.
Since I started the book, I started making sure my door is locked at night.
It opened my eyes to how bad life is and was for indigenous women and children. 14 and 15 year old girls who were kidnapped, raped, tortured and killed. Their families left to search on their own with zero support from the local law enforcement. Worried mothers told their child has probably run away to live on the DTES.
My heart breaks for the families left behind.
Ramona Wilson's death is still not solved, eventhough someone had called in saying they were there and know what happened. The police did not follow up on that lead. But if she was a different, more accepted race, her murder would have been solved.
#mmiwandgirls
#IndigeousLivesMatter
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Victoria
- 2021-08-24
The good and the bad
The performance was good and easy to listen to. soothing in a way. I live that the story was specific to what is going on with Canada’s indigenous communities in the Pacific north west, especially the women and girls missing on highway 16. The stories are horrific and seem hopeless to ever be resolved. Yet, most indigenous books I have read are under the Anishnaabe in Ontario. So, I wanted something different. I enjoyed hearing some of the stories of those who went missing and a glimpse of what the police/RCMP were doing to investigate (or lack of due to people, money and interest). sadly, all the stories seem like the beating horse trophy that they keep happening and either nothing gets done. Or little gets done or the investigation is riddled with issues. The same goes with the Inquiry for the murdered and missing women and girls. Not sure where to break the cycle or how to bring solace to many loved ones. an issue with the books is how it was organized. All the stories seemed all over the place and stitched to make a mesh of what happened to those who went missing. the police investigations, the different walks for awareness, going to the media and the inquiry. Those are the general buckets of what happened, yet, the content was not cohesive.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kyla MacDonald
- 2021-10-07
Narrator was too fast
This book is a really good look into the details of the Highway of Tears but the narrator made it difficult to follow. She runs paragraphs together, making it difficult to understand when a subject changes. This makes the book feel disconnected and hard to follow. If I were reading this book and could see the paragraph breaks, I don't think I would have this problem.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- TeacherMama
- 2022-04-16
Important for Canadians
This book is essential reading for all Canadians! It is heartbreaking yet hopeful. Thank you to all who have worked so hard to make this country safe for the most vulnerable.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- S. K
- 2021-05-20
Important read
Narrators voice and way of speaking is appropriate for this book. Everyone, especially Canadian's, should read this.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Wilber
- 2020-01-09
Highway of Tears
This book brought to light many atrocities that occurred.
My heart aches for the families and friends of these missing and murdered girls and women.
While the book was difficult to hear, it was a journey I wanted to walk.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Br00mr1der
- 2021-09-05
Amazing
Amazingly done. The stories are heartbreaking but very well told. Very much worth the listen. Highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Vee
- 2021-09-24
Truly eye opening book
Everyone should read this book to learn about the injustice done to the MMIWG. Well delivered audio.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2022-02-05
Excellent
Extremely hard to stop listening.
Let there be justice for these women and girls, sooner than later.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- DeAnn Watson
- 2020-10-17
A Loving Voice
This story is tragic and a must read for Canadians in particular because it brings to light a terrible pattern threatening young women, most particularly Indigenous women. What is a standout for me in the book is the language the author uses to describe the victims and their family. It’s loving. Regardless of circumstance the murdered women were loved and valued by multiple people in their family and community. The author takes ethnicity away and delivers loving humanity for the victims and their families.
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