The Next Chapter

Shelagh's feature interview with Richard Wagamese, author of Medicine Walk

Richard Wagamese became a household name when his novel Indian Horse was part of Canada Reads in 2013. It is a haunting, powerful novel about a young boy in residential school whose life is redeemed through hockey.  ...
Richard Wagamese became a household name when his novel Indian Horse was part of Canada Reads in 2013. It is a haunting, powerful novel about a young boy in residential school whose life is redeemed through hockey.  


Indian Horse won the Canada Reads People's Choice Award that year, as well as the inaugural Burt Award for Aboriginal Writing in Canada.

This year, Richard Wagamese published  Medicine Walk, a novel he feels is his best yet.

Medicine Walk is the story of a displaced son and his displaced father. It's set in the Interior of British Columbia. Eldon Starlight, the father, a Korean War vet, is dying and seeks out his estranged son Franklin to take him to the mountains so that he may be buried sitting up and facing east, in the Ojibway warrior way.


Shelagh has known Richard since the publication of his debut novel  Keeper n' Me in 1994 and they have become friends over the years. Shelagh sat down with Richard outside her home this summer to talk about  Medicine Walk.  

We hope you enjoy their conversation.


A brand new season of The Next Chapter begins on Labour Day.  Tune in to CBC Radio One on Monday, September 1, 2014 at 1pm (1:30 NT) for our season premiere.  An encore presentation airs on Saturday, September 6 at 4pm (4:30 NT).