Unreserved's self-isolation book club: What Indigenous authors are reading during the pandemic

People across the country are still practicing physical distancing, which means spending lots of time at home. This week on Unreserved, we speak to Indigenous writers to learn how they're coping with the isolation, and ask them to share the books on their reading lists. 

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story is a new children's book written by Kevin Noble Maillard, who is African American and Seminole. Last month he tested positive for COVID-19, and wrote about it for the New York Times. 

#CanadaPerforms is a new online initiative launched by the National Arts Centre, that brings musical and literary performances to living rooms across the country. Zoey Roy is a Dene, Cree and Metis poet, and she was the first Indigenous writer to take part in the initiative.  

Drew Hayden Taylor was recently shortlisted for the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. He has written everything from essays to plays, novels to documentaries. The Ojibway writer's latest book, Chasing Painted Horses, is about the power of childhood imagination, art, and believing. 

In My Own Moccasins: A Memoir of Resilience is a new book by Dane-Zaa and Nehiyaw author Helen Knott, which has been getting rave reviews. It's a difficult story about overcoming addiction, but also rediscovering culture.

This week's playlist:

Keith Secola - Fry Bread 

Crown Lands - Mountain 

Iskwe - Breaking Down