I really wanted to like this book more than I did.

I am Cree, and I have worked in the Aboriginal community, teaching Native Studies. My grandmother was a residential school survivor. I live with the intergenerational effects of that. My mother-in-law and her sisters and brothers are residential school survivors.

In addition, my mother died of cancer. She was only in her 50s.

So, there were many reasons for me to read this book and to feel connected to it.

Furthermore, I greatly admire Wab Kinew. He is highly intelligent, charming, and accomplished. I've attended presentations by him twice, and both times, I was impressed and moved. I think he is a strong role model for our youth, and I was very interested in reading his book.

However, I don't think Mr. Kinew's storytelling abilities translated fully to this book. Many times, it seemed he was simply cataloguing events instead of weaving a story about them. It was like reading lists or reports, and I frequently struggled to keep reading.

At other times, I found it difficult to understand whether the book was about Mr. Kinew's accomplishments or his father's experiences, struggles, and achievements. It often seemed it was more of the former. Of course, there is a connection, but I think it would have made more sense to focus more on the father, perhaps saving the autobiography for the future.

I think that Mr. Kinew had an important story to tell about his father and overcoming Residential School Syndrome. I think that Canadians and others can learn from reading this book. However, I think this book wasn't fully "cooked" yet, and I think it could have benefitted from more revising and editing.

That said, I would still recommend this book, but I would recommend even more that you go and hear Mr. Kinew speak, if you get the chance.