Miss Hobbema Pageant

This book was published in 1989. It contains a series of interconnected short stories set on a fictional Indian reserve near Hobbema in Alberta. The narrator of all the stories is Silas Ermineskin, a young man who goes to Technical School in Hobbema but seems to spend a lot of his time shooting pool and drinking at the pub. His best friend is Frank Fencepost who has similar occupations. In the first story Frank joins a literacy class and when he is asked why he wants to learn to read he says he wants to read Silas's stories. That sounds like a great reason to learn to read to me.

Many of the stories are funny. One of the best is Tricks which is about Frank's practical jokes. However, a lot of the stories are sad or bittersweet. The show more Sundog Society about a feud between two men is one of those. I think I'll probably remember the sad stories longer than the funny ones.

I know Kinsella's stories set on the reserve are not universally appreciated by aboriginal Canadians because they view him as a white person making fun of or exploiting native culture. However, I don't think aboriginal Canadians have an exclusive right to talk about their culture and I certainly don't think Kinsella makes fun of them. Read these stories and then, if you haven't read it, also read Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King. King is native (although not Canadian) and the setting is a very similar part of Alberta. show less

Refreshing!: I tried to read Shoeless Joe without much success and had long stayed away from Kinsella's books. Desperate for a good read, I stumbled upon this gem. I must admit, the title grabbled my attention and when I opened up the book, I stumbled upon the narrator telling the story of how his girlfriend walked in upon one of his practical jokes and was bathed in motor oil, I figured that the book ought to be interesting. It is a collection of short stories set on the Ermineskin Reserve outside of Hobbema, Alberta. I recall reading the book late into the night, giggling at some funny situations related in the stories. I am proud to say that I have since revised my preconceived notions of Kinsella's work and will be looking forward show more to reading his other works. show less