My current read starts with an digression on how this book should be classified (the author goes with “Métis futurism,” based on her heritage) and in the process provides some insight into #Afrofuturism and the place of sff/speculative fiction in social commentary and reform. I thought folks might find it interesting given the #booked23 prompt and Septembers #aam post 1/2
Post 2/2 from the tagged book on using speculative fiction in a socially conscious way, including #Afrofuturism and other localities in futurism and works by BIPOC writers, such as Métis futurism. I especially love the quote in the top passage ?
pickIt took me a while to pick this up but it was worth it! I liked how Vowel provided commentary after each story to explain the references and inspiration. Love getting insight into authors‘ writing processes like that.
October 2022 #DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks
“No, standing didn‘t capture this mess. Like some baroque painting, or a Kent Monkman recreation, everyone seemed to freeze for a moment as Gus struggled to take in the scene.”
Cool coincidence to read this story after recently reading Kent Monkman: Life & Work, which I will tag in a comment.
pickThis book is so good & I feel like it isn‘t getting enough attention, at least in the US. Speculative indigenous (and specifically Métis) futurism - the stories are, to a one, incredible. I can‘t choose a favorite. Even better, Vowel provides some short academic commentary at the end of each story, drawing the reader in further & enhancing the experience. This was a library find & I just ordered a physical copy to own & mark up & share.
I took some time out for a massive bike ride this morning, with a wee reading session when I got to the park. I‘m about 30 pages from the end of this great collection of Métis-futurist stories.
First library haul of July! I‘ve heard conflicting things about two of the novels, but I‘m unreservedly excited for the tagged book. Chelsea Vowel‘s nonfiction is great and I‘m hoping her short fiction follows suit. Plus, until I saw the book in person instead of as a thumbnail I didn‘t realize the cover is a detail from Offerings to Save the World, my favourite Christi Belcourt painting. It‘s a sign!
pickThe second part of my weekly wrap up is all Indigenous:
Saturday Reads May 21: All Indigenous Books Edition
https://youtu.be/itw0-feApRU
Are you sure you don‘t have Red Rose? Or any kind of tea? I‘ve been talking for a while. Yeah, I‘ll take an Earl Grey. Him and the Burger Baron, they‘re the only nobility I recognize, ha.
I wouldn‘t have known about a mural painted by an Indigenous artist in Edmonton‘s IKEA store if I hadn‘t read about it in one of Chelsea Vowel‘s short stories. Image above from the internet. It was painted by Lance Cardinal.
Bison? Yeah, I know that‘s the right word, but you understand me when I say buffalo, don‘t you? I mean, it‘s a little rich to tell neechies how to call an animal your folks only met a 100 years ago or something. And that you genocided so you could build McMansions on all our lakes. Do you speak Michif? Cree? Nakota? How about Saulteaux? Know how to say buffalo in any of those languages? No? Okay then. I get to say bison or buffalo all I want.
Angelique gazed out at the herd and imagined she was one of those birds, perched between dark horns, eating insects from the grass. Groups of them startled and rose above the shaggy backs before settling back down. She wondered how their babies found them, how they knew to join their kin.
[image: https://www.audubon.org/news/how-does-cowbird-learn-be-cowbird ]
I celebrated Indie Bookstore Day yesterday and made a video about it: Canadian Independent Bookstore Day 2022
https://youtu.be/UVNp-AmgGTI
📚😊👍
Buffalo Is the New Buffalo | 
