![]() ![]() ![]() He shares the part of his life that has led him not only to embrace Ceremony and the lifeways and traditions of his Ancestors, but to learn them. He shares teachings, not only what they have been, but how he came to find and learn them. This is where Iskocēs Tipiskak: A Spark in the Dark diverges from what you see in a traditional memoir – alongside the sometimes turbulent early life John recounts is a swirling, powerful underpinning of the external forces that have shaped who he is and how he moves through this world. To say John’s “mundane” life has been a whirlwind is likely an understatement, and I don’t use the word “mundane” lightly he also speaks of the profound influence of Elders, and his own devotion to Spirit and Ceremony. He has gone on to complete post-secondary education while raising a family and beginning a new career with the City of Saskatoon Police. With a strong sense of duty and honour, John Langan found meaning and purpose in the armed forces he pushed himself to complete his education, at times struggling to do so, but always with the guidance and wisdom of his family, often when they themselves were struggling. Underpinning this very personal, very raw tale is a strong spirituality and an intense devotion to ceremony, culture, and honour. It starts amid the tumult of powerful storms, with the author praying and shouting and yearning, and steers the reader through relationships and teachings, through hurt and troubles and loss, through accomplishment and pride. In reading John’s book I began to feel like I’d known him. Iskocēs Tipiskak: A Spark in the Dark is a tender, difficult, hopeful memoir about the first part of John’s life journey, from his family’s roots in Keeseekoose, Cote, and One Arrow First Nations, to several cities and towns in Saskatchewan (including Canora, Regina, Prince Albert, and Saskatoon). I hadn’t heard of John, nor of the book (it was pretty new), but somehow, we found each other. So when John Langan emailed me and asked me to review Iskocēs Tipiskak: A Spark in the Dark, I was a little trepidatious. Sometimes, when a writer you’ve not heard of asks you to review their book, you don’t know what you’re getting into. It’s a bit different if the publisher asks, or if you know the author, or if your International Fiction Writer Boyfriend Neil Gaiman shows up on your porch to beg – no to PLEAD – with you to do so. You know I love books, and I think you’ve probably read some of my book musings, but a lot of the time when someone contacts you out of nowhere to ask if you’d like to review their book, you have reservations. This kind of thing isn’t completely unheard of. A real feel-good kind of story where you remember how cool it can be to be a human who interacts with other humans.Įarlier this year, someone I’d never met – never heard of – contacted me and asked if I’d like to review his book. ![]() Have you ever had one of those experiences where something comes at you out of the dark and ends up being a pleasant surprise? A time where you weren’t expecting anything but something happened anyway? Or when a complete stranger found you and you ended up kind of grokking each other? I think of the story of the woman who called her friend or her kids or something and was asking them what their Thanksgiving plans were, but she dialled the wrong number and the fellow she ended up talking to was at the other end of a misdial…she ended up inviting him to Thanksgiving, and he ended up accepting and it was kind of a big deal a few years ago. ![]()
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