Alberta Readers' Choice Award

Alberta Readers' Choice Award Top 5

"The Frog Lake Reader"
by Myrna Kostash (October 2009)

Non-fiction authority Myrna Kostash merges the past and the present in The Frog Lake Reader, which offers a startlingly objective perspective on the tragic events surrounding the Frog Lake Massacre of 1885. By bringing together eyewitness accounts and journal excerpts, memoirs and contemporary fiction, and excerpts from interviews with historians, Kostash provides a panoramic perspective on a tragedy often overshadowed by Louis Riel's rebellion during the same year.

The history is contentious and its interpretation unresolved, but The Frog Lake Reader, with its broad survey of vital historical accounts and points of view, offers the most comprehensive and informative narrative on the Frog Lake Massacre to date.

Reviews
"The narrative form is fresh, creative and culturally sensitive. Acknowledging she is but one voice among many, Kostash gives space to perspectives of the past alongside historians of today ... By collapsing time, Kostash helps us to realize how these past events still shape our present." Diana Davidson, The Edmonton Journal

"The story of the Frog Lake Massacre, one of the most fascinating, if tragic, episodes in Canadian history, is made all the more poignant and dramatic told through the eyes of people who were actually there. A great read." -Maggie Siggins, author of Riel: A Life of Revolution

"Myrna Kostash transforms the controversial history of the Frog Lake Massacre into a compelling drama of individual voices, her own calm voice guiding us through this harrowing tragedy." -Heather Robertson, author of Reservations Are for Indians

"It's brilliant reading. Kostash's decision to include all of these voices and versions creates a compelling human drama out of long-dead events.... Kostash hits the perfect pitch between the events that constitute history and the voices that shape it." -Jay Smith, Alberta Views

Media
Frog Lake Reader Round Table Discussion (audio)
Myrna Kostash on CJSR's Sound of My Own Voice (audio)
Ken Davis interviews Myrna Kostash on CKUA's Bookmark (audio)

About the Author
Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, award-winning non-fiction writer Myrna Kostash is the author of nine books, including All of Baba's Children and The Doomed Bridegroom: A Memoir. In addition to contributing articles to various magazines, such as Geist, Canadian Geographic, and Legacy, Kostash has written radio documentaries and stage plays. Her creative non-fiction has appeared in numerous Canadian and international anthologies, such as The Thinking Heart: Best Canadian Essays, Edmonton on Location, Literatura na S'wiecie (Warsaw), and Mostovi ( Belgrade).

A founder of the Creative Non-fiction Collective, Kostash has taught creative writing workshops across Canada and in the US. She has served on several award juries, including those of the Governor General's Awards, the CBC Creative Nonfiction competition, and the Writers' Trust Non-Fiction Prize. In 2008 the Writers Guild of Alberta presented her with the Golden Pen Award for lifetime achievement, and in 2009 she was inducted into the City of Edmonton's Arts and Culture Hall of Fame. Her upcoming book, Prodigal Daughter: A Journey into Byzantium, will be released in 2010 by the University of Alberta Press.

About NeWest Press
Emerging from the buzzing cultural climate of western Canada in the 1970s, NeWest Press has published radically rewarding literature for over thirty years. The Press was launched at the same time as the NeWest Review, a monthly journal of politics, arts, and culture focusing on the prairie provinces.

Today this unique non-profit book publisher continues to thrive, publishing ten to twelve titles annually. While still a western press in focus, in recent years NeWest has expanded its mandate to publish work from all across Canada. The editorial board continues its commitment to developing and publishing first-time writers, as well as ensuring the availability of Canadian classics. At thirty years, NeWest Press has established itself as one of the country's most enduring and respected literary presses, a reflection of the many years of dedication, passion, and perseverance that have kept its original publishing vision alive.

For more information about NeWest Press, visit http://www.newestpress.com.