Alex (Pucksandpaperbacks) | A Two-Spirit Journey: The A...
How it Works Bookshop
Publishing Team Contact
Log in or Sign up
A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder (Critical Studies in Native History, 18) (Volume 18)
Ma-nee Chacaby
Mary Louisa Plummer
Save to Your Books
Bookshop
Amazon
100% of affiliate revenue supports Alex (Pucksandpaperbacks)
Winner of Canada Reads 2025
From her early, often harrowing memories of life and abuse in a remote Ojibwa community, Ma-Nee Chacaby's extraordinary story is one of enduring and ultimately overcoming the social and economic legacies of colonialism.
As a child, Chacaby learned spiritual and cultural traditions from her Cree grandmother and trapping, hunting, and bush survival skills from her Ojibwa stepfather. She also suffered physical and sexual violence, and in her teen years became an alcoholic herself. At twenty, Chacaby took her children and, fleeing an abusive marriage, moved to Thunder Bay. Despite the abuse, racism, and indifference she often found there, Chacaby marshalled the strength and supports to help herself and others.
Over the following decades, she achieved sobriety, trained and worked as an alcoholism counsellor, raised her children and fostered many others, learned to live with visual impairment, and came out as a lesbian. In 2013, Chacaby led the first gay pride parade in Thunder Bay.
Ma-Nee Chacaby has emerged from hardship grounded in faith, compassion, and humour. Her memoir provides unprecedented insights into the challenges still faced by many Indigenous people.
Show more
Get the Bindery app
Posts about this title from Alex (Pucksandpaperbacks)
Alex (Pucksandpaperbacks)\
\
Alex (he/him/his)\
\
• Jun 28
50+ trans book recommendations 🏳️⚧️
Over 50 trans book recommendations for the Trans Rights Readathon and Trans Reading Challenge ranging from memoirs, nonfiction, romance, contemporary, YA and middle grade, and some SFF.
69 books
1
Posts about this book from across Bindery
Alex (Pucksandpaperbacks)\
\
Alex (he/him/his)\
\
• Jun 28
50+ trans book recommendations 🏳️⚧️
69 books
1
2-Spirit Bookshelf\
\
(@Indigenousbookshelf)\
\
• May 6
Join for free
Hey Bookish comrades!\
\
It’s Mental Health Awareness month! If you are familiar with my IG, you probs know I have my fair share of MH struggles. I have had a hard time my entire life. I've tried all the pills, all the therapies, all the groups, the treatments, the detoxes, the hospitals, the cultural things, etc. But Every day is still a struggle for me. Medical trauma and stigma is SO real. I've experienced so many horrors in hospital. But I've been lucky to have people who care and have held me in my darkest hours. Now, some days the pain is paralyzing, others I can be ok! I’m just trying to do the teeniest tiniest things to push through. Showering, walks at night, tending to my plants, crafting, reading, sitting outside with a tea.\
\
Below is a list of books I recommend that deal with different mental health conditions. And If anyone has suggestions for books on other mental health issues I’d love to hear!\
\
Mental Illness/ Developmental Condition Rep:\
\
A Mind Spread Out On The Ground - Alicia Elliott | Memoir / Depression, Anxiety(*Indigenous author)\
\
Things In Nature Merely Grow- Yiyun Li | Autobiography / Suicidal Depression\
\
Almond - Won-pyung Sohn | Litfic / Alexithymia\
\
Get Me Out of Here-Rachel Reiland | Memoir, BPD\
\
Interesting Facts About Space - Emily Austin | Litfic / Anxiety\
\
Trainspotting - Irvine Welsh | Litfic / Addiction\
\
Rough Magic - Miranda Newman | Memoir / BPD\
\
The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy - Steph Jones | Self-Help / Autism (recognizing\
\
Girl interrupted - Susanna Kaysen | Memoir / BPD\
\
Making Love With the Land - Joshua Whitehead | Memoir, Essays / Eating disorder (*Indigenous author)\
\
Giovanni’s Room - James Baldwin | Litfic / Depression\
\
The Bell Jar- Sylvia Plath | Litfic / Depression\
\
Furiously Happy - Jenny Lawson | Memoir, Humour / Depression, trichtillomania, anxiety,\
\
You Better Be Lightening - Andrea Gibson | Poetry / Depression\
\
Betty - Tiffany Mcdaniel | Litfic / Various MH issues such as addiction, trauma/PTSD, psychosis, suicidal depression, etc(*Indigenous author)\
\
What My Bones Know - Stephanie Foo | Memoir / C-PTSD\
\
A Two-Spirit Journey - Ma-Nee Chacaby | Memoir/ Addiction, PTSD(*Indigenous author)\
\
An Anthology of Monsters: How Story Saves Us from Our Anxiety - Cherie Dimaline | Autobiography, Essay / Anxiety(*Indigenous author)\
\
Krik? Krak! - Edwidge Danticat | Litfic / Various MH issues such as Depression, PTSD, Psychosis, etc(*Indigenous author)\
\
The Crying Book - Heather Christle | Memoir / Depression\
\
Fire Song - Adam Garrett Jones | YA / Depression , etc (*Indigenous author)\
\
While You Were Out- Meg Kissinger | Memoir / Various MH issues such as Bipolar, Depression, Anxiety, Addiction, etc\
\
My Year of Rest and Relaxation - Ottessa Moshfegh | Litfic / Depression\
\
All the Bright Places - Jennifer Niven | YA / Bipolar disorder\
\
Everything Here Is Beautiful-Mira T. Lee | Litfic / schizoaffective disorder, psychosis\
\
Shred Sisters- Betsy Lerner | Litfic / Bipolar, addiction\
\
Freshwater - Akwaeke Emezi | Litfic / DID (if framed by a western lens)(*Indigenous author)\
\
Pitiful - Brandi Bird | Poetry / Eating Disorder, Depression, Psychosis, OCD (*Indigenous author)\
\
Notes of an Indigenous Futurist - Cliff Taylor | Memoir / Depression, Addiction (*Indigenous author)\
\
Boy Swallows Universe - Trent Dalton | Litfic / Addiction\
\
Building a Life Worth Living - Marsha Linehan | Memoir / BPD\
\
Join for free or login
Mental Health Awareness Month - A Book List
31 books
4
2-Spirit Bookshelf\
\
(@Indigenousbookshelf)\
\
• Apr 10
Join for free
If you follow my blabbing on threads or know me personally, you’re probably aware I’ve been making a conscious effort to read/recommend books by authors who I genuinely respect.\
\
This is really important to me and sometimes feels very challenging because I have strong convictions yet always want to give folks the benefit of the doubt. I feel so bummed out when I find out someone is not who I thought they were. But I guess that’s life. That’s social media and public platforms.\
\
Here are 7 books by authors who I will always stand behind and 7 books by authors I will no longer be recommending (*weeps a little*).\
\
If you have book recs by stand up authors (subjective, I know) I’m always looking for more! :)\
\
\
\
Upgrade for $5 or login
Authors: forevers and nevers
7 books
2-Spirit Bookshelf\
\
(@Indigenousbookshelf)\
\
• Nov 20 2025
Join for free
Holding space on this TDoR with love, gentleness, and stillness.\
\
Sending strength and tenderness to those mourning, to those carrying weight.\
\
You are held and loved beyond measure.\
\
You matter\
\
You belong\
\
Your survival is revolution. \
\
Those in your orbit are changed by your existence. May we meet that gift with protection, with solidarity, with care that breaks systems open. Our liberation is tied to one another, our paths woven together. I will always show up for those who are fighting to stay whole.\
\
Today, I am out on the land with my furry pal, connecting with the old growth trees while honouring our grief, our memories, our love in action 🫂🫀\
\
Join for free or login
Trans Day of Remembrance 🍓🫐🏳️⚧️
20 books
1