Crazy Dave (Native Voices) [Paperback]

Basil Johnston (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0873514238 | ISBN-13: 978-0873514231 | Publication Date: April 1, 2002

Through the story of his Uncle David and grandmother Rosa, renowned native writer and storyteller Basil Johnston offers a funny, affectionate, and unforgettable portrait of reservation life. David, the last of Rosa's five sons, was born with Down syndrome. Unable to care for himself, he and the indomitable Rosa were to be forever bound together, joined by love and necessity in a life already defined by harsh, sometimes tragic circumstances. And yet, David was remarkable. Strong, stubborn, and utterly determined, he aspired to learn, to be a part of a world in which he would never entirely belong. In that regard, he was and remains a poignant and unsettling reflection of his people, who had fled Wisconsin in the 1830s to seek sanctuary with the Ojibway farther north in what became Canada. With great resourcefulness and integrity, they struggled to sustain and preserve families, a language, and a way of life, while accommodating the increasingly intrusive demands of white society. Woven of story and recollection -- the author's own, his family's, and those of others who were there -- this memoir remembers and pays loving tribute to a family, a community, and a culture.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When he was a teenager, writer Basil Johnston (The Manitous) listened to his grandmother tell stories of how her people, the Ojibway (or Chippewa), were driven from their Wisconsin land to the Cape Croker Reserve in Ontario, where she and Johnston himself grew up. Johnston records this in Crazy Dave, a family and tribal history told mostly through the stories of Johnston's grandmother and her youngest son, David. The willful, inquisitive, mischievous David was born with Down's syndrome, but refused to accept his isolation from the rest of the world. He becomes a metaphor for the Ojibways' refusal to quietly placate white society.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Basil Johnston is an Ojibway scholar who lives in Ontario, Canada, on the Cape Croker Indian Reserve. A recipient of the Order of Ontario and an honorary doctorate from the University of Toronto, he speaks and writes in both Ojibway and English, and is the author of numerous books, including 'The Manitous: The Spiritual World of the Ojibway', 'Indian School Days', 'Ojibway Ceremonies', 'Ojibway Heritage', and 'Ojibway Tales'.

Product Details

• Paperback: 334 pages
• Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873514238
• ISBN-13: 978-0873514231
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,914,986 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One families love for an uncle with Downs Syndrome, September 22, 2002

By 

geoff (Barrie, Ontario) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crazy Dave (Native Voices) (Paperback)

Crazy Dave struggles to live a normal life on a rural Indian Reservation in Ontario, Canada. Basil Johnston recalls his childhood and living with his grandmother and "Crazy" uncle Dave, who has downs syndrome. A fascinating, humorous and very realistic account of what it was like growing up on an Indian Reservation. Uncle Dave tries desperately to fit in with his community but is often misunderstood and never fully accepted. Uncle Dave is a metaphor for his people, the Native American Indian who is an outsider in is own country and anglo society. But once understood, the love, warmth and strong family values are seen through the Indian people. "Crazy Dave" often gets into trouble without knowing why. When he wants to play baseball with the children he hits the ball to far, he eats a wood cutter's lunch and is mistaken for a Japanese spy during the height of World War 11. This is an excellent read, don't be discouraged by the slow pace of the first two or three chapters, once started, you will not want to put the book down. I devoured the book in 3 days.