Spirits of a Feather [Paperback]

Charles Shirriff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 1999

Spirits of a Feather is a fact-based novel which follows the adventures of Jay, a teenager who heads south to escape the isolation of his dysfunctional family in the wilderness of northern Canada. Winnipeg, the capital city of Manitoba, becomes the locale for Jay's experiences with the gay community, the occult, native shamanism, the drug culture, vegetarianism and a rich girlfriend. Through his experiences with his friends and the acceptance of two older men Jay matures from the egocentricity of youth to a burgeoning social conscience as he learns to cope with his homophobic feelings and the challenges of his new world. The nineteen vegetarian recipes included in the appendix are designed to be nourishing and enjoyable for nonvegetarians as well.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Charles Shirriff (Bill) was born and raised in Saskatchewan during the depression years of the 30's. After graduation from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science in Math, Physics and Chemistry, he went to Swan River to begin a teaching career that was to span thirty-five years and would take him as far north as Cranberry Portage, Flin Flon and Norway House. Most of those years were spent near Winnipeg in the city of Portage la Prairie where he held positions as teacher, counselor, and co-ordinator of programs for Special Needs students and for the Gifted & Talented in the School Division. A brief foray into the field of Meteorology provided him with the opportunity to work and live in Moosonee on the tip of James Bay. His love of learning and a penchant for different experiences led him to obtain a B.A. degree from the State of New York and a Master of Science in psychology from the University of North Dakota. Additional courses in a variety of subjects were taken at the University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, University of Connecticut (Storrs) and Stanford University in California. E-mail: [e-mail]

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (December 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1583485473
• ISBN-13: 978-1583485477
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,259,025 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't wait to read your next novel!, October 17, 2000

By 

Duane (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spirits of a Feather (Paperback)

I am really happy that you wrote this book. People are always "shocked" because they don't want to know the truth. It kinda shows how out of touch they really are and that life is not always a "white picket fence, or 2.5 children!"

Your interpretation of the "gay" scene in Winnipeg and in San Francisco was very amazing.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A young man grows up, August 20, 2000

By 

Terri Parsons "WindDancer" (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spirits of a Feather (Paperback)

This is a book I finished yesterday which I really liked. It is the story of Jay, a young boy who leaves home when he can't take the abuse anymore and heads off to the big city (in this case, Winnipeg). He has $11 in his pocket and nowhere to go. He is incredibly naive and is (lucky for him) befriended by Phil who takes him in and begins the process of teaching Jay to open his mind and grow. Jay's experiences with the gay community, vegetarianism, a native shaman, drug dealers, a medium and the family of his rich girlfriend teach him about the varieties of life and people and help him to heal his own prejudices and find his own way in the world: seeing people not labels and stereotypes and exploring his own identity.

I liked this book because I have known a lot of Jays in this world - full of pain, ignorance and anger and I really enjoyed the characters whose paths he crosses with. I like to see stories of growth and release from our demons.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting and thought-producing look at our society, February 24, 2000

By 

Troy Smith (Vancouver, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spirits of a Feather (Paperback)

I was fascinated by the activities and ideas our young people face in today's society. I had no idea that there were so many things outside our main stream society. I'm sending a copy to all my friends who have teenage children in hopes it will start a dialogue between the parents and children.