Awakening in the Northwest Territories

A man searches for fulfillment in life by moving to a rugged area of Canada. His struggles there and his time with others allowed him to find the depth of meaning in life – therefore the title, awakening. Better late than never, though, because when he finds what he is looking for, it changes his life. It is like the old saying when the student is ready the teacher appears. He was ready to discover life and he did. But honestly, some people don’t discover life at all, and for those who do, they don’t usually have to go through such hardship to find it. So it is a unique trek, an odyssey, that brings him to confront what should be of value in life, and then he bequeaths it to us. Done insightfully and humorously, this is an interesting and engaging read from the get-go.

There is so much to learn as we journey along with him, we feel we are a part of the adventure – and leaving all you know and are comfortable with behind is definitely an adventure, not just for a week’s vacation or a three-month sabbatical, but as a change of life in the best sense. Therefore, it is an inspiring read.

Few who take such a journey are good enough writers to explain it to us, and fewer still are good enough writers to make it interesting and enjoyable. This is an excellent book that will touch you, and maybe offend you. Good art is like that

AWAKENING is a fascinating story of a man’s introduction to an alien culture and what he learned about that culture–and about himself. A true tale filled with excitement, danger, and frustration, it is well worth reading.

There is a lot to like about this book. I was engaged in the story from the opening sentence, and the writer uses just the right amount of bait on the hook and delivery of information to keep me along for the ride. The ability to see the humor in a situation is one thing that the world needs more of, and the writer has that. Further, the ability to write a scene in a way that delivers humor is a skill that not everyone possesses; the writer has that skill – plenty of it. His way of moving the story along without making me feel as though I was missing out on things, and giving enough detail on most things was very engaging. It set a fast enough pace to keep a reader engaged. I think the friendly manner in which the story is told, especially since we know the author really did these things, is like a friend telling you a very personal story over coffee or drinks, where it goes late into the night and although you’re tired, you don’t want it to end. That is high praise.

Too often biographies make depressing reading. The young firebrand becomes the old reactionary and the brightest young thing dims into the dullest of embers. It is refreshing, therefore, to read a life that does not follow this dispiriting trajectory.  Writing with great frankness and understanding, the author puts no gloss on anything and is painfully honest about his origins and mistakes. The memoir is a fascinating read that carries the reader along, wanting to know what happens next: the interest never flags.

The story commences with the author’s childhood and his family history, moving on to a young boy’s desire to spread his wings and see more of the world. A job opportunity takes his very young self and equally young wife, to Canada where he raises a family and climbs the corporate ladder. For years he feels life is good but something inside him starts to make him question if what he is doing is really making him happy. Life’s circumstances and personal changes force him to change his path and live closer to nature but even this is insufficient, and he is persuaded to take a further challenge in the far northwest. So begins a very different life. He faces such different people, living a life that is totally alien to his own. He is deprived of the luxuries of life and day-to-day existence is no longer easy. Faced with hardship, frustration, exasperation he questions whether he has made the correct move but is determined to see out his time there.

An encounter with the indigenous people when he is invited to experience the celebrations of the Dene is a turning point. This is the commencement of a spiritual awakening, the sowing of an altruistic, non-materialistic, seed within him. He understands how his former ‘success’ had not brought him happiness and had kept him searching for something more. Learning to live in the moment and shed things he had once considered necessities; his awakening brings peace and selflessness. The book is well worth reading. Not everyone would follow the same path, but it is the story of someone who strove hard to become a success only to realize that what he had achieved had not brought him inner peace or satisfaction, and immersing himself in another culture changed him forever.

Great book…..A great opportunity to find out what it would be like to live in the Northwest Territories without actually being there. He is very detailed about the events that took place and it makes me feel as if I am actually there with him.

The author’s writing is clear and, at times, eloquent. In describing the land and the people, he paints vivid pictures about his experiences, from his first trapping expedition to getting his house ransacked, to having to get up at night to go relieve himself in an outhouse in subzero weather.

Often, the problem with memoirs designed to leave a lasting legacy for future generations is that the life of the author is only of interest to their designed readership. Author Alastair Henry states that he wrote this novel primarily for his children, grandchildren, etc. Whereas one may be interested in their grandfather’s history –to have a greater understanding of their own identity – reading through the life story of a stranger can be a dull and empty experience. Yet this novel proves to be anything but.

The author takes us from his modest beginnings in a church-fearing England, to his corporate success overseas in Canada, and eventual retirement. No financial burdens. A beautiful and secluded home. By all accounts, he’s won the game of life. Yet the journey is only beginning. Following an epiphany, Alastair realizes that he’s searching for a new adventure, and decides to return to work. The universe seems to direct him far north, where he takes a job managing an aboriginal community. And this really is the heart of the novel – what truly makes it work. No doubt due to the author’s private journals, and his memories, he creates fully formed characters from his past. But the community as a whole, and the unforgettable setting, are the strongest characters of this work.

It has been a long time since a location was brought so vividly before my eyes. The language is crisp and clear; the author does a wonderful job of transporting you into a foreign land, in the middle of a far northern, icy world. Similarly, he effortlessly explains his thought processes in a vastly accessible style that will have you firing through the pages.

By forging such a fascinating and distant world for the reader, and by communicating a powerful and thought-provoking message, ‘Awakening in the Northwest Territories’ transcends the boundaries of memoirs. No, this novel is not just for his grandchildren and their children, it’s for everyone.

I especially enjoyed the author’s “Epilogue,” as he reflected on what he learned on his journey to self-actualization. As a fan of Eckhart Tolle and Buddhist philosophy, I appreciated the concrete examples the author skillfully wove into his life story to demonstrate why all of us should appreciate the gift of life, live in the present moment, and realize that just “doing our best is all that matters.”

I liked the author’s clear and candid writing style, painting vivid pictures of life in Canada’s Northern Territory among the Dene, an aboriginal people. Having expected a memoir just about the harsh conditions that the author had to endure, I was pleasantly surprised that it was much more than that — it was about a spiritual awakening that was deeply inspiring. Through the writing, we explore the workings of the Dene community, an Indian tribe based in the northern frozen terrain. A fish flung far out of the water, the author must quickly acclimatize to the workings of a new land and people. What lessons and social norms he’s learned through life suddenly have little power in this world. Perhaps stubbornly, he tries to evoke change but is only beginning to understand that the real change required may be in his way of thinking. And so, this eager reader read on, wondering what would give first: the author or the community?

This is an excellent memoir written in plain language. I wish I could get my hands on more books like these. This is exactly how memoirs should be written. Thankfully there are not too many idle philosophical musings that would have bored me to death. Rather this book is realistic and full of action from start to finish.

I loved learning about the nomadic Dene people and felt as though I was living a new life as I read. Often I would return to the book to find a moment of peace, and to escape a hectic day. Most importantly, the novel allowed me to examine my own way of thinking, and to re-evaluate what’s important in my own life. It will do the same for all readers, though what answers you find will be your own.