B O O K C L U B K I T:
JIMMY BLUEFEATHER by Kim Heacox
PRAISE
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
"[A] splendid, unique gem of a novel." –Library Journal STARRED
Were you immediately hooked by Keb Wisting and drawn into the story or did you have a hard time relating to this unique character? Why?
"Part quest, part rebirth, Heacox's debut novel spins a story of Alaska's Tlingit people and the land, an old man dying, and a young man learning to live." –Kirkus STARRED "Heacox does a superb job of transcending his characters’ unique geography to create a heartwarming, all-American story." –Booklist “Every page glistens with authentic genius born from Kim Heacox’s wise and deep-rooted sense of place . . . The characters seem like people we’ve known; they ring true, and feel vivid.” —Carl Safina, author Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel
Old Keb Wisting is somewhere around ninety-five years old (he lost count awhile ago) and in constant pain and thinks he wants to die. He also thinks he thinks too much. Part Norwegian and part Tlingit Native (“with some Filipino and Portuguese thrown in”), he’s the last living canoe carver in the village of Jinkaat, in Southeast Alaska. When his grandson, James, a promising basketball player, ruins his leg in a logging accident and tells his grandpa that he has nothing left to live for, Keb comes alive and finishes his last canoe, with help from his grandson. Together they paddle deep into the wild Pacific, but mostly into the human heart, in a story of adventure, love, and reconciliation.
“This is not just a well-crafted picture of an elder; it is unforgettable, in the direct lineage of The Old Man and the Sea.” —Doug Peacock, author In the Shadow of the Sabertooth "A superb addition to Alaska—indeed, American—literature.” —Nancy Lord, author Early Warming
Alaska roots this novel and plays a large part in the overall story line. How does the perception of Alaska as a mysterious and remote place play a part? Why can't the story have happened anywhere else? Discuss the transformation of the relationship between Keb and James as the story evolves. How does the struggle between tribal and environmental issues affect the story? If similar conflicts are happening where you live, what impacts have they had on you? How does the book shed light on Alaska Native tradition and perception of family and place? How are they caught between times and places and how are they meshing them together? Is there a symbolism between James and the Canoe? What does Steve add to the story? Can you imagine yourself as a character? If so, which one? Would you be a new character and what role would you play? There are numerous quotes in the book that Kim Heacox has dubbed “Kebisms” —which, if any, resonate for you?
© Bob Armstrong (from Guide to the Birds of Alaska)
If you were to talk with the author, what would you want to know? (Contact Kim Heacox direct @JimmyBluefeather on Facebook.)
MUSIC
LARGE MARGE’S SILVERBOW CORNBREAD
RECIPES
Check out these tracks that inspired Kim Heacox while writing Jimmy Bluefeather:
“I’ve often dreamt of Jimmy Bluefeather as a movie, with the entire soundtrack by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
It would open with ‘Carry On’ and from there go into ‘Comes a Time,’ ‘Birds,’ ‘Helplessly Hoping,’ ‘Wooden Ships,’ ‘Delta,’ ‘Déjà vu,’ and ‘Long Time Gone.’
Jackson Browne’s ‘For Everyman,’ ‘Doctor My Eyes,’ and ‘Barricades of Heaven’ would also be nice.
And finally Don Henley’s ‘The End of the Innocence. . . ’”
© Bob Armstrong
OLD KEB'S FAVORITE NAGOONBERRY PIE 3 beaten egg yolks 1 scant cup sugar (not too much sugar!) Pinch of salt 1 cup nagoonberry juice 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 3 egg whites ½ teaspoon cream of tartar Whipped cream Baked 9-inch pie shell In a double boiler, mix egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and 1/2 cup berry juice. Place over boiling water and cook until mixture thickens (about 10 to 12 minutes), stirring gently as it cooks. Soften gelatin in the remaining 1/2 cup juice. Remove egg mixture from heat and stir in gelatin. Chill. Mix together the remaining sugar and cream of tartar. Beat the egg whites until foamy, then gradually beat in the sugar and cream of tartar. Continue beating until stiff. Fold the 2 mixtures together and pour into baked pie shell. Chill. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream. (Maxcine Williams, Eugene, Oregon. Excerpted from Alaska Wild Berry Cookbook.)
1 ½ cups corn meal 1 ½ tablespoons sugar 1 ½ teaspoons salt 1 ½ cups milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm 1 ½ cups sourdough starter 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda 2 eggs 6 tablespoons soft margarine Combine corn meal, sugar, salt and milk. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a well-greased square baking pan and bake at 425° for 40 minutes. (Recipe from Ruth Parsons, An Alaska Cook Book, Kenai. Excerpted in Cooking Alaskan.)
© Kim Heacox
While some people make their cornbread round, Keb made his square, and took no small satisfaction when it came out piping hot, lightly browned, ready for butter.