NEWS RELEASE
MIDLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY
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Midland Public Library is thrilled to participate in the inaugural Simcoe Reads, alongside Barrie, Essa, Innisfil, and Bradford West-Gwillimbury Public Libraries. Five Libraries. Five Books. One Winner. Each community has chosen a book they think everyone in Simcoe County should read right now, and in late September, Simcoe Reads community champions will go head-to-head in a broadcast debate to crown a winner!
Representing our community will be local high school teacher, Kristi Pressé. She has chosen to defend Jesse Thistle’s heart wrenching memoir From the Ashes, about his struggles with addiction, homelessness and coming into his Metis identity.
On Aug. 13 at 7 p.m., see Jesse Thistle in a special virtual interview with Simcoe Reads MPL champion, Kristi Pressé, part of MPL’s series of Simcoe Reads programs designed to promote community-wide discussion around this powerful and personal memoir.
Jesse Thistle is a Métis-Cree author, an assistant professor in the Department of Equity Studies at York University in Toronto, and an advocate for the homeless.
From the Ashes is a disquieting but essential read. Following his footsteps through loving and traumatic childhood homes, and then a spiral of addiction, incarceration, and homelessness, we finally see that Jesse’s story is one of utter truthfulness, courage, and resilience.
Patrons can register and participate in the online Simcoe Reads Challenge on our website to log their reading, complete activities and engage in discussions on all five of the Simcoe Reads picks.
Midland Public Library aims to foster lifelong learning and creativity in Midland and neighbouring communities. The library strives to be the learning and leisure hub of the community providing knowledge, ideas, and technology in a collaborative space that sparks connections between people.
For further information about library events and programs, visit www.midlandlibrary.com.
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