Jonny Appleseed: A Novel

Written by Joshua Whitehead

Narrated by Joshua Whitehead

Winner, Lambda Literary Award; Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction

Finalist, Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction; Amazon Canada First Novel Award; Indigenous Voices Award; Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award; Firecracker Award for Fiction

Longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize

A Globe and Mail Best Book of the Year

A tour-de-force debut novel about a Two-Spirit Indigiqueer young man and proud NDN glitter princess who must reckon with his past when he returns home to his reserve.

“You're gonna need a rock and a whole lotta medicine” is a mantra that Jonny Appleseed, a young Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer, repeats to himself in this vivid and utterly compelling debut novel by poet Joshua Whitehead.

Off the reserve and trying to find ways to live and love in the big city, Jonny becomes a cybersex worker who fetishizes himself in order to make a living. Self-ordained as an NDN glitter princess, Jonny has one week before he must return to the “rez” — and his former life — to attend the funeral of his stepfather. The seven days that follow are like a fevered dream: stories of love, trauma, sex, kinship, ambition, and the heartbreaking recollection of his beloved kokum (grandmother). Jonny's life is a series of breakages, appendages, and linkages — and as he goes through the motions of preparing to return home, he learns how to put together the pieces of his life.

Jonny Appleseed is a unique, shattering vision of First Nations life, full of grit, glitter, and dreams.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ECW
• Release date: Oct 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781773055244

Reviews for Jonny Appleseed

[Nonzerosumness · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I felt like the author was telling his story directly to me.

[Hunter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reads like a memoir. My favorite book I’ve read (or listened to) this year.

[S K · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The prose in this is deeply original and incredible - a great read!

[sashastorylover · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Marvelous book! Highly recommend! An all encompassing story about two spirit queer person growing up and living in Canada. If you like slice of life and nonlinear storytelling it’s a good match!