A well-written biography. Short but still packs a punch. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have recommended it to several coworkers.

Billy-Ray Belcourt has been on my radar for a while. He is an incredible Canadian poet who has won so many awards for his poetry and writing. When I found out he had a memoir coming out, I was so excited and grateful to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an advanced e-copy.

Let's start with the cover. I love the title of this memoir and the beautiful cover art is a collage by Niagara artist by Maggie Groat.

This memoir is very poetic. There were so many lines that I could have highlighted for the use of language, the unique phrasing, and for the poignant messages. Many times I stopped to marvel at how something was described or a thought was articulated.

The memoir starts with a beautiful letter to the author’s Kokum (grandmother) and it’s obvious that he has a special relationship with her. Then Belcourt shares experiences with us, the readers, as he grapples with how he fits in - mentally, emotionally, and physically - in the world as an indigenous, queer man. He is not shy about topics such as how indigenous people are mistreated, the increase in suicides, homophobia, and systemic racism. All hot topics here in Canada and in our world right now.

A heads up that there are a couple of explicit sex scenes, so be aware of that, if you are going to read this.

I think that Belcourt is an important voice. I look forward to reading his poetry and I hope more novels and writing from him as well.

Bookworm Rating: 🐛🐛🐛🐛

I devoured the first few chapters before forcing myself to slow down and savor Belcourt's way with words, the unexpected, compressed perfection of lines like "How silly that we measure the day by how much light fits inside it and not by the number of ordinary wounds the light lands on at any given second." A History of My Brief Body is one of those books which gets its adulation from the impact of sheer grit – an explosive exposition on the profound and often the peculiar terrain that forms the nexus of indigeneity, sexuality and colonial violence, written with diamond-cut precision and lyricism. Not a word is wasted, each sentence self-consciously precise, with its gentle flow that comes through in all chapters as Belcourt threads a criss-crossing path through biography, anthropology, art and history.

Belcourt's tender exploration of pain reminded me of the works of Maggie Nelson, and also Ocean Vuong, nonpareil chroniclers of the way trauma reverberate through minoritized bodies. A History of My Brief Body, in addition to being a cornerstone of queer narratives, is also an unabashed examination of self, of race, intimacy, the casualties of colonialism, and of ultimately looking back (and ahead) for a better understanding. In this complex landscape of violence, it's hard to find the joy of living but this book is a pure treasure. Every sentence meaningful, peppered with breathtaking moments to ponder, to mull and to think about. I think I found a new favourite.

a raw, unfiltered, and honest look into belcourt's life. every word seeps with his earnest feelings, thoughts, and perspectives. crafted in a unique narrative style it invites readers far and wide to reflect and understand queer, intimacy, and Cree cultures. it's a look into oneself that's at times ugly, and at times beautiful. it's human.

I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley, so in exchange I’m providing an honest review.

Belcourt’s book feels deeply personal, and his writing is beautiful. It’s not an accident that I chose to read this book when I did: it’s Pride month and National Indigenous History month, so it’s seemed appropriate. I feel that Belcourt is poetically blunt about the ongoing effects colonialism has on Indigenous peoples, and about racism and about homophobia.

Belcourt’s book has inspired me to continue to find new ways to use my privilege to further causes championed by Indigenous people, by people of color in general, and by the LGBTQIA2S+ community, to break the cycle of colonialism, and to speak up about injustice (even if that injustice doesn’t directly impact me).

Miigwech for your beautiful story.

A poet, author and scholar from the Driftpile Cree Nation, A History of My Brief Body is Billy-Ray Belcourt's examination of his own history and experiences as a queer, indigenous writer.
Reading like a rally cry, this book encourages the reader to examine their own roles in his grief and tears contemporary narratives of systemic 'goodness' bare.
Beautifully and devastatingly wrought, Billy-Ray Belcourt is emerging as a critical artistic voice.