{"product_id":"small-fires-long-winters-ryan-murray","title":"Small Fires, Long Winters, Ryan Murray","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSmall Fires, Long Winters is a creative non-fiction memoir that recounts the author’s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003etime as a young teacher in Kashechewan, a remote Cree First Nation community on\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethe west coast of James Bay in Northern Ontario. Seeking direction after finishing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003egraduate school and struggling with debt, Murray accepted a teaching position that\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eimmersed him in the unfamiliar and isolated community. Through strong\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003estorytelling, Murray describes his journey north, the challenges of life in the\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecommunity, and his relationships with colleagues, students, and locals. He\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewitnessed both hardship and beauty—unsafe water, poverty, and trauma alongside\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003elaughter, strength, and cultural pride. Themes of hockey, survival, and community\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebonds run throughout—whether in the classroom, on the rink, or through cultural\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eexperiences such as a sweat lodge ceremony. He also adopted a stray puppy who\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebecame both a steadfast companion and a symbol of resilience. By the end, he\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eleaves Kashechewan, changed by the experience. The epilogue reflects on what he\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecarried forward: a deeper understanding of Indigenous resilience, an enduring\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003efriendship with students and colleagues, and a lifelong connection to the North.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Home \u0026 Well ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48829657579762,"sku":null,"price":19.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0698\/4106\/0082\/files\/71nQpDAxPlL._SY522.jpg?v=1772670048","url":"https:\/\/homeandwell.ca\/products\/small-fires-long-winters-ryan-murray","provider":"Home \u0026 Well ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}