Book description
Why read it?
1 author picked Permanent Astonishment as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
This is a beautifully written memoir by a prominent First Nations writer and theatre creator. I was left with so many stunning images of life on the land, of growing up in the North, of growing up in a healthy and loving family.
The book changes every preconception you have about First Nations communities and culture. It doesn’t have a narrative or chronological arc, rather it’s like a series of short stories – anecdotes that become almost Thuberesque in their idiosyncratic characters.
At a time when we are trying to come to grips with the legacy of residential schools, the…
If you love Permanent Astonishment...
December on 5C4
Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!
On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…
Want books like Permanent Astonishment?
Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Permanent Astonishment.
Share your top 3 reads of 2026!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
164
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like Permanent Astonishment, you might also like...
The Tao of Poison
A poisonous maiden, a Daoist sex cult, and a violent insurgency.
The polyandrous Yan family in China's rural Shaanxi Province takes in two carpenter brothers. When one brother is convicted of murder after killing their neighbor in a dispute, a constable threatens to expose the family's rumored polyandry and extorts…
Big Ideas... For Small Businesses
Big Ideas… for Small Businesses is a straight-talking, no-nonsense guide to growing a small business without sacrificing your lifestyle. Written by a former civil servant turned entrepreneur, the book challenges hustle culture and instead champions the idea of an "ambitious lifestyle business" - one that provides freedom and financial stability,…
