The history needs to serve the story, not the story the history. But at the same time you can't stray too far.

I'm intrigued by the classic Greek tragedies, as well as by the idea of the Greek chorus.

Canada and America are very, very different. It's true that we share a language and many customs. But Americans have a very different view of the world.

From a craft standpoint, telling a story in the first-person present tense over the course of 500 pages is a daunting challenge.

During World War I the Canadians were the shock troops. In many historical cases, Canadians have been very proficient at killing, and doing what we have to in order to survive. But no one wants to acknowledge that fact.

Compared to Americans, Canadians are often more gentle in their approach to things. They're much more apologetic. There's less room for conflict.

Fascinating, often hilarious, always devastatingly truthful, The Inconvenient Indian is destined to become a classic of historical narrative. For those who wish to better understand Native peoples, it is a must read. For those who don't wish to understand, it is even more so.