The Lesser Blessed is a powerful coming-of-age story - edgy, stark, and at times, darkly funny that centers around Larry, a Native teenager trying to cope with a painful past and find his place in a confusing and stressful modern world. Skinny as spaghetti, nervy, and self-deprecating, the 16-year-old is an appealing mixture of bravado and vulnerability. His life has held many terrors: an abusive father, blackouts from sniffing gasoline, and an accident that killed several cousins. He has a quick tongue, hallucinations, an appreciation for Iron Maiden, and hot fantasies about Juliet Hope, the.
Richard Van Camp was born in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, and is a member of the Dogrib Nation. He has studied land claims in Yellowknife and acupuncture in Hangzhou, China. He acted as a cultural consultant for CBC Televisionâs North of 60. A graduate of the Enâowkin School of Writing in Penticton, he completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing at the University of Victoria.