A Tale of Monstrous Extravagance: Imagining Multilingualism

A transcript of Tomson Highway's Henry Kreisel Lectures for the Canadian Literature Centre, A Tale of Monstrous Extravagance is a rollicking read through the renowned playwright, author and performer's life through the lens of the languages that have shaped him. Highway, a born storyteller, argues for a multiplicity of language: "Speaking one language, I submit, is like living in a house with one window only..." "Fasten your chastity belts, ladies and gentlemen, it's gonna be a bumpy ride." From his legendary birth in a snowbank in northwestern Manitoba, through his metamorphosis to citizen-artist of the world, polyglot, playwright, pianist, storyteller, and irreverent disciple of the Trickster, Tomson Highway rides roughshod through the languages and communities that have shaped him. Cree, Dene, Latin, French, English, Spanish, and the universal language of music have opened windows and widened horizons in Highway's life. Readers who can hang on tight--Highway fans, culture mavens, cunning linguists, and fellow tricksters--will experience the profundity of Highway's humour, for as he says, "In Cree, you will laugh until you weep."