Fight or Submit, Grand Chief Ronald M. Derrickson
Fight or Submit, Grand Chief Ronald M. Derrickson
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Fight or Submit
Standing Tall in Two Worlds

Author: Grand Chief Ronald M. Derrickson

Narrator: Kaipo Schwab

Unabridged: 9 hr 22 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 10/27/2020


Synopsis

In the opening to his memoir, Grand Chief Ron Derrickson says his "story is not a litany of complaints but a list of battles" that he has fought. And he promises he will not be overly pious in his telling of them. "As a businessman," he writes, "I like to give the straight goods."

In Fight or Submit, Derrickson delivers on his promise and it turns out he has a hell of a story to tell. Born and raised in a tarpaper shack, he went on to become one of the most successful Indigenous businessmen in Canada. As a political leader, he served as Chief of the Westbank First Nation for a dozen years and was made a Grand Chief by the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs.

Along the way, he has been the target of a full Royal Commission and an assassination attempt by a hitman hired by local whites. As Chief, he increased his community's revenues by 3500% and led his people into a war in the forest over logging rights. In 2015, he became an award-winning author when Unsettling Canada: A National Wake-Up Call, a book he coauthored with Arthur Manuel, won the Canadian History Association Literary Award. His second book coauthored with Manuel, Reconciliation Manifesto, won the BC Book Prize for nonfiction.

About Grand Chief Ronald M. Derrickson

Grand Chief Ronald M. Derrickson is one of the most successful Indigenous entrepreneurs in Canada. He also served as Chief of the Westbank First Nation for a dozen years and led his community from poverty to prosperity while surviving an assassination attempt and a Royal Commission on his business and political activities. He lives in Westbank First Nation, close to Kelowna, BC.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Erin || erins_library on October 21, 2020

Fight or Submit is the memoir of Grand Chief Ronald Derrickson of the Westbank First Nation. It’s an amazing story full of his accomplishments as a businessman, a leader/advocate for his people, and those who fought against him (including as assassination attempt). Derrickson writes in a very straig......more

Goodreads review by Ben on September 01, 2021

Very strong Indigenous book. Encouraging and inspiring book. Great political read too. Highly recommended for all to read. 4.5/5......more

Goodreads review by Phillip on November 26, 2020

*For full disclosure, the publisher sent me a free digital copy of this book to review* Grand Chief Ronald Derrickson is really pretty amazing. He is an international business person, a leader at the local and national level for not only his own Westbank First Nations Band but for Indigenous Canadian......more

Goodreads review by Miriam on January 29, 2021

Kaipo Schwab becomes Grand Chief Ronald M. Derrickson, as he describes the life, accomplishments, and times of the leader of the Westbank First Nation and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. Reading this, you'll learn about First Nations in Canada and gain an understanding of their history......more

Goodreads review by Lorena on March 23, 2021

It took me a long time to read this but that's because I struggle to read e-books and wasn't a reflection of the content. This book was useful for understanding the intricacies of Indigenous business development, particularly in BC. Having read Unsettling Canada, this book definitely has a different......more