What do you think?
Rate this book
Song of the Turtle: American Indian Literature 1974-1994
* Sherman Alexie * Paula Gunn Allen * Esther Belin * Betty Louis Bell * Beth Brant * Joseph Bruchac * Michelle Clinton * Robert J. Conely * Dan L. Crank * Michael Dorris * Debra Earling * Louise Erdrich * Diane Glancy * Roxy Gordon * Joy Harjo * Linda Hogan * Dean Ing * Thomas King * Lee Maracle * N. Scott Momaday * Louis Owens * Opal Lee Popkes * Susan Power * D. Renville * Ralph Salisbury * Leslie Marmon Silko * Patricia Clark Smith * Martin Cruz Smith * Mary Randle TallMountain * Luci Tapahonso * Alice Walker * Karen Wallace * Anna Lee Walters * Emma Lee Warrior * James Welch
In this stunning collection of American Indian literature, scholar and literary critic Paula Gunn Allen gathers together the best Native writing--indeed, some of the best American writing--from the last two decades. Song of the Turtle creates an eloquent cycle of story and self-exploration from the works of both major writers and emerging talents, and represents a unique survey of contemporary Native American work.
In more than thirty luminous stories, American Indian writers explore the ways in which spirituality, ritual, and identity infuse and define the contemporary Native world. Patricia Clark Smith creates an Albuquerque housewife seduced by the music of the Hump Back Flute Player. Louise Erdrich immerses us in danger, conflict, and mystery during an evening of bingo. Michael Dorris tells a droll tale of courtship in a gynocentric Native society.
Recent Native fiction is a powerful sign of the sense of renewal and hope emanating from urban neighborhoods, rural communities, and reservations. This sense arises from the collision of despair, rage, laughter, and celebration, the intense meeting of the ancient and the not-yet-come. From it Allen has created Song of the Turtle, the canon of the future and an immensely powerful contribution to American literature.
In this stunning collection of American Indian literature, scholar and literary critic Paula Gunn Allen gathers together the best Native writing--indeed, some of the best American writing--from the last two decades. Song of the Turtle creates an eloquent cycle of story and self-exploration from the works of both major writers and emerging talents, and represents a unique survey of contemporary Native American work.
In more than thirty luminous stories, American Indian writers explore the ways in which spirituality, ritual, and identity infuse and define the contemporary Native world. Patricia Clark Smith creates an Albuquerque housewife seduced by the music of the Hump Back Flute Player. Louise Erdrich immerses us in danger, conflict, and mystery during an evening of bingo. Michael Dorris tells a droll tale of courtship in a gynocentric Native society.
Recent Native fiction is a powerful sign of the sense of renewal and hope emanating from urban neighborhoods, rural communities, and reservations. This sense arises from the collision of despair, rage, laughter, and celebration, the intense meeting of the ancient and the not-yet-come. From it Allen has created Song of the Turtle, the canon of the future and an immensely powerful contribution to American literature.
- GenresIndigenous
353 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
114 people want to read
About the author
Paula Gunn Allen
48 books123 followersPaula Gunn Allen was a Native American poet, literary critic, lesbian activist, and novelist.
Born Paula Marie Francis in Albuquerque, Allen grew up in Cubero, New Mexico, a Spanish-Mexican land grant village bordering the Laguna Pueblo reservation. Of mixed Laguna, Sioux, Scottish, and Lebanese-American descent, Allen always identified most closely with the people among whom she spent her childhood and upbringing.
Having obtained a BA and MFA from the University of Oregon, Allen gained her PhD at the University of New Mexico, where she taught and where she began her research into various tribal religions.
Born Paula Marie Francis in Albuquerque, Allen grew up in Cubero, New Mexico, a Spanish-Mexican land grant village bordering the Laguna Pueblo reservation. Of mixed Laguna, Sioux, Scottish, and Lebanese-American descent, Allen always identified most closely with the people among whom she spent her childhood and upbringing.
Having obtained a BA and MFA from the University of Oregon, Allen gained her PhD at the University of New Mexico, where she taught and where she began her research into various tribal religions.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Read
December 30, 2023favorites
Zuma Chowt’s Cave, Opal Lee Popkes
Tony’s Story, Leslie Marmon Silko
Yellow Calf, James Welch
Wili woyi, Robert J Conley
Flute Song, Patricia Clark Smith
Tsoai, N Scott Momaday
Bicenti, Anna Lee Walters
Lipsha’s Luck, Louise Erdrich
Groom Service, Michael Dorris
Somebody Kept Saying Powwow, Sherman Alexie
Zuma Chowt’s Cave, Opal Lee Popkes
Tony’s Story, Leslie Marmon Silko
Yellow Calf, James Welch
Wili woyi, Robert J Conley
Flute Song, Patricia Clark Smith
Tsoai, N Scott Momaday
Bicenti, Anna Lee Walters
Lipsha’s Luck, Louise Erdrich
Groom Service, Michael Dorris
Somebody Kept Saying Powwow, Sherman Alexie
December 20, 2025
was not at all sure about this one. some made sense and some just left me to ponder. maybe that was the point..Onto the next adventure
July 24, 2011
This collection of short stories and excerpts by Native American authors is the second of a two-volume set. It contains predominantly works from 1974 through 1994 which, in the opinion of editor Paula Gunn Allen, marks a different era in Native American thought - a way of thinking that emerged from the previous "Reservation Era", which she sampled in the first volume, Voice of the Turtle.
The term liminal or liminality is a major theme in her preface to this volume, re-appearing repeatedly in her introductions to the materials she included. My introduction to the concept of liminality in itself made this book valuable to me. The emergence from a long period of noble resignation to a liminal state at the verge of hopeful transformation was - once pointed out - apparent in the works she included. She ended the book with more recent works by authors - including my favorite, Sherman Alexie - whom she holds to be of a newly developing third stage in which Native American life is portrayed in harshly real terms - both tragic and humorous - but which takes new totems from the modern world in a return to traditional thought.
This collection was very informative about current Native American communities from different parts of the continent. I want to believe it also paints an accurate picture of the typical internal processes underway as individuals pass back and forth between the native and white worlds in our society.
The term liminal or liminality is a major theme in her preface to this volume, re-appearing repeatedly in her introductions to the materials she included. My introduction to the concept of liminality in itself made this book valuable to me. The emergence from a long period of noble resignation to a liminal state at the verge of hopeful transformation was - once pointed out - apparent in the works she included. She ended the book with more recent works by authors - including my favorite, Sherman Alexie - whom she holds to be of a newly developing third stage in which Native American life is portrayed in harshly real terms - both tragic and humorous - but which takes new totems from the modern world in a return to traditional thought.
This collection was very informative about current Native American communities from different parts of the continent. I want to believe it also paints an accurate picture of the typical internal processes underway as individuals pass back and forth between the native and white worlds in our society.
February 8, 2015
I read about a third of the stories. While interesting, they were disappointing. The stories come off as power hungry, and considering that the Native Americans lost almost everything to Europeans, the only way of restoring power that the authors saw fit was to appeal to the realm of the supernatural. A lot of the stories I read, had to do with Native American men with (somewhat) supernatural powers and European men with less than average intelligence, but above average aggressiveness. I'm still looking for real stories of heroism and I'm sure they are out there somewhere, but I don't think in this collection.
December 11, 2012
Goot stories like you would hear on a freezing winter night. Love it. We risk nowadays going too contemporary in our stories and crossing into silliness. There's something to be said for tradition and honor. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews