Ploughshares Spring 1994: Tribes

by James Welch (Editor)

Stories and Poems. Contributors to this issue Sherman Alexie, S. Ben-Tov, Dana Boussard, Kevin Bowen, Rafael Campo, Richard Chess, Sharon Cumberland, Gina Dorcely, Joseph Duemer, Debra Earling, Anita Endrezze, Ted Genoways, Diane Glancy, Patricia Goedicke, Jeffrey Greene, Ann Harleman, Margaret Kaufman, Marshall N. Klimasewiski, Mark Levine, Peter Marcus, Ted McNulty, Scott Momaday, Lee Ann Mortensen, Thylias Moss, Ophelia Navarro, Simon Ortiz, Eileen Pollack, Alberto Alvaro Ríos, Natasha Saje, Ripley Schemm, Bruce Smith, Charles Harper Webb, S. L. Wisenberg, Elizabeth Woody, Judith Yamamoto

210 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 1994

About the author

James Welch was a Blackfeet author who wrote several novels considered part of the Native American Renaissance literary movement. He is best known for his novel "Fools Crow" (1986).

His works explore the experiences of Native Americans in the 19th and 20th centuries. He worked with Paul Stekler on the documentary "Last Stand at Little Bighorn" which aired on PBS.

Reviews

[Logan Hardgrave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up from my local bookstore because it was the only interesting poetry book they had. I’d never heard of Ploughshares and had a misguided idea of what this collection would be. However, I was pleasantly surprised! I found the prose more compelling than the poetry with the Native American writers moving me the most. There were multiple points where I’d finish a poem or story and just say “wow…” and I think that’s the mark of a solid collection. It also prompted me to research the authors whose excerpts intrigued me. I added a couple new books to my backlog because of that. All in all, I think it was a good collection with a tight and consistent theme. Here are all the excerpts that stood out to me…

“Bad Ways” - Debra Earling
“Winter Deeds” - Debra Earling
“Minimal Indian” - Diane Glancy
“Milk” - Eileen Pollack
“Building Fence” - Ripley Schemm
“Snowfield” - Marshall N. Klimasewiski
“Not Quite Peru” - Lee Ann Mortensen
“Spring” - Mark Devine

[Lauren Reinhart · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have never been a fan of short stories or poems. I had read this book because it was edited by James Welch, a Montana author and a professor at the University of Montana's creative writing program if I remember correctly. I always try and support Montana authors and editors when I can, since I am from Montana.
I had received a copy of this book from James Welch's wife, who visited one of my college classes to talk about her husband's work along with the work of Richard Hugo.