Fast Cars and Frybread: Reports from the Rez

by Gordon Johnson

Memories of Indian time on the rez These essays are about fiestas with frybread and beans, storytelling, dancing, snow cones, dogfights, and sometimes human fights. They are about sweat lodges and funerals and the dangers of ''commod bod'' (obesity caused by eating government surplus food). They are also about puppy love and the love of rock 'n' roll. From the game of peon to reminiscences about grandparents, Gordon Johnson captures the spirit of reservation life with the skill of a modern journalist and the sensitivity of one who has lived life on Indian time.

131 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2007

Reviews

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated this more than I expected, and was very glad I picked it up.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tried reading this once and didn’t like the writing style. I decided to try it again for a book challenge to read a book by an Indigenous person. In my opinion, the first article is the worst, which explains why I didn’t like it before. It’s actually quite pleasant to read, lacking the “grit” of other Indigenous nonfiction that I’ve read. The book is a series of newspaper articles the author wrote from 1993 to 2000. It’s basically a memoir in short chapter/article bits. I love learning about other cultures, especially Native American as we live very close between two Reservations. I recommend this, especially as a “palette cleanser” between books 😊📚🐉

[Sierra Luce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. It's a collection of short snapshots, almost. Every person felt real and familiar and full, even if they only appeared for a couple sentences. Super clear writing that occasionally had phrases that completely blew me away. Reading this book felt like listening to a really wonderful storyteller speak :).

[Travis Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johnson gave an interesting insight into everyday life, or a few chosen and well written, aspects of reservation life in California. I enjoyed seeing a bit more into Native country and on some topics I do not know as much about as I would like to. The book was an enjoyable read. Frybread was only mentioned two times in the entire book. I find it quite interesting that 'frybread' was one of the two objects chosen to represent such a vast array of Native experience inside the covers of the book. Go Frybread!!

[Nikki E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great quick read for anyone interested in Native reservation life. It's a collection of articles spanning throughout the 90s, telling stories of life on the rez in Southern California. Often funny, sometimes poignant, occasionally heartbreaking.

[susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fast read. Short stories about life on the reservation in Northern San Diego county. Beautifully written and very interesting.

[Cassandra Calderon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt it was worth reading it when it was on the list of required books for my college California History class.

[Richie Ngo · Rating 4 out of 5]

True to its purpose, Fast Cars and Frybread is a poignant archive of stories from author Gordan Johnson's experience growing up on an Indian reservation.