Northaw

by Michael Reidy

Northaw is the recently-discovered first novel by Alabama-born Ben Nitaokpulo who tragically died in 2020, aged 40. Part Choctaw, Nitaokpulo eschewed being referred to anything but American, and it was traveling writing about America was what he loved best. His blog, “Following the Path,” had a dedicated following, and his first book Who’d Want to Live Here? (2016) brought some of those pieces to a more paper-based audience.
He followed that with three novels that drew on his strong sense of place. Northern Noise (2017), The Girl from Rapid City (2019) and the posthumously published Black Warriors (2021) furthered his reputation as a story teller.
Following his death, fellow blogger and friend, Cordelia “Dolly” Madison, was convinced that there was another book, written before Northern Noise that lay somewhere undiscovered. The story of Northaw’s discovery is told in her own blog, “Alabama Dreaming”, and divers magazine articles.
A mysterious girl and a forgotten plantation mansion in antebellum Alabama form the foundation of this tale of a family, a homestead, and a river, all meandering along unaware of the turbulence just beyond the horizon.

307 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 7, 2024

Reviews

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We proudly announce that NORTHAW by Michael Reidy has been honored with the B.R.A.G. Medallion (Book Readers Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG. This award is a testament to this book's quality and the impact it has had on readers.