Nobody Cries at Bingo

by Dawn Dumont

Author and narrator Dawn Dumont paints a picture which goes beyond many cultural stereotypes. She talks about drinking and bingo and the toughness needed to deal with bullying by the other natives and also by her white peers. Readers see reserves in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan from the native point of view. There is a sense of how distanced these are, both literally and figuratively, from non-natives; yet, at the same time Dumont reveals how close-knit many families are, and she shows her readers that, despite cultural differences, natives and whites are really quite similar. Dawn has the same dreams, problems and aspirations as any other teenage girl. Dumont's book is something between a novel and a memoir since the author was born and raised on the Okanese First Nation in Saskatchewan. As in any novel, each chapter adds to readers' understanding of the main characters, and yet each chapter can stand on its own as a short essay. Readers will appreciate Dumont's dry sense of humour throughout since Dumont undoubtedly 'tells it like it is' but always with her own brand of somewhat impertinent humour. In a classroom or book club setting, Nobody Cries at Bingo would be an excellent springboard for a discussion about a wide variety of native issues and what can be done to promote understanding between natives and non-natives. Dumont's book approaches the issues in a manner which is both straightforward and humorous and perhaps suggests this is a good way for all of us to begin such a conversation.

Genres: Indigenous, Fiction, Canada, Short Stories, Young Adult, Humor, Contemporary

200 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2011

About the author

A comedy writer with an interest in the supernatural.

Reviews

[Jenny (Reading Envy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I had Lindy Pratch on the podcast, she mentioned this book in passing as one of the books her book club had read and liked recently. I requested it from interlibrary loan on impulse!

This is a series of autobiographical fictions, not quite short stories that are self contained but a series of scenes from the life of the main character, who is largely the author. Dawn Dumont grew up on the Okanese First Nation in Saskatchewan, Canada, and most of this book focuses on her childhood, from having to accompany her mother to bingo to navigating the very complex social hierarchy of the playground. There are some very hilarious parts, in fact I can still laugh over the college visit in the cabbage sweater.

But to me what is most impressive is the very authentic voice - the naivete of a young girl who knows a lot about her world but does not really fully understand the external forces. She does her best and can be pretty stubborn at times, but I felt like I knew her by the end of the book!

[Book Riot Community]

This is quite possibly the funniest book I’ve ever read; it had me laughing out loud and dog-earing pages to go back to practically every five minutes. Have you ever peed your pants in public? Been called ‘bannock belly’ by your cousins cause you’re a little chubby? Had your mom tell you every boy you’re remotely interested in is actually your cousin until you start to get a little suspicious? All these things and more happen to the main character Dawn, a Cree/Metis girl growing up in Saskatchewan on a reserve. If you’re a book-loving, socially awkward nerd like Dawn, you’ll especially love Nobody Cries at Bingo. She describes herself like this: “If you put me in a group of people, I would find a book and ignore them, too ashamed of my incredible need to be liked to reach out.” It’s a hilarious, but also heartfelt book that is criminally not very well known.

–Casey Stepaniuk


from The Best Books We Read In November 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/12/01/the-be...

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever peed your pants in public? Ever awkwardly wormed your way out of a schoolyard fight while trying not to earn yourself a reputation as a coward? How about unsuccessfully trying to impress a crush and coming off as a huge dork? Been called ‘bannock belly’ by your cousins cause you’re a little chubby? Had your mom tell you every boy you’re remotely interested in is your cousin until you start to get a little suspicious? If these specific humiliating yet hilarious scenarios haven’t happened to you, you’re bound to have some other embarrassing at-the-time but pretty-funny-in-retrospect stories you could tell about yourself, which means, you’re going to love Nobody Cries at Bingo by Cree/Metis author and comedian Dawn Dumont.

Like I said, everybody’s got funny embarrassing stories, but I can guarantee you don’t have as many as Dawn Dumont, and you can’t tell them as well as she can. Nobody Cries at Bingo is Dumont’s debut semi-autobiographical novel, although it’s really more like a collection of short stories about the main character Dawn as she grows up in and around the Okanese First Nation in Saskatchewan.

I’ve already mentioned what happens in some of the stories that Dawn tells, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. One of my favourites is the one that gives the book its title, Nobody Cries at Bingo. Like many of the adults from the Rez and from small-town Saskatchewan, Dawn’s mom loves bingo. After having played at all the bingo halls on their and neighbouring reserves, her mom hits up the nearby town, taking Dawn along with her. Dawn is excited, as one-on-one time with her mostly single mom is precious. However, when they get there, her mom informs her that she’s there “to play bingo, not to have fun.”

“At first it was awkward sitting next to the same white people who glared at Native people when they walked into their stores, but after sharing a few fingernail-biting jackpots, racism faded into the background as they concentrated on the true enemy:
‘Goddamn fuckin’ bingo caller!’
‘I only needed one number for a fucking hour!’
‘Last fucking time I play at this hall!’ “ (p. 53-4)

You can see from this quotation that Dumont doesn’t shy away from more serious, tough topics like racism. Poverty, alcoholism, and residential school trauma also come up throughout the book. The focus, though, is always on humour and resilience. I’d argue that humour as resilience and medicine is Dumont’s strategy throughout the book.

Dawn is a great, rounded, flawed character who I found impossible not to love and identify with, especially as her personality as a book-loving, socially awkward nerd is revealed as she grows up. When describing the difference between herself and her cool older sister Tabitha, for example, she says:

“Tabitha and I were further divided by our innate differences. If you put her in a room full of people, they would be drawn to her quiet confidence in a matter of minutes. If you put me in a group of people, I would find a book and ignore them, too ashamed of my incredible need to be liked to reach out.” (p. 206)

One of the things that makes these stories so funny is that you have younger Dawn as she stumbles through life embarrassing herself to no end, but you also have older, wiser Dawn’s perspective and sharp humour colouring the stories. In a nod to oral storytelling traditions, it’s like older Dawn is telling you stories about her childhood at the kitchen table, but a bit embellished for extra fun. Dumont’s comedic timing is impeccable.

For me, there’s no higher praise I can give than telling you that this book made me laugh out loud more times than I could count. Sometimes classified as YA, sometimes as an adult book, Nobody Cries at Bingo is definitely on the higher end of YA due to the reading level and length. As you’ve seen, there’s also some swearing, as well as violence and references to sexuality and trauma.

Dumont has a willingness to joke about the dark stuff that will remind you of Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Miriam Toews’s A Complicated Kindness. Also like those books, Nobody Cries at Bingo has a lot of heart. If you’re looking for stories that are heartfelt, hilarious, and steeped in the everyday lived experience on the Rez, Nobody Cries at Bingo is for you.

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nobody Cries at Bingo attracted me because it meets my standard criteria of "Random Library Finds": it has a cool cover, it is Canadian, it is autobiographical, it features Indigenous themes.

I feel that Dawn Dumont is maybe the Canadian Sherman Alexie in that they both use humour to portray seemingly difficult/harsh life situations of a specific (Indigenous) minority group. This I like because it is a wonderful reprieve and change of perspective from the traditionally dramatic and heartbreaking representations of First Nations reserve life.

Nobody Cries at Bingo is essentially a collection of short stories/anecdotes from Dumont's life growing up in rural Saskatchewan. Through humour, she details life on the reserve largely from the perspective of her childhood. Once one reaches the older ages of young Dawn (teenage plus) Dumont discusses the affects of colonialism in a more blatant way. She really started to lose me, however, because of the lack of editing that occurred during the Wedding chapter. The editor did not catch the discrepancies in ages and other minor details which really threw me for a loop.

After awhile, as much as I enjoyed her stories, I did become a bit bored at the fact that there was no grand, overarching subplot. I think that this is just me, however, and should not be used as an active argument for people to not read the book. It's just not what I was ~feeling~ at the moment, that's all.

3/5 - would recommend for a nice, light, summer read.

[Anthony Lacroix · Rating 5 out of 5]

C’était très drôle, mais vous me connaissez (ou pas) j’adore le sarcasme et l’autodérision

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

While being marketed as a novel, "Nobody Cries At Bingo" is really a roughly chronological series of vignettes about life on a modern day reserve in Saskatchewan. In her other life, the author Dawn Dumont is a successful stand-up comic, playwright and broadcaster. Although she does not shy away from any of the social issues confronting the aboriginal population today, she paints a picture of rez life with great affection and understanding and humor. In fact several of the stories are absolutely hilarious as Dawn stands outside the event and comments on the absurdity of the situation; such as the time her youngest sister was charged on a neighboring reserve with witchcraft. "Nobody Cries at Bingo" wavers on the line between a YA and an Adult offering as there is very graphic language use and certainly what some term "mature" content. The narrative arc could have been tighter, but Dawn Dumont is a young writer to be watched.

[Siobhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this. Dumont is wisecracking and super corny; and she precisely captures the anxious self-consciousness of nerdy kids growing up. Details of reserve life (alcoholism, violence, poverty) are treated here with belly-laughing survival humor. There is a virtuosic chapter on her childhood love of Conan the Barbarian that you just have to read to believe. Basically this is a book that depicts indigenous families and reserve life with tremendous affection. I can't wait to read her other stuff, and I am also happy to know now about the similarly colorful and affectionate art of Jim Logan (on the cover).

[Maree Cox-Baker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started this book with high hopes but was disappointed. I quickly got bored and found myself speed reading just to get to the end of it.

[Sara Houle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dawn Dumont a le don de me faire rire aux éclats! J'ai plongé avec bonheur dans le quotidien d'une famille crie de la Saskatchewan grâce à l'humour intelligent de l'autrice. J'ai lu ce livre lentement parce que je savourais chaque paragraphe. Elle sait faire preuve d'autodérision, avec classe! J'adore!

[Erin L · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up at the library because it sounded interesting. The book itself was funny, and the main character is basically a sister I've never met. It surprised me how many experiences we shared, but that's likely because of our shared Saskatchewan background.

I did go into this expecting more of the negative of life on a reserve, but I didn't get that. It was there on the edges, affecting the main character's life, but not affecting who she was and how she looked at life. It was just another part of the day.

[Emmkay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of episodic tales (autobiographical or semi-, I think) of growing up on reserve. Really funny. The painful stuff is there, in a matter-of-fact way: alcoholism, poverty, the impact of residential schools are not glossed over, but come with a healthy dollop of sharp-eyed humour. A total keeper!

[Cynthia Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoying this book, author, genre!

Loved it!
And, it deepened my awareness of, appreciation for, the phenomenal richness of life on reserves, both those I've been to and those in this book that I haven't.
Feel a need to reread it. There was so much there!

[Rainey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was funny and sad at the same time.

It was a peak into a life that is foreign, but as a Canadian minorty too, similar.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avis de lecture 2020:
Je n'ai pas pris de note pendant que je lisais ce roman, ce qui, pour moi, veut dire une bonne chose. Une bonne chose aussi c'est quand je débute un livre, en me disant que je vais l'étirer sur plusieurs jours, voire une semaine, et que le lendemain, il est fini😛.

J'ai été attirée par le titre en rentrant dans une librairie mais je ne l'ai pas acheté tout de suite, me contentant de l'ajouter à ma liste à lire sur Goodreads. Ce livre a été remis sur mon chemin quelques semaines plus tard. Je me rendais à Wendake pour aller visiter la chute quand j'ai découvert qu'il y avait une librairie juste en face! La librairie Hannenorak. Voyant qu'ils avaient une section de livres écrits par des auteurs(es) autochtones, je me suis dit, tant qu'à être là, encourageons la littérature autochtone ce qui me donnera aussi l'occasion d'essayer quelque chose de différent de ce que je lis.

On Pleure pas au Bingo est un récit autobiographique qui raconte la vie familiale de la narratrice sur la réserve d'Okanese en Saskatchewan. Y'a des références qui peuvent rejoindre notre enfance/adolescence mais beaucoup de réalités bien différentes. Dawn Dumont a choisi l'humour pour camoufler les non-dits. Ce qui en fait une lecture bien unique et lumineuse malgré les embûches.

[Melinda Worfolk]

I previewed this book because I was considering using it with one of my academic upgrading classes (the Grade 10 equivalent). After preview, I definitely will use it—if not the whole book, then at least parts of it. This is basically the memoir of Dawn Dumont, an Indigenous woman who grew up on a reserve in Saskatchewan in the 1970s and 1980s. We learn about her and her family, and their relationships with each other, with the other people on the reserve, and with the non-Indigenous people in the surrounding area. A lot of this book is really funny, and at the same time it is poignant. This is less of a novel-like memoir and more like a series of linked stories. My main issue with it is the very abrupt way it ends; I would have liked to know more about what happens to Dawn and her family after she grows up and goes to law school. But perhaps that is another book; this one is mostly about her childhood. She tells hilarious stories about her own foibles and those of her siblings and parents, but also examines the anti-Indigenous racism that permeates her public school experience. Dumont has a strong voice and a good ear for amusing dialogue.

[Magdelanye · Rating 4 out of 5]

No matter where we went or how we got there, I wanted to know that I could depend on a book to centre myself. Books were my cigarettes. p40

By the time I read these words, I already knew that Dawn, despite some differences in focus (I like to smoke while reading) is my kind of person. Her tough humour, self-deprecation, her resilience and astute observation allow what could have been discouraging into an enjoyable and informative read.

[Ehbooklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please don't judge this book on its absolutely horrible cover. I almost did. I'm glad I read it because I ended up liking it way more than I expected to. It's an honest, hilarious, and eye-opening look at life on a Canadian reservation. I really loved the author's authentic and readable style of writing.

[Jeannette Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives us a new horizon against which to measure our experiences - inviting us into life on the res. A range of emotions, including enough humour to make me laugh out loud.

[Melanie McFarlane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This interconnected collection of short stories has changed the way I look at reservations and indigenous life. Dumont's style is the perfect mix of comedy & social issues.

[Andrea McGinnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story. My only complaint is that I wish the chapters were in chronological order instead of jumping around. Well written!

[Véronic Fortin · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai beaucoup aimé ma lecture. Je lis très souvent des auteurs autochtones et j'avoue qu'il faut parfois lire autre chose entre 2 livres, car les sujets sont très lourds et tristes. Ce livre est tout le contraire. Il y a beaucoup d'humour et malgré la réalité difficile, la pauvreté, tous les sujets sont traités de façon légère et drôle. La traduction est très réussie. Merci 🙂

[Sky · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most comforting books I’ve ever read
“I remember the red cherry of their cigarette as they passed it between one another. I remember their laughter in between the songs on the radio. I see the way their hair moved in the wind as it dislodged their hairspray and disturbed their feathered bangs. I recall the smell of their smoke, the way it tunnelled out the window as we climbed the hill back to the reserve. I can still hear the hum of the car as I laid my head on the seat. I can feel the rough upholstery up against my pimpled cheek and the rocks underneath the car on the gravel road. I remember feeling safe knowing that it was my older sister driving the car and that she would get us home”

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were two things that I wasn't expecting, that didn't make it not a good book, but it was an adjustment.

One is that there is not a strong through-line with everything neatly tied together. This is a series of vignettes, which perhaps should not be surprising knowing that the author does standup, and perhaps the chapters could be seen as individual sets.

The other thing is that with Dumont being a comedian, I had expected more laughs. There are funny things, but there is a lot of sadness too, with not as many punchlines as I might have thought.

(That could be a cultural issue though. Another reviewer called it laugh-out-loud, and she was a Canadian. Maybe the Canadian aspects of the humor went over my head.)

Once you go in understanding that this is a series of vignettes that have humor but may not have you rolling on the floor, then you find that this book is very human and interesting and sensitive, told with affection but not overly sentimental, and it gives you a view into Canadian rez life.

[Fischwife · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author. This autobiographical (I think) novel examines life on the rez and the challenges and joys that entails with sharp wit and a good dollop of compassion. Dawn's resilience, imagination, and sense of humour see her through some pretty horrifying experiences, and usually leave the reader laughing at circumstances that would otherwise be shocking and sad. As such, Dawn could be a symbol for Aboriginal people on Turtle Island, who have survived the horrors of colonization and attempts at cultural genocide through resilience, community and family support (broken as that might be), and humour.

More than once, this book brought to mind my favourite Miriam Toews novels, such as The Flying Troutmans. A reader who enoyed that book would also enjoy this one by Dumont.

[Lester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bwahahahah!!! So just like it is Dawn Dumont!!!
Right at the beginning of this story is this wonderful paragraph:
Quote:
"...The Canadian government stepped in and created protected reserves for the buffalo where they now grow fat but remain wild. Then they created reserves for the Native people where they grew also fat and remain a little wild. ..."
"The travel agent for all our childhood excursions was a fun-loving youn woman with a wild laugh' some may have called her daring, others reckless; we called her Mom. She followed no buffalo herd; only a desire for a better life that she felt was a hundred miles in the other direction. ..."

Thanks for the story!

[Bay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this! Was more a collection of stories than a novel. Smart. Witty. Funny. Insightful. Middle school growing pains with an Indigenous lens. At he end she casually mentions she graduated from law school too!

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this funny, Saskatchewan memoir! Dumont's stories about her childhood and growing up are pretty relatable to, and a neat insight into reservation life.

[Kristal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. I like how each chapter is a different snapshot from Dawn's life on the reserve. I hope she writes another book like this!

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully entertaining and hilarious stories about a young girl growing up on a First Nations reserve.

[Laura Frey (Reading in Bed) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this! So funny. Things that might ordinarily annoy me (grammar quirks, random jumping around in time) were just charming here.