One Good Story, That One

by Thomas King

Named in the University of Toronto Bookstore Review as one of the top100 Canadian books of all time

There is much more than one good story in this bestselling (over 10,000 copies sold) collection of short fiction. In fact, there are more than a few of the best examples of native storytelling ever published. Thomas King, author of the acclaimed Medicine River and Green Grass, Running Water, and the newly released Truth and Bright Water, has proven he has a magical gift, a fresh voice and a special brand of wit and comic imagination. 

One Good Story, That One is steeped in native oral tradition, led off by a sly creation tale, introducing the traditional native trickster coyote. Weaving the realities of native history and contemporary life through the story, King recounts a parodic version of the Garden of Eden story, slyly pulling our leg and our funnybone.

A collection that is rich with strong characters, alive with crisp dialogue and shot through with the universal truths we are all searching for, One Good Story, That One is one great read.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Canada, Indigenous, Canadian Literature, Native American, Humor

147 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Thomas King was born in 1943 in Sacramento, California and is of Greek and German descent. He obtained his PhD from the University of Utah in 1986. He is known for works in which he addresses the marginalization of American Indians, delineates "pan-Indian" concerns and histories, and attempts to abolish common stereotypes about Native Americans. He taught Native American Studies at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, and at the University of Minnesota. He is currently a Professor of English at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. King has become one of the foremost writers of fiction about Canada's Native people.

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 5 out of 5]

July 1, 2022, noon-thirty ~~ Couldn't sleep last night so stayed awake reading. This book was even better the second time around! Nothing else to add except that I am looking forward to all the rest of my Thomas King books, but will be taking a small political break first. Recent events have triggered the need for it.

June 30, 2022 ~~ The second title in my 8 volume Thomas King library, this will be a reread for me. As a matter of fact, the first four King books in this author challenge will be rereads but that is okay. I know I will see more details the second time through and besides, they are all Good Stories!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2020 ~~ Not just one good story, but ten!

Usually short story collections have more than one dud included in the mix, but I thought all of these were great. I went back and read a couple of them over again just because they were so hilarious.

Funny stories, yes, but they also make you see the ridiculousness of certain aspects of the world. Mostly those created by the white man's governments. such as in Borders where the young narrator and his mother are trapped in no man's land between the American and Canadian borders because when asked what citizenship she is, she says Blackfoot. Which of course, technically doesn't count. At least not before she makes her stand.

Even in a collection of totally awesome stories there can be favorites. Mine were, in no particular order, the title story, which tells of Ah-damn and Evening in Evening's garden. An old man is telling this story to some nosy white guys with tape recorders, and they never knew what hit them. Trickster Coyote was in the house, you can be sure.

A Seat In The Garden made me laugh so hard my tummy hurt. If you know what Jeff Chandler, Ed Ames, Sal Mineo, Victor Mature, and Anthony Quinn had in common, you'll laugh as hard as I did. This was just SO clever.

Trap Lines was a touching portrait of a father/son relationship. And How Corporal Colin Sterling Saved Blossom, Alberta, and Most Of The Rest Of The World As Well tells the tale of an intriguing event and an impressive assortment of doughnut flavors.

I discovered this author a few years ago and ordered several of his books when I could. I think I have two or three more waiting for me, and I am sure there will be quality in every page.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmm. This book was difficult to get into. Naturally, much of this was written in conversation form and for the majority of the stories I was able to understand what Thomas King was trying to relay, but it often came too late and I found myself missing the feeling that was attached to it. That feeling that one absorbs as they digest the sentences. I suspect it's because I didn't know what to expect with his writing. Maybe, I'm still not sure. I did get used to the writing style a few stories in. Some of it went over my head. This is certainly one to re-read a few years down the road.

It was delightfully packed full of these not so subtle subtleties, example; a clueless white man to another white man speaking of an "Indian", "What did you do to get him so angry?". Lots of wise, humourous dollops throughout. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

My uncle would religiously give my late father a Thomas King book for his birthday every year a new one was published. My dad loved King’s writing and although he was a learned man, a teacher, a historian and a respected elder on our reserve he only kept a small personal library. When he passed last year my siblings asked if I’d like the Thomas King Collection, all inscribed by my uncle. I gathered them up and have spent the last few months working through them. Quite simply, they are great. I’m 49 and I’ve been a lifelong reader and I don’t know why I hadn’t read King previously. His stories, especially one like Borders, makes me proud to be Anishnaabe.

Up next from my dad’s collection : Medicine River

[George Ilsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories were published in journals and magazines in 1985 to 1992, and the collection appeared in 1993. Later in the 1990s this book was selected as "one of the top 100 Canadian books of all time" by The University of Toronto Bookstore Review. I wonder, today, if this short story collection would still make that top 100 list?

Some of these tales are trickster-ish, featuring a playful mischievous Coyote; while others are more deeply rooted in issues of contemporary social realism.

Thomas King paved the way for many more wonderfully creative First Nations writers who are now the stars of the day. I'm looking at you, Joshua Whitehead and Eden Robinson!!

[Anya · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Have some tea. Stay awake. Good part is soon here.”
This was beautifully written, my favourite short story was Totem!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Good Story, That One is a collection of short stories that range from an indigenous storyteller telling stories of history to the trickster coyote, to aliens coming to take all the indigenous people to another planet.

These stories really fit into every category from insightful to outright hilarious - and I really enjoyed it. I think it speaks to the talent of the author that each story was so incredibly different and creative.

I look forward to reading more from Thomas King.

[Marlies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of stories are funny and pull a punch. I learned a lot, and will continue to learn as I reread these stories.

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good read. Funny. The short story format really demonstrated something to me that feels pretty glaring. If he’s Cherokee, why is he writing about the Blackfoot, the Hupa and others? I wonder how those nations feel about King doing this type of thing. I can imagine they don’t like it very much. It feels weird to me, too, especially when you consider the fact in this book he’s not writing about his own family, country?? To me, it feels suspect.

[Sirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small collection of short stories, including a few coyote tales, some humorous interactions, and a bit of the supernatural. I don't know what I was expecting, exactly, but I can't say I'm disappointed. This book brilliantly combines the silly and the terrible and the wondrous. Some of the stories hit me harder than others, and a few didn't quite make sense? But as a collection, it works.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas King is always a good read - funny and mellow, but still makes his point. One of the best story-tellers, and this small set of short stories is an excellent show case of this. My favourite story was the coyotes on the UFOs.

[Paul Guthrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic short stories, ranging from slice of life, to the odd to the mythical to the fantastic, but always with a rich sense of humour.

[Noah Cain · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. A couple of the stories were fantastic, and all were decent, if not good.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of Mr. King's stories written between 1987 and 1992 and includes his "Coyote Columbus Story", a children's story. Mr. King tries to educate the "settler" majority of the population in the reality of First Nations' lives through humour. He has a light touch with a sting in the tail and the book is a very easy to take set of lessons. I really enjoyed the story "Borders" which has a boy telling the story of how he and his mother were stopped between the American and Canadian customs buildings at Coutts/Sweetgrass because his mother refused to be any citizenship other than Blackfoot, an answer that neither office would accept. Very good, that one.

[Amanie Johal · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Didn't even realize that I'd already read one of the stories in here ("Totem") in high school!

My favourites were "Totem", "Trap Lines", "A Coyote Columbus Story", and "Borders"

[Robert Jersak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a typically a fan of short story anthologies, but I'm a fan of Thomas King. So I gave it a read, and I'm glad I did. King has a way of not asking too much from a reader, and the stories in One Good Story, That One range from memoir-like narrative to surrealist folktale (sometimes this happens within the same story, too). Like his entire body of work, this is a book of subtle genius, with an undercurrent of sly coyote humor to help a reader face legacies of injustice that native communities have survived. It's not a hit-you-over-the-head book by any means, but it's a book full of stories that will each hit you somewhere. "The One About Coyote Going West" is a personal favorite, and you'll look at the world, and the "first mistake," differently after reading it.

[Chloë · Rating 5 out of 5]

Canada needs this book! Such stories as these!

Plus, I laughed out loud more than once, and that is rare for me.

[Ian M. Pyatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got "lost" with some of the back and forth dialogue and meanings (due to my lack of Indigenous story telling knowledge) in some stories; enjoyed Totem, Traplines, Coyote Columbus and Borders.

[Randi Stretch · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[EiEiEisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s tough to get into a negative review on a book that battles sensitive issues. Despite the fact that I love the way Thomas King deals with the way Indigenous Peoples were mistreated and stereotyped, I think that the book was written to be for a classroom rather than a library or community.
In many stories, you must deduce the allegorical meaning. Which, I agree, is refreshing from an average books story structure. However, the writing was plain and boring to read.
I feel like the book was written to be an accurate representation of Indigenous history and culture. Unlike borders, there are many stories in this book, all with the central theme being Indigenous. Although I enjoyed the historical value and principles in this novel, I rate it 3 stars because of the writing.
I felt like sleeping halfway through.

[Dragon Is In Her Book Cave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas King is one of my favorite authors, but unfortunately his books are hard to find where I live. I had to place a special request for this title at my library, and I was overjoyed when a university library that's over 150 miles away supplied it to me. I just love King's coyote trickster tales and his unique storytelling voice. One of the stories included in this collection is an adaptation of a picture book he wrote about Coyote's encounter with Christopher Columbus, and I particularly enjoyed that one. My favorite, however, might have to the one with the mile-long title: "How Corporal Colin Sterling Saved Blossom, Alberta, and Most the Rest of the World as Well." The story is just as delightful as its title, I promise.

[Knitography · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of stories has everything a reader could want; irreverent humour, biting satire and insightful observations about human nature, and about the stereotypes and misperceptions white people tend to have about Indigenous people. These are also stories with layers of meaning, there for the reader to discover if they think more deeply about the interactions and the symbolism, or take the time to do a bit of research (A Seat in the Garden hit a little differently when I looked into the names of the people the "big Indian" reminded Red of - and when I stumbled across the inspiration behind the story and the character Red).

The message of Borders wasn't lost on me when it came time to choose the shelves/tags for this book; perhaps those need a rethink.

[Brenda D · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of stories is like no other book I have ever read ... and I LOVED it! These stories confuse the mind and touch one's heart (and often tickle one's funny bone)!

I was taken back to a time when I worked for an Indigenous organization. The humour of Elders was always 'wicked funny' and wise with a 'wink in the eye.' My memories of Elder stories are akin to these narratives where King 'unsettles' logic and linearity as he weaves truth and wisdom into each of his narratives. Enjoy!

[Jayson Campeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas King finds a way to use humour to help us see the mistakes we have made in our interactions with the indigenous people of this land. The audio version with Curtis Michael Holland is fantastic. He reads/narrates with a tongue in cheek cheekiness that slaps you in the face. Thomas King is seemingly poking fun at the archetype indigenous man while actually pointing out white man's foolishness. It is marvellous. This book helped me understand indigenous ways of seeing the world a little better.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. As with most short story collections, this was a real mix: some stories felt incomplete or like the first chapter of an unfinished novel. Others shared a wry sense of humor and either Thomas King’s own way of seeing things or aspects of his indigenous community. The parts of the stories I liked best were the subtext— the incorrect assumptions white people made about their American Indian neighbors even once the truth had been explained, the complexity of belonging to a sovereign nation without its own passport, etc.

[Harold · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I loved Thomas King's The Inconvenient Indian, but this collection of short stories didn't really do it for me.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty, thought provoking, multi-faceted and without being hoity-toity! These are the kind of short stories I wish I'd read as part of my schooling (...these were published before I was in school in the mid-90s to 00s so seriously why didn't we read Thomas King?!). Looking forward to reading more of his work :)

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally read a couple of the stories as part of an English course and only recently picked it up and reread those and the rest of the stories.
A few I really enjoyed, and few I didn’t get the point of, and the rest were somewhere in between.

[Matt Rabski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally don't like short story collections but these were all enjoyable and told quite a bit of story for how short each of the stories are. While I missed out on the cultural references overall I was happy with the book

[Alexa Hurney · Rating 5 out of 5]

King certainly has a way with words. Each story was unique, fun, interesting, thought provoking. Everything you could ask for in a book in my opinion.

I think borders may have been my favourite.

Definitely worth the read. And I know I’ll be rereading this one.

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting and fun stories in this collection. I hoped for more straight up indigenous stories. Coyote does appear numerous times, to my delight. The first story is a bit odd, most of the others less so.