Comments on Native American Fiction - page 1

Some of these books are pretty sketchy. Fenimore? Erdrich? Carter?

I agree some of the books are kinda sketchy, stretching the definition... they have Native American's mentioned in them somewhere or have them as minor characters.

Things Fall Apart by Achebe is, if I am not mistaken about African's by an African not about or by Native Americans (Semi-Indigenous Inhabitants of the North American Continent/ American Indians).

Fenimore Cooper is debatable -- Chinua Achebe is not; he's African, not Native American (by any definition). So, for that matter, are his books.

Louise Erdrich's mother is Ojibwa; Erdrich herself is on record as a self-described Native American. Her books place Native Americans center stage, and most critics consider her one of North America's major Native American writers. I think there can be little question that she is rightly included.

If Fenimore Cooper is on this list, though, -- then, arguably, shouldn't also be Tony Hillerman?

I see the Native American werewolves have weighed in, but I think we can get along without the initial Twilight book. Tired of seeing these on every list from Best to Worst to what-have-you. When is the next craze due ? Can't wait.

Fenimore Cooper may be out of fashion, but he labored early and hard to get it right. He's mockable, as Twain showed, but indispensable.

Thom, I perfectly agree on the "Twilight" series (ALL of the books).

Fenimore Cooper was white, that's why I said I'm not sure he should be on this list: its title ("Native American Fiction") to me initially read as "Fiction BY Native Americans," not "Fiction ABOUT Native Americans." I now see that there's a description which includes "about Native Americans," though -- and there is no question, of course, that Fenimore Cooper's books are indispensable reading as such.

So, in that spirit, I think I will add some Tony Hillerman as well ... ;)

Is there any way to get the weeds out of this list: Achebe, S. Meyer, etc.

Thom wrote: "Is there any way to get the weeds out of this list: Achebe, S. Meyer, etc. "

Yes. A librarian can edit the list and delete anything on it, as long as it's not done frivolously - there is a warning attached to the deletion process and if it is abused, privileges can be revoked. (Librarian privileges, I guess.)

I don't know if the person who created the list can also do this.

This is the warning label when you go in to delete:

"Note: Only delete books from the list that are totally miscategorized. Deleting books that aren't will result in a loss of librarian privileges, and possible deletion of account. We're super serious!"

LIBRARIAN HEADS UP: Please delete Achebe's Things Fall Apart from this list--greatest of books, but has no place here. Thanks.

Thom wrote: "LIBRARIAN HEADS UP: Please delete Achebe's Things Fall Apart from this list--greatest of books, but has no place here. Thanks. "

I deleted it.

I added Robert DeCoteauand The New Days: The First Sonfirst of all because I am a Native American author and secondly one of the main characters in the book is a Lummi tribal member from NW Washington and the Lummi Tribe plays a key role in the plot line. So, even though it's a zombie book I think it has more right to be here than many of the other titles.

I would just like to apologize to Native American people for Twilight. Seriously, I know they chose really hot NA actors, but that series is just...yeesh. Sorry for that on behalf of all white people that know Twilight is super awful.

I love The Bean Trees, but are we talking about Native American subject matter or writers?

good morning,

My first novel, Full Circle, is now available on Amazon.com as paperback and Kindle. I invite you to pick up a copy and if you choose, post a review. Good or bad I am interested in your opinion.

~michael "hawk" spisak

I love many of the books on this list, but more than a few of them are not written by Native American writers---Tony Hillerman on the same list as Momaday or Leslie Marmon Silko? Ouch

Leslie wrote: "I love many of the books on this list, but more than a few of them are not written by Native American writers---Tony Hillerman on the same list as Momaday or Leslie Marmon Silko? Ouch"

Clearly included in the list description as now given: "by and/or ABOUT Native Americans."

See also the discussion in comments 3 - 6 above.

Erdrich...sketchy? What are you talking about?

Thom wrote: "LIBRARIAN HEADS UP: Please delete Achebe's Things Fall Apart from this list--greatest of books, but has no place here. Thanks. "

Achebe should be deleted. It is about Africa. Can anyone name the poem from which the title is derived?

Agreed, Jill. Erdrich, with her Chippewa/Ojibwe literature belongs, and Achebe should be delieted -- the poem is Yeats' "Second Coming."

Awesome, Leah. I love Yeats and that is one of my favorite poems..."Things fall apart, The centre cannot hold

I first became a fan of Alexie from a story in the New Yorker. It was about a Native American in Seattle, and he pawned a dancing costume, or something like it, and then spent all his money on alcohol and lost it. Can anybody remember the name of that story?

Leah, we are a bit off subject, ok, a lot off subject, but do you know the author who used the line "Slouching toward Behlehem" as a title to one of her books?

Jill wrote: "Achebe should be deleted. It is about Africa."

Achebe's book WAS deleted ages ago (see post 11), as far as I can tell nobody's resurrected it.

Slouching Towards Bethlehem is by Joan Didion.

Psst! Those pesky Twilight books are back on this list. So very tired of seeing them. Will a librarian please delete them?

And #125, Midnight Sun by the same author.

Wanda wrote: "Psst! Those pesky Twilight books are back on this list. So very tired of seeing them. Will a librarian please delete them?"

Done -- thanks for the heads-up, Wanda! (Midnight Sun as well.) Sheeesh ... :(

Thank you TA.

The Journey of Crazy Horse: A Lakota History and The Day the World Ended at Little Bighorn: A Lakota History both look like non-fiction to me, though they undoubtedly qualify on the "Native American" side. (Currently 208 and 212.)

Ouch, yes -- looks like there are several nonfiction books in the "back rows" of the list ... also the following:
Mad Bear: Spirit, Healing, and the Sacred in the Life of a Native American Medicine Man
Idols Behind Altars: Modern Mexican Art and Its Cultural Roots
Walking in the Sacred Manner: Healers, Dreamers, and Pipe Carriers--Medicine Women of the Plains
Peyote Religion: A History
Shadowcatchers: A Journey in Search of the Teachings of Native American Healers
Smoke Rising: The Native North American Literary Companion

Jessica, am I right in assuming you'll want those removed as well?

ETA: Also, what about (from p. 2):
The Cherokee Sacred Calendar: A Handbook of the Ancient Native American Tradition
Through indian eyes
Edward S. Curtis
A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary Jemison
Blue Jacket: War Chief of the Shawnees
Women's Indian Captivity Narratives
-- as well as P.C. Cast's House of Night novels?

Love anything by wonderful Late Tony Hillerman!

I wonder why there were no books by James Alexander Thom. He is one of my favorites.

Barbara wrote: "I wonder why there were no books by James Alexander Thom. He is one of my favorites."

So.....why not put them up there yourself, Barbara ? (Or did you ?)

I will do that today!!

Can I suggest a few Canadian indigenous authors, too? There are a few, but there are some incredible writers that I would love to see on this list!!


Jeannette ArmstrongWaubgeshig RiceRichard Van CampMaria CampbellLorne SimonCherie DimalineRobert Alexie

Sarah wrote: "Can I suggest a few Canadian indigenous authors, too? There are a few, but there are some incredible writers that I would love to see on this list!!


Jeannette ArmstrongWaubgeshig RiceRichard V..."

Sarah (and Barbara): Everyone can add books to this list -- there's a tab up top next to "all votes" ...

We need to add Frank Waters to this list.

It's easy to add books to lists; at the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes."

Jill wrote: "I first became a fan of Alexie from a story in the New Yorker. It was about a Native American in Seattle, and he pawned a dancing costume, or something like it, and then spent all his money on alc..."

It's called "What You Pawn I Will Redeem."

Removed Isn't It Pretty To Think So?. Spam. Not recognizably Native American.

Loren wrote: "Some of these books are pretty sketchy. Fenimore? Erdrich? Carter?"

Are you kidding? Erdrich writes great Native fiction.

I'm far from an expert on Native American lit, so please correct me if I'm totally off here, but shouldn't Gerald Vizenor have made this list a few times?

Alicia wrote: "I'm far from an expert on Native American lit, so please correct me if I'm totally off here, but shouldn't Gerald Vizenor have made this list a few times?"

I didn't create this list and haven't read anything by Vizonor, so can't speak to that specifically, but just as a general comment: Everybody can add books to listopia lists; there is a tab up top next to "all votes". So if Vizenor is a Native American writer, or writes books dealing with Native Americans, then I'd say go ahead and add whichever of his books you think should be on this list.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West (#79) is fiction?

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West (#79) is fiction?"

Ouch. Hardly ...

Themis-Athena
I didn't create this list..."

Okay, I will add a couple soon. I just wanted to ask first because some of the people commenting on this list seem to have VERY strong opinions about what belongs here and what doesn't. I guess if I'm wrong and enough people disagree, they can petition a librarian to delete it.

Alicia wrote: "Okay, I will add a couple soon. I just wanted to ask first because some of the people commenting on this list seem to have VERY strong opinions about what belongs here and what doesn't. I guess if I'm wrong and enough people disagree, they can petition a librarian to delete it."

That's a sound approach -- and there are always people with strong opinions about these lists; I've long stopped paying any attention to them. Librarians are warned not to abuse their "deletion" powers, so before I delete anything, I typically check with the list creator whether they want the book to remain on th list. (To the extent that I still do any curating on GR in the fírst place these days, that is.) Ultimately, I figure it's the list creator whose intentions should control what stays on the list and what doesn't.

Are the folks who frequent this list okay with authors adding their own books? I know the people who tend some lists are vehemently opposed to that and on other lists it's not a big deal. I don't want to step on any toes by adding one of my own!

It's fine with me.