Native American (American Indian) GoodReads Members discussion

Hi everyone... who is on here... uh... I'm truly disapointed in a lack of active groups devoted to Native/Indigenous books on Goodreads...

Anyway, I am looking for book recommendations.
What I really love about Native fiction is that time isn't linear, but it ebs and flows. Some books that I really love are The Grass Dancer by Susan Power and Motorcycles and Sweet Grass by Drew Hayden Taylor. I plan on reading some Sherman Alexie at some point, but I was wondering if anyone has any other recommendations of must read Native/Indigenous fiction???
Thanks!

Here are a couple of suggestions to get the list started - and I hope people add more!

Tiano: A Novel by Jose Barreiro

anything by Joy Harjo

I haven't read Sweet Grass, so thanks for that suggestion.

Good reading to you!

Stephen Graham Jones is a Blackfeet author from Texas currently living in Colorado. His books aren't necessarily focused on Native characters or topics, but naturally feature Native characters.

I haven't read There,There by Tommy Orange yet, but I've heard a lot of praise for it.

I'd recommend Kuessipan by Naomi Fontaine and Winter Child by Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau.

if you like short stories, The Stone Collection by Kateri Akiwenzie Damm is great!

Nathan wrote: "Stephen Graham Jones is a Blackfeet author from Texas currently living in Colorado. His books aren't necessarily focused on Native characters or topics, but naturally feature Native characters.

I..."
I read There, There this year. Strong debut book for Tommy Orange.

Hi, I like to search different Listopia lists on "Native American authors".. you'll get a mix of historical, bibliographies, fiction, etc. Not the best but it's a start.

For the cyclical writing you're looking for I'd recommend two classics:
House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday
Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko

For more contemporary writing:
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Kimmerer
Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot
ANYTHING BY JOY HARJO ;)

I've been outright avoiding Sherman Alexie because I know there are plenty other contemporary Native American authors who need some light to shine on them. Though I have read lots by Alexie.

Enjoy!



PS I agree on your sentiment that Goodreads doesn't have good listings on Native American authors. I was really hoping they put something together for Native American Heritage Month (November) :/ MAYBE WE CAN START ONE?!

I've been finding good stuff in the children's section of my library. Two I've read recently are:

I can make this promise by Christine Day
Indian no more by Charlene Willing McManis and Traci Sorell

Both deal with recent history (contemporary and 20th c.) and the effects of US policies on complicating Indian identity through multiple generations.
Also, unlike most adult fiction, they are positive and hopeful in tone.

I would recommend "Medicine Walk" by Richard Wagamese. I also liked "There, There" by Tommy Orange - the book was selected as our regional library book of the year and he will be speaking at our library next month. Above someone mentioned "Ceremony" by Leslie Silko. I read it quite a long time ago and it remains one of my most important life time books.

Article of interest from The Hub- Three new Ojibwe-language books will tell the stories of tribal elders in their own words.
https://lithub.com/three-new-ojibwe-l...

I was interested in The Hub story because last year Randy Lewis of the Wenatchi/P’squosa published a delightful book, "Red Star and Blue Star Defeat Spexman".

Hi all, I am an Indigenous writer, well, actually, traditional storyteller and am using voice-to-text to write down stories in a unique fashion as if I were there in front of you telling it. My first book is out "Gardeners of Consciousness" and I would love for you to take a look at what I've been told is not only a unique story but also how it is told. It is sci-fi, Indigenous Futurism, pre and post apocalyptic story told from the voice of a Mohawk storyteller on what he witnesses as the downfall of society and the unexpected individuals who take the reigns to to take humanity to its next level. It is Ultra pro feminist, lgbtq2a+ and told all around Natives. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think of the idea of a storyteller telling the story of a storyteller.

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