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90 Recent Books to Read This Native American Heritage Month
Celebrate Native American Heritage Month the bookworm way with this collection of new and recent books by Native American and Canadian/First Nations authors. The titles collected below are a cross-genre sampling of both new books published this year, plus relatively recent titles going back to 2017.
There are some fascinating books on the list this year and plenty of options to choose from. For historical fiction fans, Pulitzer Prize nominee Margaret Verble flashes back to a 1950s Cherokee community in Stealing. Mi’kmaw author Amanda Peters details a tragic missing persons case with her debut mystery, The Berry Pickers. On the nonfiction front, Yale University author Ned Blackhawk takes a high-altitude historical approach in his exhaustively researched inquiry The Rediscovery of America.
You’ll also find some intriguing memoirs, young adult books, fantasy, poetry, short story collections, and timely Halloween goodness from the ongoing boom in Native American horror—witches and monsters and ghosts. Oh, my.
Scroll over the book cover images below for more details, and add anything interesting to your Want to Read shelf.
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Have a great book readers should check out this Native American Heritage Month? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
Comments Showing 1-50 of 120 (120 new)
message 1:
by
Law
(new)
Nov 01, 2023 12:04AM
Where do I start? The Firekeeper's Daughter looks the most intriguing.
flag
I am reading Calling for a Blanket Dance right now. When I finish that, I want to read There There as well. I hope I will be able to make time for it.
In My Own Moccasins: A Memoir of Resilience & Becoming a Matriarch by Helen Knott def need to be on this list!
Thinning Blood by Leah Myers has been great so far. Thinning Blood: A Memoir of Family, Myth, and Identity
Law wrote: "Where do I start? The Firekeeper's Daughter looks the most intriguing."NIght of the LIving Rez
Some very good books here. I love Louise Erdrich, her writing is outstanding.
Susan wrote: "Some very good books here. I love Louise Erdrich, her writing is outstanding."Agree. L. Erdrich has a lot to tell and teach us thanks to her Grandad too.
I just finished the memoir The Woman Who Watches Over the World by Linda Hogan. It is one of the more difficult books I have read given some of the events of her life, but beautifully written, philosophical, and enlightening.
Thank you a lot for this reading list.One of my favourite is "Black Elk speaks", by John G. Neihardt.
Now I would like to read all Louise Erdrich.
Another author about Natives is Franz Boas who was an Anthropologist who moved to Us from Germany. He wrote many books about Natives Languages and Arts.
John G Neihardt
Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux
Franz Boas
Great list! TBR exploding. Would also love to see some romance by indigenous authors - I don't know that I've ever read one, and that's quickly becoming one of my favorite genres!
I'm surprised Braiding Sweetgrass is not on the list.
I'm surprised not to see Moon of the Crusted Snow or Moon of the Turning Leaves on this list.
Gina wrote: "I'm surprised Braiding Sweetgrass is not on the list."Hi Gina,
I think that's just a random selection. So that, I added a book and an author: we can add the book in the comments.
PS: thank you for your ad: I added to my list right now.
Which are the non fiction?Also does anyone know which are from/about the Crow or Blackfeet ?
Law wrote: "Where do I start? The Firekeeper's Daughter looks the most intriguing."That is an excellent book. Highly recommend.
Allie wrote: "Great list! TBR exploding. Would also love to see some romance by indigenous authors - I don't know that I've ever read one, and that's quickly becoming one of my favorite genres!"One I have heard recommended is Heartbeat Braves by Pamela Sanderson!
Law wrote: "Where do I start? The Firekeeper's Daughter looks the most intriguing."You'll love it - its so good
Allie wrote: "Great list! TBR exploding. Would also love to see some romance by indigenous authors - I don't know that I've ever read one, and that's quickly becoming one of my favorite genres!"Dani Trujillo writes romance. She's of Pueblo and Mexican descent. Her debut novel Lizards Hold the Sun has high reviews and is on my TBR after reading her short story in Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology
Law wrote: "Where do I start? The Firekeeper's Daughter looks the most intriguing."Murder on the Red River was exceptional. There's 2 more books in the series.
Would love to suggest to those looking for memoirs- From the Ashes: My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way by Jesse Thistle. Intense memoir but absolutely fantastic.
Nothing by Ward Churchill here? That's disappointing.
Going to gobble many of these up this month! The rest will be added to my TBR.Surprised that “Braiding Sweetgrass” and “Black Elk Speaks” didn’t make the list.
“Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” are excellent reads on this topic as well.
Gina wrote: "I'm surprised Braiding Sweetgrass is not on the list."It's not recent.
Law wrote: "Where do I start? The Firekeeper's Daughter looks the most intriguing."It is sooooooo goooooodddddd!!!!!
Gina wrote: "I'm surprised Braiding Sweetgrass is not on the list.""The titles collected below are a cross-genre sampling of both new books published this year, plus relatively recent titles going back to 2017."
Braiding Sweetgrass was published in 2013
Law wrote: "Where do I start? The Firekeeper's Daughter looks the most intriguing."Yeah, I am going to start there too!!! :D
Sivulliq: Ancestor, Sivulliq: Ancestoraward-winning debut novel by Indigenous (Alaska and Canada, Athabaskan, Inupiaq) author Lily Tuzroylukeand Under Nushagak Bluff Under Nushagak Bluff by Native Alaskan Yup'ik Mia Heavener
Gina wrote: "I'm surprised Braiding Sweetgrass is not on the list."Me as well
E.M. wrote: "I'm surprised not to see Moon of the Crusted Snow or Moon of the Turning Leaves on this list."I was looking for Five Little Indians too (which I loved). They must be missing because they have Canadian settings and authors. This list is geared to Native American Heritage month. June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada. We can read them whenever we want of course. I focused on indigenous books last May, and I’m pleased to see so many new books since then. I’m looking forward to Moon of the Turning Leaves. I also want to read more by Joy Harjo and Louise Erdrich.
Katie wrote: "Going to gobble many of these up this month! The rest will be added to my TBR.“Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” a..."
Killers of the Flower Moon is extraordinary. I haven’t gone to a movie in ages but I want to see the new film based on the book.
Susan wrote: "The Seed Keeper is phenomenal!"Thanks for the recommendation. It’s on my tbr and I just found it on Hoopla!
Thank you to everyone who pointed out that Braiding Sweetgrass was not a recent book and that is why it was left off. I didn't read closely enough 😀. I did add so many to my TBR though.
Awesome list. Very well researched. Let’s hope Goodreads continues these lists for all ethnic heritage months. There are several that have been overlooked. Goodreads should be a space for all people to find books about their heritage.
"Bury my heart at Chuck E. Cheese's" is a collection of essays by Tiffany Midge. I think this book deserves a slot because it is a (relatively) rare sampling of Native American humor.
Disappointed to see White Horse on this list. Erika T Wurth has been revealed to be faking being of native heritage. 😡
Barbara wrote: "Thank you a lot for this reading list.One of my favourite is "Black Elk speaks", by John G. Neihardt.
Now I would like to read all Louise Erdrich.
Another author about Natives is Franz Boas who ..."
Winter Counts has some strong romantic elements.
Why is it so hard for y'all to separate genres or even fiction from non-fiction anymore?!? We know you're just phoning it in on most of the lists lately, since all you're doing is "most added" books, meaning we've probably all seen them already making the list completely pointless. Do better.
Law wrote: "Where do I start? The Firekeeper's Daughter looks the most intriguing.""The Firekeeper's Daughter" is amazing!!! I highly recommend it!
Firekeeper's Daughter is one of my all time favorites! I'm glad to see it here. I recently listened to Warrior Girl Unearthed (it’s technically a sequel to Firekeeper’s Daughter, but can be read as a stand alone) and enjoyed it too.
Here are a couple more of my favorite Native American YA’s:
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
If I Ever Get Out of Here
I’ve been working through This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving for a few months (it’s dense ok?) and it’s been so interesting.
Anyway, I’m adding several of these books to my list and I look forward to seeing more and more fiction by Indigenous authors in the future!
Rob wrote: "Lots of Native Canadian writers as well. I’d suggest Joseph Boyden (especially Three Day Road) and Waubgeshig Rice (Moon of the Crusted Snow, and Moon of the Turning Leaves)"Careful - Joseph Boyden has come under fire about whether he is actually Indigenous. But I wholeheartedly agree with your recommendation of Waubgeshig Rice! Phenomenal writer.
The Seed Keeper is one of my all time favorite books. I loved it and have gifted it to multiple people. Braiding Sweetgrass is amazing and worth listening to if you like audio books. And I love anything by Richard Wagamese (sadly he died far too young not long ago).
Alana wrote: "The Seed Keeper is one of my all time favorite books. I loved it and have gifted it to multiple people. Braiding Sweetgrass is amazing and worth listening to if you like audio books. And I love a..."
I completely agree on all your points. Loved those books and have Indian Horse and Medicine walk as TBR. I also really enjoyed (recently) The Only Good Indians.
Law wrote: "Where do I start? The Firekeeper's Daughter looks the most intriguing."It's really good.. i've read it.
Hayley wrote: "Which are the non fiction?Also does anyone know which are from/about the Crow or Blackfeet ?"
The Only Good Indians is about Blackfeet, and has a couple Crow characters as well.
Where is William Kent Krueger? His writing is excellent.
Barbara wrote: "Susan wrote: "Some very good books here. I love Louise Erdrich, her writing is outstanding."Agree. L. Erdrich has a lot to tell and teach us thanks to her Grandad too."
That sounds like a book I would be interested in reading. I have read several from this list and there are some excellent ones- The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee, There, There.... I have Ned Blackhawks latest book, The Rediscovery of America but haven't read it yet. I read one of his previous books, Violence Over the Land and it was brilliant. He was also one of my professors in grad schools and he is a great teacher as well as being easy on the eyes.
