X-Indian Chronicles: The Book of Mausape

by Thomas M. Yeahpau

Mausape belongs to a race that is losing its culture and to a generation that is losing its mind. 

Mausape, a young "X-Indian" man dreams he's about to compete against the King of All Fancy-Dancers — who, it turns out, is Elvis Presley in full Las Vegas regalia. Another teenage boy, concerned that he's not a real warrior, seeks confirmation behind the liquor store from Grandma Spider, a wise, obese old creature with the torso of an elderly woman and the eight legs of a spider. In stories and poems mixing magical realism with unflinching reality, a young American Indian author offers a raw, graphic view of life on a reservation, a place where bitterness toward the white man lingers, where the enemy often appears in liquid form, where misogyny often raises its ugly head, and where a new generation's pop culture infiltrates ancient beliefs. A standout voice in the anthology  Night Gone, Day is Still Coming , Thomas M. Yeahpau explores the place between native culture and contemporary America where X-Indians dwell.

Genres: Short Stories, Young Adult

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 10, 2006

About the author

Thomas M. Yeahpau contributed a story to the 2003 anthology NIGHT IS GONE, DAY IS STILL COMING: STORIES AND POEMS BY AMERICAN INDIAN TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS, edited by Anette Piña Ochoa, Betsy Franco, and Traci L. Gourdine. Shortly thereafter, he gathered his own collection of original short stories, and the result is X-INDIAN CHRONICLES. Thomas M. Yeahpau lives in Los Angeles, California.

Reviews

[Gregory Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This book was exceptionally thematic and thought-provoking. It was dark and gritty and poignant. Certainly not uplifting or inspiring, but I feel as if the author painted an emotional and agonizing portrait of life for many who are living as generations of X-Indians. Those who have had their lives defined by violence, drug and alcohol addiction, and the demons of their ancestral past. I have always been fascinated by Native American culture and history, but this book brings the real, modern day threats to Native culture to the forefront.

[Austin Marker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that the X-Indian Chronicles was a very strange and exciting book. The book is about a boy named Mausape who has many strange adventures with his friends. The book was very interesting and always kept me on my toes I never knew what would happen next. The best thing that happen in the book that was the most memorable thing is the stories that Mausape's grandpa would tell Mausape. One of the stories had to deal with a woman that was half deer. The woman went on a rampage and tried to kill Mausape's Grandpa but Mausape's Grandpa stopped her with his medicine that he had at the time. If you want to learn about more of this exciting book you would just have to read it yourself.

[Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

At its best moments, this book was creative, confident, and insightful, but the author's two-dimensional handling of women and subsequent refusal to take any responsibility for their portrayals are disappointing and weaken the entire cycle.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember this book being a bit weird but I enjoyed the stories.