Task #24: Read a book in any genre by a Native, First Nations, or Indigenous author

[Book Riot]

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the 24th Read Harder task.

[Karen]

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

[Bonnie G.]

There are so many good options, but I think either The Lakota Way: Stories and Lessons for Living, The Bone People or Heart Berries which are all on my bookshelf

[Rachael]

Sherman Alexie - Native American
Keri Hulme - Maori descent

I am going for Moon of the Crusted Snow

[Chandra]

I am going to read either There There or LaRose (Or maybe both)

[Stephen]

I will almost certainly be reading books next year by speculative fiction authors Rebecca Roanhorse and Stephen Graham Jones anyway.

[Elizabeth]

I have several on my upcoming stacks right now. There are others on my TBR, but this is what I have checked out of the library or at the top of my Owned TBR right now.

-Monsters by David Alexander Robertson (Swampy Cree)
-Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline (Métis)
-The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich (Anishinaabe)
-Halfbreed by Maria Campbell (Métis)
-Indigenous Relations by Bob Joseph (Kwakwaka'wakw)
-NDN Coping Mechanisms by Billy-Ray Belcourt (Cree)
-Terra Nullius by Claire G. Coleman (Wirlomin-Noongar)
-The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Palyku)
-The Things She's Seen by Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina (Palyku)
-Those Who Run in the Sky by Aviaq Johnston (Inuit)
-Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice (Anishinaabe)


Basically, whatever I get to first after 2020 starts will be what I count for this task. Some of them will be finished before that, but probably not more than a couple.

[Candace]

I'm reading There There for this task. I've heard good things about this book and I wanted to read it last year and never got around to it.

[Amy J.]

I'm planning on reading The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich

[Bonnie G.]

There There was one of top 5 books for 2018. I loved it. I recently read The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee and it is exceptional for anyone looking for non fiction options.

[Jen]

I am really interested in learning more about the Canadian “Boarding Schools” for Native Americans in late 19th and early 20th centuries. Any recommendations for either fiction or non-fiction?

[Krista]

I'm planning on reading Bury My Heart at Chuck E. Cheese's, which is written by a Lakota woman.

[Rachel]

House of Purple Cedar

[e]

For people want an easy but comprehensive intro to First Nations Issues in current Canada, I really recommend Indigenous Writes: A Guide to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Issues in Canada

[Alicia]

Tommy Pico (Kumeyaay) is an amazing poet with four books out (IRL, Nature Poem, Junk, and Feed).

[Lianne]

Strangely, I read several indigenous authors last year. Among the books I recommend are Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice and The Back of the Turtle by Thomas King.

[Kireja]

Jen wrote: "I am really interested in learning more about the Canadian “Boarding Schools” for Native Americans in late 19th and early 20th centuries. Any recommendations for either fiction or non-fiction?"

-Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
-Wenjack by Joseph Boyden
-The Education of Augie Merasty: A Residential School Memoir by Joseph Auguste Merasty
-I am Not a Number by Jenny Kay Dupuis
-Up Ghost River: A Chief's Journey Through the Turbulent Waters of Native History by Edmund Metatawabin
-Fatty Legs: A True Story by Christy Jordan-Fenton

[Kireja]

All Our Relations: Finding the Path Forward and Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga.

[Bonnie G.]

Kireja wrote: "All Our Relations: Finding the Path Forward and Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga."

Thank you, these look really compelling. I read All Our Relations by Winona Duke years ago, and this appears a worthy successor to the title.

[Lauraellen]

Indigenous Australian books:

I recommend
Taboo (contemporary literary fiction)
Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia (anthology of real life experiences)
Any book by Tony Birch or Alexis Wright. Wright's The Swan Book would also work for the prompt about climate change.

A selection from my TBR:
Terra Nullius (sci-fi colonialism)
Heat and Light (connected short stories, also works for debut from queer author)
Mullumbimby (contemporary literary fiction)
Don't Take Your Love to Town (autobiography)

Dark Emu - a nonfiction option. Also has a young readers option which I think should work for YA nonfiction.

I'm interested in trying more poetry as well, this list looks like it has some good options: https://www.readings.com.au/collectio...

[Eliza]

I've been waiting for an excuse to read Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

[Lindsey]

If anyone is interested in an Australian YA fiction option, I just adored Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina.

[Theresa]

Lindsey wrote: "If anyone is interested in an Australian YA fiction option, I just adored Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina."

Such a good book!!! Published in the US as The Things She's Seen which has messed me up I can't tell you how many times!

[Jen]

Kireja wrote: "Jen wrote: "I am really interested in learning more about the Canadian “Boarding Schools” for Native Americans in late 19th and early 20th centuries. Any recommendations for either fiction or non-f..."

Thank you! Great suggestions.

[Rebecka]

If you can read Swedish I strongly recommend Ædnan by Linnea Axelsson, who's Sami. Aednan is spectacular, one of my all-time favourite reads.

[Hillary]

I think this may count!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

It is a collection of interviews with indigenous kids tell their own stories about their lives--- also YA.

[Kristen]

Rachael wrote: "Sherman Alexie - Native American
Keri Hulme - Maori descent

I am going for Moon of the Crusted Snow"

Reading There There right now and it's terrific.

[Bonnie G.]

Deborah Ellis is not indigenous, but her interviews with Native Anerican kids and her earlier book with interviews with Syrian kids wok for YA nonfiction.

[Stephanie]

I will finally be reading by Lisa Charleyboy who is a First Nations author.

[Victoria]

I'm not reading it this year, (I'm going to be doing Give Me Some Truth) but my all time favourite book by a Native author and one of my favourite books of all time is The Bird is Gone: A ManifestoI highly highly recommend it if you like books that have a bit of unreliable narration and a non-linear plot. It's not for everyone and it's definitely a book that will leave you more confused at the end than you will want but it's an absolutely beautiful work of art that stays with you for a long time.

[Emerging]

I have Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko on my shelf, which would fit. I also own The Round House by Louise Erdrich. So I have a couple of choices on my shelves already.

[Bonnie G.]

I have not read Ceremony, though it has been recommended many times, but FWIW Round House is wonderful.

[Milena]

Good to hear about The Round House, that's what I'm planning to read.

[Tamara]

Inuit writer Norma Dunning's Annie Muktuk & Other Stories is on my TBR. I've already dipped in a bit and then misplaced it! But it's back in the pile.

This Canadian publisher has a lot of great options: for slightly lighter fare (essays and plays) try Drew Hayden Taylor. For poetry, try Garry Thomas Morse, Jónína Kirton, and Joshua Whitehead.

Finally, one of my favourite Canadian writers--plays, fiction, essays--is the incomparable Tomson Highway. His novel Kiss of the Fur Queen remains on my top-10 list.

[Jo]

I just finished The Round House by Louise Erdrich for this prompt and it was incredible. I would also recommend There There by Tommy Orange

[Amanda]

Chandra wrote: "I am going to read either There There or LaRose (Or maybe both)"

Those are at the top of my list too (I started both books in the past couple years, and for various reasons - not related to the quality of the books - didn't finish).
I'm also really excited about Louise Erdrich's new one, the Night Watchman, coming out in March.
Some of my all-time favorites in this category have already been mentioned:
The Bone People, by Keri Hulme
The Round House, by Erdrich (my favorite of hers, but really, I love everything of hers I've written)
books by Sherman Alexie.

[Mya]

If you like mysteries, last year I read the first two books in the Sadie Walela series, by Sara Sue Hoklotubbe. I didn’t love them, but they are decently constructed and interesting, a 3.5 star review.

The first title is Deception on All Accounts.

[Stacey]

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

Midnight Son by James Dommek Jr.

[Stacey]

Forgot to say that Midnight Son by James
Dommek Jr. is currently free on Audible Originals..

[Abigail]

On mobile so can’t tag- but Braiding Sweetgrass (Robin Wall Kimmerer) mentioned above is a beautiful book. Cannot recommend it enough.

[Linda]

If you like mysteries (NOT COZY) I discovered Marcie Rendon last year for the Reading Women challenge and am eagerly awaiting the next in the series. Her first book in the series, Murder on the Red River, was great. I think it also fits #3 and #10. I also loved the second in the series, Girl Gone Missing, but I think you will miss a lot by not reading them in order.

[Linda]

Jen wrote: "I am really interested in learning more about the Canadian “Boarding Schools” for Native Americans in late 19th and early 20th centuries. Any recommendations for either fiction or non-fiction?"

Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City would fit! I am reading it for this category. I have another title on my TBR that is about American schools. I'll share when I find it.

[Elizabeth]

I just finished NDN Coping Mechanisms: Notes from the Field by Billy-Ray Belcourt, and it was phenomenal. I loved it at least as much as his previous poetry collection, This Wound Is a World. I would highly recommend either to anyone looking for poetry for this task.

I'm sure I'll end up reading other books that work for this task, but since this is the first one, I'm ticking it off now.

[Book Riot]

Hi everyone! Our rec post for this task is up and ready for viewing. https://bookriot.com/2020/01/14/books...

[Keith]

I have to recommend Katherena Vermette's The Break or anything by Richard Wagamese, particularly Medicine Walk or Indian Horse.

[Sarah]

I read An American Sunrise by Joy Harjo (on mobile so can't link, but it's on Book Riot's rec list). It wasn't my favorite but there were some excellent poems about grief.

[Bonnie G.]

Becky wrote: "I read NDN Coping Mechanisms: Notes from the Field"

How was this book? It looked interesting. I have a bunch of books already for this prompt, but there is always time for one more.

[Brandy]

I read IRL by Tommy Pico and have it slotted in this prompt, for now.

[Elizabeth]

Book Riot wrote: "Hi everyone! Our rec post for this task is up and ready for viewing. https://bookriot.com/2020/01/14/books..."

Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz is white, but An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People was co-adapted by Dr. Debbie Reese, who is Nambé Pueblo.

[Cheryl]

Debbie Reese also carefully evaluates children's books, and sometimes finds titles to recommend.