Time for another American holiday celebrating the decimation of a native society. Here’s a quick selection of some books you may want to cozy up to during the long weekend once you’ve eaten your fill of turducken. These aren’t about pilgrims or feasts, and I haven’t included Gracias, the Thanksgiving Turkey, but rather these are three books by Native American authors. Happy Thanksgiving.
.
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie
A powerful collection of short stories that tackles a lot of the truths and misconceptions about modern Native American culture and life on a reservation. It was even made into an iffy movie, but you’re probably better off watching the Lions losing in the background and just reading this.
.
Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko
A poignant novel about WW2 vet caught between two cultures and two world. Much like Alexie’s better works, in that while on the outside this is a novel about Native Americans on a reservation, the themes it tackles are universal and remain relevant 30 years after the book was originally published.
..
Black Eagle Child: The Facepaint Narratives by Ray A. Young Bear
A fascinating blend of poetry and prose that steps in and out of memoir and fiction, I definitely enjoyed this book. Might be a little hard to find, but keep an eye out for it.
.
.
And for year-old Thanksgiving fun, here’s a video of Sarah Palin vomiting words while yummy turkeys are slaughtered in the background:
