The power of Indigenous voices
Your voice, your vote, your future
November is Native American Heritage Month in the United States, a time to celebrate diverse cultures and honor traditions while acknowledging the historical injustices inflicted upon Indigenous communities. Indigenous voices carry within them the echoes of ancestral wisdom, resilience, and deep connection to the land.
“Stories do more than comfort. They take you away and bring you back better made.”
― Tommy Orange, Wandering Stars
These voices, often marginalized and silenced, hold crucial perspectives on history, environmentalism, and spirituality. When Indigenous authors share their stories and perspectives, they challenge dominant narratives and offer valuable insights for creating a more just and sustainable future.
For Indigenous authors, using their voice is vital for reclaiming their narrative, asserting their sovereignty, and advocating for their rights and well-being. The same is true for American voters this week, as we cast our votes for two very different visions of the future.
“When women age into their power, no wind can upset them, no hand turn aside their knowledge; no fact can deflect their point of view.”
― Louise Erdrich, The Bingo Palace
If you’re looking for reading recommendations from Indigenous authors around the world from Canada, Australia, Oceania, and beyond, we've compiled a list on Bookshop.org to help get you started. Here are some of our favorites:
There There, by Tommy Orange (Cheyenne/Arapaho): A multi-generational story that follows twelve characters from different tribes as they converge on the Big Oakland Powwow.
The Night Watchman, by Louise Erdrich (Turtle Mountain Band, Chippewa): Based on the author's grandfather, this novel tells the story of a night watchman who fights against Native dispossession in the 1950s.
Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Citizen Potawatomi Nation): A beautiful blend of science and Indigenous wisdom that explores our relationship with the natural world.
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States, by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz: A historical account that challenges the traditional narrative and reveals the true history of colonization and Indigenous resistance.
Happy reading, and don’t forget to vote!
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Books we loved this month
The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen: Volume VI: Minor Works
The Carpenter's Pencil, by Manuel Rivas
James, by Percival Everett
Liars, by Sarah Manguso
Bookmarks
Book-related links and other good stuff online
‘I love the whole atmosphere and can spend hours browsing’: how did bookshops suddenly become cool? The Guardian
Han Kang | Interview The Nobel Prize
Want to Stop Mindlessly Doomscrolling? Pick Up a Book. Jezebel
The Room by Emily Berry NY Books
Supporting Communities through Helene Silent Book Club
A Nation of Homebodies The New York Times
Books for Adults by Indigenous Authors Denver Public Library
Jhumpa Lahiri, The Art of Fiction No. 262 The Paris Review
SBC in the news
How to make friends in Des Moines Axios
A new reading experience in Australia The Northern Daily Leader
Silent Book Clubs are growing in CT Hartford Courant (paywall)
Silent Book Club Capetown The Local Lit Scene podcast
Silent Book Club Murfreesboro offers sanctuary and serenity for local readers Sidelines
Finding silence in a world full of noise: Silent Book Club Gainesville members gather for “introvert social hour” WUFT
SBC Arlington & Grand Prairie brings readers together for one-year anniversary The Shorthorn
Portage Lake District Library community bonds over books and drinks Mining Gazette
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