November 2021 Staff Picks
As November is American Indian Heritage month, we are eager to share books by a number of incredibly talented Native American authors, as well as a few of our favorite books which remind us of family gatherings (and dysfunction!) this holiday season.
You can find all our past staff picks here.
Shelter by Jung Yun
This time of year reminds us of the importance of family, gathering and gratitude. For me, nothing quite sparks gratitude like reading about people ripping each other to shreds. Shelter by Jung Yun offers a portrait of a contemporary Korean American family violently at odds with one another. At the center is Kyung is a young father and husband who’s own childhood was riddled with emotional and physical abuse. Eager to make a start with his new family, he is shocked when his estranged mother wanders onto his lawn one morning badly bruised and stripped naked. Yun peels back layers of this family’s history with a thrilling and thoughtful hand. Don’t miss it. —Aatia
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
A monument to environmental stewardship and collective care practices of Indigenous peoples, I love Braiding Sweetgrass for its joyful curiosity and deep gratitude to the natural world. A wonderful meditation on reciprocity that inspires a more generous and loving world. A beautiful gift for anyone you love!
— Colleen
Feed by Tommy Pico
Tommy Pico's poems are wondrous affairs--high and low, inventive and funny and heartbreaking. If you've been watching the incredible TV show Reservation Dogs, then you're already a fan of Pico's work. And yes, all television shows should be written by poets, because they would all be 100000% better. — Emma
Passing by Nella Larsen
Passing is by far my favorite novel from the Harlem Renaissance - it's actually based off of Nella's real life, so it's very unadulterated. I love that there is now a resurgence of this classic - the movie is out now starring Tessa Thompson. Read first, then movie. That's Books Are Magic law. But seriously recommend both.
Surviving the City by Tasha Spillet-Sumner
Indigenous women are 5x more likely to be murdered than non-indigenous women. Let that statistic stay with you as you witness two young girls navigate a world that does not keep them safe- but their community and their sisterhood will always protect & help them through. The imagery of lost loved ones guiding the girls while the dark spirits of colonizers try to lead them astray is sure to leave a haunting impression of the injustices yet to be reconciled.
—Kristina
White Magic by Elissa Washuta
Washuta's essay collection is direct and uncomfortable: she vividly addresses her own personal struggles with PTSD and substance abuse, as well as tackling colonization and cultural inheritance. These topics weave together and culminate in the transformative process Washuta underwent to become the powerful witch she is today. —Lindsay
Heroes by Stephen Fry
For anyone fascinated by the Greek myths but feeling rudderless amidst a vast sea of choices, the Stephen Fry books are an excellent place to start. I love Heroes because it strikes a perfect, conversational balance between denser reads and that feeling of myths as campfire tales, told to you while looking up at the stars. While by no means comprehensive, Fry is an endlessly charming voice to guide you through the selection of mythic heroes (Heracles, Perseus, Atalanta and Jason among them). - Michael C.
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
When I think about November, I think about family gatherings and, while this is not a Thanksgiving novel, it is one of the most hilarious family gathering novels I've ever read. The Foxman family comes together to sit shiva for their father. Secrets are uncovered, people fight, hilarity ensues. —Mike FS
Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailot
Heart Berries is an intimate coming of age memoir told in essays, Terese Marie Mailhot's writing is poetic, dreamy and beautiful. It's a short but powerful read covering motherhood, loss and mental illness. For folks who love Carmen Maria Machado and Roxane Gay. —Natalie
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Stephen Graham Jones is quickly becoming the premiere writer of modern day horror. The Only Good Indians does not disappoint. This book will haunt you in the best possible way. I still get vivid flashes of scenes from this book. Let the spooky season continue! —Nick
Notable Native People by Adrienne Keene
This gorgeously-illustrated, highly giftable anthology holds a very special place in my heart because it features several of my own personal heroes, including my former kumu (teacher) on pg 23! I was also thrilled to see several more Kānaka Maoli celebrated alongside the other outstanding leaders, dreamers, and makers from various tribes. It’s a testament to the care Keene has taken in assembling stories comprehensively and inclusively—ones that will surely inspire, inform, and incite!
Find out more about Adrienne Keene’s brilliant work by checking out @amrpodcast and @nativeapprops. —Serena
Oak Flat by Lauren Redniss
Lauren Redniss' Oak Flat is a masterful work of art and an exemplary piece of journalism. The book chronicles the fight between a mining company and the Apaches of Arizona over a piece of land sacred to the Apaches: Oakflat. Redniss not only gives platform to the Apache activists who are advocating for their home and territory, but gives us plenty of context regarding the long history of the United States government infringing violently on the rights of Native Americans. It's a beautifully rendered book, as well as an empathetic and nuanced portrayal of the Arizona Apaches. —Shulokhana
We choose new staff picks every month, so stay tuned for regular updates. Or check out all our past picks below.
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