The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

Erdrich is another go-to favorite of mine, and her magical, almost surreal writing celebrating her Native American heritage never disappoints. Erdrich elaborates on the unfortunate history of termination of Native American tribes; that is, the movement in Congress to renege on pacts with Native tribes and eliminate their sovereignty and rights to their land. (Indeed, perhaps the only disappointing thing in the book is the consistency with which the American government tried to eliminate Native Americans.) While the Turtle Mountain band of Chippewa (of which Erdrich is a member) were not terminated, 113 tribes were, further displacing and impoverishing native peoples in honor of Manifest Destiny, or whatever the hell you want to call it. Regardless of its sad historical accuracy, the book’s rich character development and description of hard, but beautiful, reservation life, is enriching. Reader tip: read the afterward for more historical context and understanding Erdrich’s family’s role in fighting against the bill, which appeared before Congress in 1953/1954. 5 out of 5 bocks! 🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓
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