(Part 2) Best native american literature books according to redditors
We found 87 Reddit comments discussing the best native american literature books. We ranked the 27 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
Re: Human sacrifices : In The Highest Altar by Patrick Tierney, the author not only discusses human sacrifices in ancient Peru , he presents evidence that he believes to be suggestive of human sacrifices being done in present day. IIRC, he tries to prove that village sorcerers will perform rites at the behest of drug smugglers , to protect them from agents of the law, and these rites may include human sacrifices (primarily of children). TBH, it's been so long that I read it that I cannot recall if the author's arguments are persuasive, but FWIW it's available used from amazon for under two bucks plus shipping, if you're interested.
https://www.amazon.com/Highest-Altar-Story-Human-Sacrifice/dp/0670828092/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524865412&sr=1-1&keywords=the+highest++altar+tierney
Okay here we go:
Indians of the Pacific Northwest: From the Coming of the White Man to the Present Day. General information!
Looking At Indian Art Of The Northwest Coast by Hilary Stewart, which has a lot of the common symbolism you see in many coastal tribes. Many other useful books by this woman. Here's her Amazon page. Some of her books are kinda pricy but there are other affordable ones out there!
Indian Relics Of The Pacific Northwest by SG Seaman. Some visual information on tools used by indigenous tribes, dry but good info.
Art In The Life of the Northwest Coast Indian by Erna Gunther. This one is a little more in depth!
Totem poles were a distinct and important part of many NW coast tribes. Lots of books out there on their function and purpose, definitely something to research.
The potlatch was another extremely important aspect of PNW indigenous lives. Some info here and here, but also lots of research papers for free on the internet.
Salmon was a vital food resource for hundreds of tribes. They fished along the Columbia, Pacific, and other major waterways. Here and here is more info.
Indians of the North Pacific Coast by Tom McFeat.
Mythology is a must! There might be some online collections but here and here are a couple books.
Tales of the Northwest is a classic!
Please check out the Vancouver Museum of Anthropology website. They have TONS of information on a variety of indigenous tribes, with a focus on NW coastal tribes. If you ever have a reason to go to Vancouver you MUST visit this beautiful, beautiful museum.
The Seattle Public Library (also a must visit, just a gorgeous library) has an extensive local history section.
Once you've read a couple books and have a better understanding of what you want to study, it's actually much easier to pick a certain tribe or area and find more information that way. Tons and tons of books out there on the Haida, Kwakiutl, Salish, Chinook, etc. I would highly recommend contacting people who study or write about these tribes! For the most part professors and authors love to talk about their work, or can direct you to other resources.
My final recommendation is if you want to write a fictional book about a PNW tribe, please read some fiction out there already written by indigenous Americans! This will help you more intimately understand the emotion and history that is part of these ancient cultures.
Anyway, don't feel too bogged down by all the info. Pick a subject or two you want to learn about and do some internet research before you buy a book. I don't know what kind of access your library might have, but maybe you could rent a few books through them.
Lastly, if you ever have a chance to come visit the PNW, please do! It is absolutely beautiful out here and unlike many parts of the world. It's cool and rainy so we have an extraordinary abundance of wild flora. So many must visit places: Vancouver, Mt Hood National Park, Vancouver Island, Olympic National Park, the San Juan Islands, the Columbia Gorge, Gold Coast, Oregon Coast, Haystack Rock, Redwood Forest - look up any of those and you will start to get an understanding of how indigenous peoples connected with their gorgeous natural environment. You may also start to notice that many of the pictures that appear in r/earthporn are from the West Coast. It's damn pretty out here.
Cheers, mate, and hit me up if you ever make it out here!
There's a character who does that in the Louise Erdrich novels of which The Last Account of the Miracles at Little No-Horse is a part
have you read Sherman Alexie's book Indian Killer? now there's a hell of a murder mystery.
You should read Conquistador by S.M. Stirling. Very similar idea explored there.
http://www.amazon.com/Conquistador-S-M-Stirling/dp/0451459334
Monkey Beach. It's about the life of a young Aboriginal woman on Canada's west coast who can see ghosts. The author is very stark and honest in representing the violence and dysfunction destroying First Nations communities due to internalized colonization. Beautiful and tragic all at once.
Just a head's up - Eden Robinson can be very graphic in her representation of violence. I've heard some of her other books are harsher in this respect.
http://www.amazon.com/Monkey-Beach-Novel-Eden-Robinson/dp/0618219056/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382862422&sr=8-1&keywords=monkey+beach
Okla Hannali by R.A. Lafferty might be interesting. It's more a story or a myth than history, but try the first pages. Lafferty is unique.