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Shapes of Native Nonfiction

Shapes of Native Nonfiction

Collected Essays by Contemporary Writers

I'll admit that after being blown away by the introduction  I did expect to see more variance in the traditional essay form than this collection indicates. I saw changes in formatting, and a few innovations, but I think it's best to view it as a selection of native non-fiction essays. The subject matter is strong enough to do away with gimmicks. 
Speaking of, discussion of trauma makes up a large portion of the works included, so just know that basically every trigger warning you can think of should be included. 
Standouts for me, personally: 
Letter to a Just-Starting-Out Indian Writer-and Maybe to Myself by Stephen Graham Jones: 
No surprise, the essay was excellent, incisive and concise. I've experienced  mostly wins with his horror, I think now I have to see what other nonfiction he's written. 
Toulumne by Deborah A. Miranda:  Ache of loss when you can't even be sure of the scope of everything that's been taken.
To the Man who Gave me Cancer by Adrienne Keene: Powerful, gripped me. 
Pain Scale Treaties by Laura Da' : Twining pain of illness, post-surgery with generational trauma, the harm of in incision vs the harm of a people's forced removal from their land. 
Women in the Fracklands by Toni Jensen: Haunting; particularly the Q&A section, presented in the framework of victim blaming questions asked after a sexual assault, answered in the context of Standing Rock.

July 8, 2024Report this review