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1492 and Its Sequels

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Last year I made a quick survey of the Library's holdings on Christopher Columbus (and Bartolomé de Las Casas, and Italian-Americans). This year I'm freshly struck by the effort of some cities (Seattle, most notably) to bump ol' Chris aside in favor of honoring indigenous peoples.

To add to your indigenous peoples reading list at the Library, start by clicking here - where you'll find almost 2,400 subject headings, representing thousands more books.

For a single big-picture read, try Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz's An Indigenous People's History of the United States. For just a taste, you might choose to dip into The Cambridge Companion of Native American Literature, edited by Joy Porter and Kenneth M. Roemer, or Janet Catherine Berlo's and Ruth B. Phillips' Native North American Art.

The Oglala Sioux lawyer-writer Vine Deloria Jr. (left) educated me about the American Indian Movement, beginning with his smart, bitter, and hilarious Custer Died for Your Sins.

On the fiction and literature side, we hold the modern classics by Louise Erdrich, Sherman Alexie, and most of the folks in here.

Whether you're celebrating Columbus, native people, or both, happy holiday reading.

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