The Rez Road follies

"Jim Northrup's wry humor, gentle, candor, and eye for telling details have delighted readers of his newspaper column, of his award-winning fiction collection, and audiences attending his acclaimed one-man theater piece. Now, with a growing reputation as a storyteller, poet, and performer, Northrup has gathered his humor and heartfelt essays into his first nonfiction book, inviting readers to explore the world of contemporary American Indian life through the eyes of one wise, funny man. In simple, direct language, Northrup recalls key events of his own life: enduring a bleak government boarding school, facing enemy fire in Vietnam, confronting family tragedies, and becoming "almost an elder," a grandfather. Pith Q-&-A session offer droll commentary on his encounters with "the immigrant community," as he calls European-Americans: "Why do you call it a Rez instead of a reservation? Because the white man owns most of it." In leisurely anecdotes, he celebrates ancient rituals, such as harvesting wild rice, tapping maple trees, and putting out rabbit snares. His tales also dramatize the impact of modern changes, like the growth of Native American political activism and the advent of Indian casinos. With the skill he brings to weaving birch bark baskets, Jim Northrup intertwines laconic observation and poetic reflection in a book that engages the heart, the mind, and the funny bone." -- Provided by publisher