The Night Watchman

Louise Erdrich is a relatively new author to me. I read her 2012 novel, The Round House, last year, which I thought was amazing, and I've just finished The Night Watchman (which I didn't realise had won the Pulitzer Prize until I was searching for this cover image online -- congrats, Louise!) and which is even better.

I'm not sure which I find more compelling, Erdrich's rich story telling, or the Native American world of her novels. The Night Watchman is partly based on her own grandfather's life and his fight to halt the planned termination of Indian tribes in the 1950s, which was framed as an opportunity for Native Americans to fully assimilate with other Americans, but was really a grab for reservation land, and would have meant annihilation of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa tribe. This actually happened to other tribes. But Erdrich beautifully and movingly weaves in aspects of Native American culture and belief through the political story -- there are ghosts and spirits here, plant medicine, cradle boards and dreams.

Not surprisingly, there are many parallels between the treatment of Native Americans and Australia's First Nations peoples -- a history of dispossession, attempts at assimilation (in America, often through boarding schools; in Australia, through the Stolen Generations), and of course intergenerational trauma, sometimes leading to alcoholism and domestic abuse. But what is most remarkable is the strength and determination of the survivors.

It's so thrilling to discover a 'new' impressive author, especially when they have a massive back catalogue to explore, and even better, when your new favourite library has them all lined up on the shelf.