This is super apt since Columbus Day just passed. There, There is author Tommy Orange’s literary debut. It tells the story of the Native American diaspora, the consequence of a genocide that America masks and glorifies. Through various perspectives, the reader is able to see the cause and effect the massacre of these people have had generationally.
Imagine trying to put together the pieces of broken glass. Gathering up all the pieces is nearly impossible, even if you did what tools could you use to put it all back together? How do you do it without getting shards underneath your skin, without bleeding? This is the struggle of the contemporary Native Americans, trying to rebuild what was dismantled and destroyed.
Beyond history class, Columbus Day and Thanksgiving, where are the voices of the Native American people? This book is gritty, thought provoking, heart rending and necessary. These voices need to be heard. Their stories are integral to the history of the American people.
