Top Ten Tuesday

TTT – Books By Indigenous Authors

By on • ( 35 Comments )

Top Ten Tuesday used to be a weekly post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, but was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. “It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.” This is definitely something I can understand and want to participate in.

This week’s prompt is a thankful freebie, but since I kind of did this on Friday, I wanted to honor Indigenous people in today’s post. November is Native American Heritage Month here in the United States, and while there’s a long way to go to achieve justice, I do think it’s important to learn more about the experiences and history of cultures different from my own. Here’s some books by Indigenous authors that I’ve read and loved:

  1. There, There by Tommy Orange — this book tells the stories of various characters traveling to the Big Oakland Powwow, and the stories all intertwine in a stunning conclusion.
  2. Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley — a powerful story where a young biracial girl learns more about her Ashinaabe heritage and is forced to make a difficult decision to protect her people.
  3. Five Little Indians by Michelle Good — this one explores the lasting impact that residential schools had on people who were forced to attend them.
  4. Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga — a nonfiction book that critically examines the inequality First Nations people face and how it impacts their lives (and deaths).
  5. Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice — this dystopic and claustrophobic story incorporates Ashinaabe culture and was the kind of thriller that I couldn’t put down until the climactic ending. 
  6. Better the Blood by Michael Bennet — this introduced me to Māori culture, and involves a fascinating mystery as well.
  7. Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine — the story of an Indigenous Chicana woman and her roots slowly unfolds in this gorgeous historical fiction book, and I strongly recommend the audiobook.
  8. Shutter by Ramona Emerson — a mystery with elements of paranormal horror and Navajo beliefs that I couldn’t put down, and the audiobook is narrated beautifully.
  9. Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse — this fantasy is set in pre-Columbian times and it’s incredible.
  10. Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty — a debut collection of short stories that hits hard and depicts life on a reservation in Maine.

What are some books written by and about Indigenous people that you recommend?

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35 replies »

  5. Lovely idea for a Thanksgiving post. There There is still on my TBR and I hope to read it soon. Ten Little Indians were the original title for Agatha Christie’s And then there were None. The last line of the post. Just out of curiosity, I want to take a closer look. The “new” title does sound like a good read.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Elza Reads

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    • Thank you! I thought all of these reads were incredible, although I’m always looking to expand my knowledge about other cultures. I hope you give them a read and get as much out of them as I did. Enjoy your Thanksgiving (or just have a good week if you don’t celebrate).

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  7. Pingback: Top Ten Tuesday: Books by Indigenous Authors – Functionally Fictional

    • Thank you! Two Old Women sounds fantastic – I added it to my TBR, thanks for the recommendation. I’m so glad to help offer more ownvoices books to you as well, and hope you enjoy them when you read them. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  15. Nice response to this week’s freebie–I haven’t seen another post (yet) use it as a way to highlight some book written by Native Americans. This is definitely an area in which I want to read more books, so I’ll remember to revisit your post down the road. The only one I can remember reading somewhat recently is Killers of the Flower Moon, though it wasn’t written by an Indigenous person.

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  17. Thanks for the list. I would recommend a book that had a strong and informative impact on me.
    Alicia Elliot, A Mind Spread Out on the Ground
    I learned about so many challenges that face Indigenous Peoples, subtle factors that are surprisingly significant.

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