Native American Literatures: An Introduction

By Suzanne Evertsen Lundquist

Book Overview

Following the structure of other titles in the Continuum Introductions to Literary Genres series, Native American Literatures includes: A broad definition of the genre and its essential elements. A timeline of developments within the genre. Critical concerns to bear in mind while reading in the genre. Detailed readings of a range of widely taught texts. In-depth analysis of major themes and issues. Signposts for further study within the genre. A summary of the most important criticism in the field. A glossary of terms. An annotated, critical reading list. This book offers students, writers, and serious fans a window into some of the most popular topics, styles and periods in this subject. Authors studied in Native American Literatures include: N. Scott Momaday, Leslie Marmon Silko, Louise Erdrich, James Welch, Linda Hogan, Gerald Vizenor, Sherman Alexie, Louis Owens, Thomas King, Michael Dorris, Simon Ortiz, Cater Revard and Daine Glancy

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0826415997
• ISBN13: 9780826415998
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: Continuum
• Length: 326 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

A particularly wise fortune cookie...

To the previous responder...Mircea Eliade, immanent philosopher of anthropology, stated in his book The Myth of Eternal Return that, with regards to "archaic man," "our concern has been to draw the attention of the philosopher, and of the cultivated man in general, to certain spiritual positions that, although they have been transcended in various regions of the globe, are instructive for our knowledge of man and for man's history itself" (xxv). Dr. Lundquist is introducing, in perspicuous language, a postmodern approach to Native American literatures, revealing how pervading, spurious colonialist and reductive attitudes have long kept people of rich spiritual, mythic, and cultural heritage muted and in the dark. Touching on semiotics, Levinasian ethics, Native Christian discourse, anthropology, and deconstruction (among other approaches) Lundquist adroitly shows how Western metaphors of progress, radical individualism, as well as binary attitudes towards America's indigenous peoples not only contravene the truth but also injure our nation and deprives us of other metaphors that could heal various wounds. As Eliade asserts, looking to the past, i.e. Native American history both past and present, we can find new ways of connecting ourselves to our environment both geographical, political, and social. Through introducing various terms like ecopsycology, original trauma, ontogenetic crippling, and other important terms Lundquist guides the neophyte through some of the more influential books, providing new paradigms and foundational insight through which to approach them. Dr. Lundquist had a focus on Native American studies in her PhD and spent significant time among various tribes. In UT, where she teaches and resides, she is respected in local tribes and regularly teaches classes on Native American Literature. I have taken several university courses from her, including Native American Lit where I was introduced to this book, and can assert from first-hand experience her expansive familiarity as well as intellectual mastery of material both modern and archaic. I highly recommend this book to people interested in critical theory, Native American lit and ethnographic studies. The book also provides a rich bibliography that can be used as an excellent guide towards further study. This book will not only challenge your western paradigms but also give you a strong theoretical foundation from which to approach Native American studies.

Excellent Introduction to Native American Literature

That Dr. Lundquist is a most skillful teacher and careful scholar is evident throughout her work. Here, she serves as a welcoming guide for the student interested in approaching multi-cultural studies generally and Native American literature specifically. She avoids the pitfall of overgeneralizing about a diverse body of literature. Instead, she has devised a cultural bridge for the literary student that celebrates the diversity of Native literature and puts it in an accessible context for both the scholar and the casual student. Dr. Lundquist is a pioneer in the nascent genre of Native American literary criticsm, and this book deserves a place in the library of any student interested in the indigenous literature of the Americas.