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joaniesickler's review against another edition
4.0
David Treuer is coming next week to speak at Santa Fe's School for Advanced Research, which has been around since the 50s. He'll be talking about his nonfiction work Life on the Rez, so I wanted to read some of his work first. And what a sweet surprise this love story is. One reviewier, Edmund White?, nails it by saying "Imagine Longefellow's The Song of Hiawatha written by Nobokov and you will get some idea of the linguistic fireworks and suavity of the prose in this extraordinary book." Plus, Treuer is Ojibwe from northern Minnesota. I grew up in MN and never had any sense at all of the life and culture of our dominant tribe.
roscoehuxley's review against another edition
4.0
Alone and seemingly satisfied with this, Dr Appelles lives a predictable and well-ordered life working at a library-type organization and translating American Indian texts one day every two weeks. His new translation somehow makes it obvious to him that he has never known love and needs it.
Told as two stories: that of Dr Appelles and the story from translation. The translation story is American Indian myth of two people destined for each other and the tragedies that nearly come between them. Dr Appelles story tells of his routines and their slow methodical breakdown, including a relationship with a coworker.
But does the translation really exist? Does the love affair?
Treuer weaves an enticing tale with two stories. Events appear and reappear throughout the book, at first seemingly repetitve, but then you realize they are always seen from a different perspective. I enjoyed the use of Ojibwe language throughout, and was particularly pleased that it was not translated.
Told as two stories: that of Dr Appelles and the story from translation. The translation story is American Indian myth of two people destined for each other and the tragedies that nearly come between them. Dr Appelles story tells of his routines and their slow methodical breakdown, including a relationship with a coworker.
But does the translation really exist? Does the love affair?
Treuer weaves an enticing tale with two stories. Events appear and reappear throughout the book, at first seemingly repetitve, but then you realize they are always seen from a different perspective. I enjoyed the use of Ojibwe language throughout, and was particularly pleased that it was not translated.
stacialithub's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
It's a unique look at being Native American in the modern American world. Through two parallel storylines, Treuer examines the traditional, old version of native stories contrasted & compared with the version of a modern man's story. Treuer's work also weaves in questions about stories, books, histories, our inner lives, & our outer lives. I think I found it especially intriguing because dd has always been interested in Native American life & we have spent many hours over the years at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian (& a few other places too), which provides a glimpse not only of history but also of modern life. Treuer's book fit neatly with all the exhibits I've seen & read about; Treuer is well-placed to muse on some of these topics as he is Ojibwe from the Leech Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota.
Worth reading.
It's a unique look at being Native American in the modern American world. Through two parallel storylines, Treuer examines the traditional, old version of native stories contrasted & compared with the version of a modern man's story. Treuer's work also weaves in questions about stories, books, histories, our inner lives, & our outer lives. I think I found it especially intriguing because dd has always been interested in Native American life & we have spent many hours over the years at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian (& a few other places too), which provides a glimpse not only of history but also of modern life. Treuer's book fit neatly with all the exhibits I've seen & read about; Treuer is well-placed to muse on some of these topics as he is Ojibwe from the Leech Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota.
Worth reading.
beththebookdragon's review against another edition
2.0
Fascinating in an understated sort of way. I'm enjoying Dr. Appelles' own experience of translating the story and his self-revelations even more than the story he's translating of the tale of colonial-era Native Americans.
As the story goes on it, so little happens and in a less engaging way than at first, so I abandoned it.
As the story goes on it, so little happens and in a less engaging way than at first, so I abandoned it.
melanie_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, a decent read. Asks some very good questions about the modern identity of Native Americans and who gets to tell personal histories/native identities.
emmc's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
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