Walking the Rez Road

It's not hard to see why this is an award-winning piece of Ojibwe literature. At times, it's funny or sad, and pointed or lighthearted, and despairing or hopeful ... and always very readable—well, except for a couple of poems written in Anishinaabemowin. I skipped over those because I know about two words of that language.

It's a collection of short stories, poems (don't worry, most of them are in English), op-ed pieces, and even a short screenplay. The short stories are all connected through the character of a Vietnam veteran, Luke Warmwater. They tell a larger story arc over the course of the book as he comes to terms with life on the reservation. I didn't care much for the short screenplay, but I absolutely was drawn in by the show more poetry. The op-ed pieces are thoughtful, snarky, and show a great deal of common sense.

For me, this was definitely worth the time. show less

This is a view of gritty life, the reality of living on a reservation for many modern Native Americans. There are many tales involving drinking or being drunk. It's not gilded, but it is often funny. How else can you deal with hard times? Although each chapter is an isolated story, you get a sense of progression, as Luke Warmwater develops from a bitter vet to a man living in a more traditional manner.

Walking the Rez Road contains forty short stories and poems featuring Luke Warmwater as a central character. Luke is a Vietnam veteran who has survived the war but is having "trouble/surviving the peace" on a reservation where everyone is broke and where the tribal government seems to work against the interests of the reservation folk. Throughout Walking the Rez Road, it is humor that holds the people and their community together. Winner, Midwest Book Achievement Award, Minnesota Book Award, Northeastern Minnesota Book Award. (Product Description)