Genocide of the Mind: New Native American Writing

Compelling and filled with stories of struggle and identity, this collection of nonfiction pieces written by native Americans explores the line between traditionalism and urban modernity among Native Americans, including contributions from Sherman Alexie, Leslie Marmon Silko, and Simon Ortiz, among many others. Original.

After five centuries of Eurocentrism, many people have little idea that Native American tribes still exist, or which traditions belong to what tribes. However over the past decade there has been a rising movement to accurately describe Native cultures and histories. In particular, people have begun to explore the experience of urban Indians—individuals who live in two worlds struggling to preserve traditional Native values within the context of an ever-changing modern society. In Genocide of the Mind, the experience and determination of these people is recorded in a revealing and compelling collection of essays that brings the Native American experience into the twenty-first century. Contributors include: Paula Gunn Allen, Simon Ortiz, Sherman Alexie, Leslie Marmon Silko, and Maurice Kenny, as well as emerging writers from different Indian nations.