Reinventing the Enemy's Language: Contemporary Native Women's Writing of North America

A remarkable anthology of writings by Native American women features a rich variety of poetry, fiction, memoir, and prayer by Louise Erdrich, Leslie Silko, Janet Campbell Hale, Wilma Mankiller, Linda Hogan, Winona LaDuke, and many others. Tour.

Coeditors Harjo (The Woman Who Fell from the Sky, LJ 11/15/94) and Bird (Full Moon on the Reservation, Greenfield Review, 1994) have put together a one-of-a-kind anthology of fiction, poetry, and memoir from over 80 Native women writers representing over 50 nations. Although nationally known writers such as Louise Erdrich, Linda Hogan, and Leslie Silko are included, many others are being published here for the first time. More than a collection of literature, this work is divided into four sections?genesis, struggle, transformation, and returning?to illuminate the writing process. Each writer introduces herself and her philosophical perspective about writing, and the willingness to share personal stories makes this a work of rare beauty, truth, and power. In addition, the anthology also highlights the writers' views on universal concerns such as violence against women, poverty, alcoholism, depression, government/Native American relations, and, especially, identity and place. Recommended for all libraries.?Vicki Leslie Toy Smith, Univ. of Nevada, Reno
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Harjo and Bird explain that the idea for this unprecedented and invaluable anthology grew out of a cycle of conversations among Native American women about their experiences as members of tribal nations, as Americans and Canadians, and as writers and community leaders. As editors, Harjo and Bird hoped to preserve the positive energy of these candid dialogues, and they have succeeded admirably, collecting more than 80 voices from Maui to Alberta, New Mexico to Michigan. Well-known writers such as Louise Erdrich, Linda Hogan, Leslie Silko, and Janet Campbell Hale are present, and so are the poetry, fiction, and memoirs of native women writers who will be new to most readers. Harjo and Bird have also gone beyond the purely literary realm and published the writings of such activists as Wilma Mankiller, Bea Medicine, Sonlatsa Jim-James, and Winona LaDuke. Donna Seaman