14 Books By Indigenous Writers to Read Right Now

With a title translated and loosely borrowed from the Mohawk phrase for depression, Haudenosaunee writer Alicia Elliott’s memoir A Mind Spread Out on the Ground was a bestseller in Canada. “I recommend this nonfiction essay collection to everyone. It’s impactful, searing, and covers so many important Indigenous issues,” says Dani, among them ongoing colonial traumas.

“There There is an immensely readable work of fiction about multiple urban Indigenous characters and the long lasting repercussions of violent colonialism,” according to Dani. A finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize, this novel is set in Oakland, California, and follows a broad cast of characters as they navigate Native issues in predominantly white, nonNative spaces.

Adapted for the big screen in 2017, Indian Horse charts a First Nations boy from a residential school through to big-time ice hockey success. “Wagamese's writing is moving, warm, and visceral. For those who are not well informed on the residential school system, this book is for you.”

“This novel gives so much insight into the strength of Indigenous families, individuals, and friendships,” says Dani of Beth Piatote’s debut short story collection about Native life in the northwest. “[The Beadworkers] illuminates where our strength manifests.”

If you’ve read just one book by an Indigenous writer, there’s a good chance it was award-winning Birdie by Tracey Lindberg of the Kelly Lake Cree Nation. Charting the titular Birdie as she moves away from trauma and towards healing, Birdie is one of Dani’s favorite books. “It is a beautifully heartbreaking, at times humorous, abstract dream storm of a novel.”

In a post-apocalyptic tale of life on a reservation, Waubgeshig Rice expands the genre beyond its white bounds and leaves a novel that’s “full of Anishinaabemowin and traditional stories, [in which] we are able to witness the resiliency of the First Nations spirit that will have you eager for more.” And there will be more: a sequel’s on its way.

“An incredibly important novel that delves into Indigenous identity, racism, trauma, and the struggles First Nations women face on a daily basis,” The Break is an intergenerational family saga told via shifting perspectives. Marked by its complex female relationships, Vermette’s poetic background is apparent throughout.

"This beautiful graphic novel anthology features writing and art by many talented contributors, that when combined, produces a visceral result,” says Dani about This Place: 150 Years Retold, which explores post-colonization Indigeneity.

The first of Louise Edrich’s “Native American” trilogy, Love Medicine is set on a North Dakota Ojibwe Reservation and is “beautiful, strong, and well written” according to Dani. “Erdrich touches on many important issues in her first published work of fiction [and Love Medicine] is a true Indigenous literary classic.”

Edited by Joshua Whitehead, Love After the End won the Lambda Literary Award for its collection of speculative fiction by Two Spirit and queer Indigenous authors, including Darcie Little Badger and jaye simpson. “This post-apocalyptic anthology features nine heartbreaking, hilarious, and stunning stories [and] each one challenges colonialism through the art of writing,” says Dani of the anthology.

“In a nonfiction work loved by many, Kimmerer combines science, botany, and Indigenous knowledge seamlessly,” says Dani about Braiding Sweetgrass, an essay collection that blends the author’s experiences as both Indigenous scientist and woman. It’s a powerful call to action for readers to respect both the natural world and Indigenous culture.

Not only is the cover of Diane Wilson’s The Seed Keeper exquisite (thanks go to Mary Austin Speaker for their design), “this is a beautifully written and memorable work of fiction that spans seven generations and weaves through time effortlessly,” says Dani. Once again centering on land, women, and ancestry, The Seed Keeper is a must-read piece of Indigenous literature.

Essay and memoir combine in Billy-Ray Belcourt’s A History of My Brief Body, which has been likened to Ocean Vuong’s novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous. “One of my all time favourite works, Belcourt writes of necessary truths and personal reflections with intelligent, honest, and skillful craft.”

Per Dani, Danielle Geller’s Dog Flowers is “a striking memoir that was different from any that I’ve read.” Over the course of close to 300 pages which combine multiple mediums and straddle genres, “Geller tells her story in a fresh way through words, shared photos, and other mediums.”