We often talk about diversity in the workplace, in our schools, and in our communities. However, diversity is crucial in a place we’ve likely overlooked – our bookshelves. According to The New York Times, a majority of published authors are white. In order to gain a broader perspective of the world and the human experience, we need to buy and read books by Indigenous authors, as well. Here are a few Indigenous American authors who offer captivating narratives of their experiences in this country.
Kali Fajardo-Anstine
Born in Denver, Colorado, Kali Fajardo-Anstine has won numerous awards for novels and short stories alike. Fajardo-Anstine captures Chicano and Latinx life as it unfolds for the eclectic characters in her stories. Sabrina & Corina takes place in Denver and depicts a fascinating tale of mothers, daughters, and female friendships.
Natalie Diaz
An enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community, Natalie Diaz has published gorgeous poetry in two collections, Postcolonial Love Poem and When My Brother Was an Aztec. Diaz pens dazzling poems about the Southwest, capturing its land, people, rivers, and animals with descriptive words that transport the reader to hazy desert landscapes. These collections also make great gifts for anyone on your holiday shopping list.
Richard Wagamese
Richard Wagamese has penned an extensive catalog that spans genres. One of his best-known novels, Indian Horse, looks at the trauma endured by Native Americans at residential schools in Canada. He expertly captures an experience that many of us would not know, yet is incredibly impactful over generations for Native children. Wagamese’s memoir, One Native Life, uses essays, songs, and letters to paint a picture of the author’s complex, difficult and beautiful existence.
James Welch
A member of the Blackfeet and A’aninin tribes, James Welch has long fought for Native American voices in the U.S. and beyond. Welch is also Irish and his writing seeks to celebrate and remember his multiple heritages. His writing depicts life for Native peoples living on and off the reservation, highlighting poignant moments, victories and hardships with beautiful prose.
Leslie Marmon Silko
Born in New Mexico, Leslie Marmon Silko took ten years to write her thought-provoking, 800-page novel, Almanac of the Dead, which looks at multifaceted experiences of making a life in America. Silko draws upon her experience of living in the Laguna Pueblo community and raises awareness about racism and settler colonialism.
Susan Power
Susan Power first worked in the legal profession but quickly changed course to pursue writing. After years of technical writing, Power found footing in the creative writing world with works published in The Paris Review and Atlantic Monthly. She now has a large body of published work including her first novel, The Grass Dancer, that follows a Native American family across four generations.
Continue to support Indigenous authors year-round by purchasing novels, anthologies, and poetry by them. Through reading, we gain the perspective of that author and a different understanding of another iteration of life.