Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Anchor Canada (1900), 336 pages
Description
The Inconvenient Indian is at once a 'history' and the complete subversion of a history-in short, a critical and personal meditation that the remarkable Thomas King has conducted over the past 50 years about what it means to be 'Indian' in North America. Rich with dark and light, pain and magic, this book distills the insights gleaned from that meditation, weaving the curiously circular tale of the relationship between non-Natives and Natives in the centuries since the two first encountered each other. In the process, King refashions old stories about historical events and figures, takes a sideways look at film and pop culture, relates his own complex experiences with activism, and articulates a deep and revolutionary understanding of the cumulative effects of ever-shifting laws and treaties on Native peoples and lands. This is a book both timeless and timely, burnished with anger but tempered by wit, and ultimately a hard-won offering of hope -- a sometimes inconvenient, but nonetheless indispensable account for all of us, Indian and non-Indian alike, seeking to understand how we might tell a new story for the future.… (more)
Media reviews
The book Canadians are snapping up hardly paints them in a flattering light. King’s tone is breezy and light, full of funny stories and self-deprecating jokes, but just below that geniality lies a deep reservoir of bitterness over the treatment of Indians in Canada and the United States that
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continues on to this day. White North Americans, he argues, prefer their Indians noble, primitive, and safely extinct, and actual, live Indians who stubbornly insist on their rights as an independent people they regard as at best a troublesome nuisance. Show Less
It’s a mistake to expect a scholarly history of Native Americans—though Thomas King certainly has he chops to write it—but what we get instead is something only King could do: an historical and cultural memoir, packed with facts and using narrative as it is best used. ... A bit lighter in
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tone than Vine Deloria Jr.’s Custer Died for Your Sins, The Inconvenient Indian is also fully rooted in the 21st century, with discussion of contemporary Native American practices and culture. Show Less
The Inconvenient Indian is less an indictment than a reassurance that we can create equality and harmony. A powerful, important book.
Novelist Thomas King describes his brilliantly insightful, peevish book about native people in North America as a “a series of conversations and arguments that I’ve been having with myself and others for most of my adult life.” Making no excuses for the intrusion of his own personal biases
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and the book’s lack of footnotes, King suggests we view The Inconvenient Indian not as history, but as storytelling “fraught with history.” Show Less
Dr. King’s book should be required reading for anyone seeking insider insight into how Indians have been treated in Canada versus the United States. Born in America and now a distinguished Canadian writer-educator, the author is in a prime position for this undertaking. - See more at:
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http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/inconvenient-indian#sthash.0tQDDdxo.dpuf Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member NielsenGW
If you’re looking for a blunt collection of thoughts on the course of the history of North American Indians, then look no further than Thomas King’s The Inconvenient Indian. King, a member of the Cherokee Nation, tackles the history of the American Indian from the point of view of a novelist,
This history includes perspectives from both American and Canadian tribes, and learning more about the native peoples of Canada was very refreshing. We so often hear the plight of Native Americans that we forget about those who were living elsewhere on the continent. The only thing that this book lacks is adequate source documentation or footnotes for his information. King gladly states that he isn’t out to write a scholarly or complete history, but a few citations wouldn’t hurt his cause. A pleasant but slightly biased read.
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and so this isn’t as stringent a history book as one might hope for. But that doesn’t prevent him from presenting a chronicle of how Native Indian history and North American history have intertwined. It’s interesting and insightful but clearly opinionated. In any case, however, King’s prose is fun, witty, and also challenging to hear. This history includes perspectives from both American and Canadian tribes, and learning more about the native peoples of Canada was very refreshing. We so often hear the plight of Native Americans that we forget about those who were living elsewhere on the continent. The only thing that this book lacks is adequate source documentation or footnotes for his information. King gladly states that he isn’t out to write a scholarly or complete history, but a few citations wouldn’t hurt his cause. A pleasant but slightly biased read.
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LibraryThing member mdoris
Just finished [The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America] by [[Thomas King]]. Did I like this book? Well I was impressed with his research, his intelligence, his wry conversational style but did I like it? He is sure of his facts and there is no doubt about the
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horrible long history of oppression. Okay I liked it but it is a one horse kind of book with no debater in the wings to challenge his content or provide perspectives. Of course oppression for any group is horrible and being a woman with 4 daughters, my flag is oppression for women and that's a BIG book right there. I did learn a lot but I felt more than a little let down with the lack of addressing some big picture issues i.e. poverty, money mismanagement at the reserve authority level, health concerns, alcohol and drug abuse, incarceration statistics, educational achievement levels. I guess too that I was looking for some solutions which I didn't find. So good book to start some conversations but such a black hole for concerns. It is so complex and political. Show Less
LibraryThing member jwood652
Those inconvenient North American Indians have the audacity to interfere with the white men in their never ending quest for more land. This book details many examples both in the past and ongoing, of the abuse of those inconvenient Indians. Thomas King (Cherokee) presents an interesting diatribe
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(pun? Intended) against this ongoing situation. He cites many examples of the treaties and other tactics used. This book includes both the US and Canada. I enjoyed many of the observations including the discussion of Indians in film, mentioning that several Native Americans didn't look authentic enough to get Indian roles and one of the most prolific Indian actors, Will Rogers (Cherokee) who was more than just a brilliant wit, never played an Indian. The section on Dead Indians (stereotypical Indians) and Live (real) Indians was very interesting. I'm not proud of my ancestral legacy of dealing with the Indians. There is enough land on this continent that employing such concepts as manifest destiny and eminent domain, using short-lived treaties and ruthless slaughter is not only appalling but unnecessary. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cecilturtle
There's one thing to be said about this book: King does not mince his words! In a flurry of passion and pride for his people, King recounts the history that never makes it into the classrooms, that of North America's first people, the hardships, injustices and prejudices they endure and continue to
Whereas I'm not a big non fiction reader, I devoured these pages in just a few days, captivated by King's colourful language, sarcasm, wide ranging examples and descriptive themes. He made me think. Think about what it means to be an American Indian without a land, schools or any 'natural' rights. Think about the effects of decades of abuse, repression and silence. But also think about what sovereignty might look like, especially in a global economy and geopolitical framework.
And this is where I believe King's book fails - whereas his protests are valid (although he also conveniently forgets some of the more important contributions from Whites like alphabetization), his vision of the future, in my opinion, remains stale. Stuck in European imperialism, which as world events show us is on the way out, he does not propose a convincing solution to ensure prosperity and cultural independence of a group of people who, according to him, can be divided into some 500+ tribes, each with their customs, languages and forms of governance. In a world where globally, humans are more and more tied and interdependent, there must be a better way to preserve the heritage of their forefathers and integrate the lessons of people who lived off the land.
This, hopefully, will be subject of his next book.
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experience, the deafness to their pleas, the silence of their culture.Whereas I'm not a big non fiction reader, I devoured these pages in just a few days, captivated by King's colourful language, sarcasm, wide ranging examples and descriptive themes. He made me think. Think about what it means to be an American Indian without a land, schools or any 'natural' rights. Think about the effects of decades of abuse, repression and silence. But also think about what sovereignty might look like, especially in a global economy and geopolitical framework.
And this is where I believe King's book fails - whereas his protests are valid (although he also conveniently forgets some of the more important contributions from Whites like alphabetization), his vision of the future, in my opinion, remains stale. Stuck in European imperialism, which as world events show us is on the way out, he does not propose a convincing solution to ensure prosperity and cultural independence of a group of people who, according to him, can be divided into some 500+ tribes, each with their customs, languages and forms of governance. In a world where globally, humans are more and more tied and interdependent, there must be a better way to preserve the heritage of their forefathers and integrate the lessons of people who lived off the land.
This, hopefully, will be subject of his next book.
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LibraryThing member rsummer
If you are looking for an example to support the notion that " democracy can be the tyranny of the majority" then this book will provide numerous examples. This is an important and difficult book to read at times. Where do we go from here is left to the reader to ponder.
LibraryThing member literateowl
-finalist---hilary-weston-writers-trust-prize-for-non-fiction
Thomas King has proven his storytelling craft in many titles, including a Massey Lecture series, but this book spells out native history from various POV or at least lens. Without whining he skillfully retells an argument that racial
Thomas King has proven his storytelling craft in many titles, including a Massey Lecture series, but this book spells out native history from various POV or at least lens. Without whining he skillfully retells an argument that racial
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inequity has always been a political strategy not just a historical misfortune. In a conversational style, full of wit yet powerful narrative of the plight of First Nations people, King, finds a way to be poignant without pandering, yet, he doesn't temper his punches either. This is a must read for anyone wanting to fully pull his head out of the sand. Show Less
LibraryThing member jpporter
This is an excellent book. The author takes a fairly understated, conversational approach to the history of North American natives and the impact of European colonization on the native culture. Mr. King is clever, witty and unpresuming, while being - at the same time - objective, critical and fair
There is no whitewashing of anything here, and King (himself a native American) gives an appropriate critical assessment of the way whites have treated natives, and also a critical assessment of how natives are using the opportunities that have been made available to them.
The entire discussion is presented in a homey fashion that avoids the dryness of a straight-forward history - it is more like having a conversation with a good friend.
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about the treatment native Americans have received. There is no whitewashing of anything here, and King (himself a native American) gives an appropriate critical assessment of the way whites have treated natives, and also a critical assessment of how natives are using the opportunities that have been made available to them.
The entire discussion is presented in a homey fashion that avoids the dryness of a straight-forward history - it is more like having a conversation with a good friend.
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LibraryThing member bjellis
This is an important book. Luckily, it is very well written, with equal parts facts and good storytelling technique. When I found both "vorpal' and 'seigneurial' on the same page, I knew I was in for a challenge and an entertaining one -- I was not disappointed.
King gives a history of all things
The history of Natives and the film industry is amazing, and film buffs with even a minimum of Native American interest would do well to read it -- it's the first part of the book so impossible to miss. It's a history unknown to most non-Natives (maybe to Natives too) and is important to understanding the 'image' of Indians that's been built in this country. One of the interesting bits is about Will Rogers who, by the 1930s, was the highest-grossing, highest-paid actor in Hollywood. And although he was Indian, he never played an Indian role -- Hollywood didn't think he looked Indian enough. Most of us remember Rogers as a good-natured social commentator; King more correctly characterizes him as a man of "honesty and intelligence, along with a wit that was so sharp and gentle he could cut and heal you with the same stroke." That description fits King's writing style as much as it fits Rogers' wit, and by the end of this book I was always trying to anticipate (but always missing) how King would gently but incisively undercut a point he had been building to. His approach lets you know that he knows he doesn't have all the answers, and he'll appreciate it if you do catch the knife-sharp edges of his comments but he'll gently laugh at you if you miss them. It's the kind of humor that you catch a beat later, and then you end up laughing at yourself along with him.
The history of treaties, up through the present day, is essential to understanding how Native Americans perceive the rest of the inhabitants of this country. The perspective and the the insights are something I can't really convey in a review; I do know I needed this book. It showed me more about myself, and my country, than I counted on. I think I need to read it again....
King gives a history of all things
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Native American, humanizing and correcting the history I thought I knew. He provides lots of facts and names for anyone who cares to pursue a topic or simply become more literate about who's who and what's what. The history of Natives and the film industry is amazing, and film buffs with even a minimum of Native American interest would do well to read it -- it's the first part of the book so impossible to miss. It's a history unknown to most non-Natives (maybe to Natives too) and is important to understanding the 'image' of Indians that's been built in this country. One of the interesting bits is about Will Rogers who, by the 1930s, was the highest-grossing, highest-paid actor in Hollywood. And although he was Indian, he never played an Indian role -- Hollywood didn't think he looked Indian enough. Most of us remember Rogers as a good-natured social commentator; King more correctly characterizes him as a man of "honesty and intelligence, along with a wit that was so sharp and gentle he could cut and heal you with the same stroke." That description fits King's writing style as much as it fits Rogers' wit, and by the end of this book I was always trying to anticipate (but always missing) how King would gently but incisively undercut a point he had been building to. His approach lets you know that he knows he doesn't have all the answers, and he'll appreciate it if you do catch the knife-sharp edges of his comments but he'll gently laugh at you if you miss them. It's the kind of humor that you catch a beat later, and then you end up laughing at yourself along with him.
The history of treaties, up through the present day, is essential to understanding how Native Americans perceive the rest of the inhabitants of this country. The perspective and the the insights are something I can't really convey in a review; I do know I needed this book. It showed me more about myself, and my country, than I counted on. I think I need to read it again....
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LibraryThing member LynnB
Thomas King is an established, good writer. In this book, he looks at the issues confronted by Aboriginal and other Canadians today in terms of true reconciliation with Aboriginal peoples. Written with a wry sense of humour, often tongue in cheek, he places current issues in a historic context. If
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you are unfamiliar with Aboriginal issues, this book would be an excellent introduction. If you are more familiar, as I am, this book explains in clear terms what is behind many of the positions and news stories you hear today. Show Less
LibraryThing member gypsysmom
This book is one of the five finalists in the CBC Canada Reads competition for 2015. The theme of this year's competition is "One book to break barriers". I must confess that the only other book in this year's competition that I have read is Ru by Kim Thuy which is about the experiences of a young
Thomas King presents the history of native and white interactions in North America from the first but this is not a dry, dull history text. Instead King brings his humour and satire to bear on the subject so that I snorted with laughter often while I was reading it. Of course, at other times I tsked and shook my head at the things I read.
King says that it took him 6 years to write this book "and probably most of [his] lifetime for the rest of the stuff." (quoted from an interview with Shelagh Rogers on The Next Chapter) He is uniquely qualified to discuss this subject. He lives in Guelph Ontario now but he grew up in California and studied in Utah. He is a Cherokee and he counts people from many other tribes among his friends. He has travelled widely in North America (and outside of it; he tried to become a citizen of New Zealand when he was young).
If you want to distill all relations between natives and non-natives down to one thing King says that one thing would be land. He posits that non-natives view land as a commodity but natives have a spiritual connection to the land. That has made natives defenders of ecosystems but it frustrates whites who want to use the land for material wealth. King is scathing about the Tar Sands development and I can't say I blame him. That sort of rape and pillage of the land will shock future generations (if there are future generations).
I will be interested to see how this book fares in the Canada Reads competition. Even if it doesn't win I hope it will get enough publicity to make Canadians think about our future with "Inconvenient Indians".
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Vietnamese woman who immigrates to Canada. The other nominated books are And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier (a novel about two boys living in the woods on their own), Intolerable by Kamal Al-Solaylee (a memoir about an Islamic man coming out as gay) and When Everything Feels like the Movies by Raziel Reid (a YA novel about a transgendered boy). To me The Inconvenient Indian is the best book to break barriers.Thomas King presents the history of native and white interactions in North America from the first but this is not a dry, dull history text. Instead King brings his humour and satire to bear on the subject so that I snorted with laughter often while I was reading it. Of course, at other times I tsked and shook my head at the things I read.
King says that it took him 6 years to write this book "and probably most of [his] lifetime for the rest of the stuff." (quoted from an interview with Shelagh Rogers on The Next Chapter) He is uniquely qualified to discuss this subject. He lives in Guelph Ontario now but he grew up in California and studied in Utah. He is a Cherokee and he counts people from many other tribes among his friends. He has travelled widely in North America (and outside of it; he tried to become a citizen of New Zealand when he was young).
If you want to distill all relations between natives and non-natives down to one thing King says that one thing would be land. He posits that non-natives view land as a commodity but natives have a spiritual connection to the land. That has made natives defenders of ecosystems but it frustrates whites who want to use the land for material wealth. King is scathing about the Tar Sands development and I can't say I blame him. That sort of rape and pillage of the land will shock future generations (if there are future generations).
I will be interested to see how this book fares in the Canada Reads competition. Even if it doesn't win I hope it will get enough publicity to make Canadians think about our future with "Inconvenient Indians".
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LibraryThing member Lindsay_W
At the beginning of The Inconvenient Indian, King asserts that white people’s attitudes towards First Nations have changed very little in the last few centuries. It seems like a provocative statement, but by the end of the book, he has more than proven this point. King details hundreds of years
What all these stories have in common is the devastating consequences that can result from removing indigenous people from their land. If nothing else, King says he would like people to understand the critical role that land plays in aboriginal culture.
King’s writing style makes it feel more like he is telling you a personal story – complete with considerable wit and with his partner Helen pitching in from time to time. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the history of our country’s relationship with aboriginal people. It is a finalist in the 2015 CBC Canada Reads “One book to break barriers” competition.
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of Canadian and American paternalistic government policies designed to assimilate or exterminate the First Nations of North America. A history of stolen land, relocations, cultural denial, residential schools, broken treaty promises, and more, have all hindered First Nations struggle for self-determination and sovereignty. What all these stories have in common is the devastating consequences that can result from removing indigenous people from their land. If nothing else, King says he would like people to understand the critical role that land plays in aboriginal culture.
King’s writing style makes it feel more like he is telling you a personal story – complete with considerable wit and with his partner Helen pitching in from time to time. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the history of our country’s relationship with aboriginal people. It is a finalist in the 2015 CBC Canada Reads “One book to break barriers” competition.
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LibraryThing member jwood652
Those inconvenient North American Indians have the audacity to interfere with the white men in their never ending quest for more land. This book details many examples both in the past and ongoing, of the abuse of those inconvenient Indians. Thomas King (Cherokee) presents an interesting diatribe
Show More
(pun? Intended) against this ongoing situation. He cites many examples of the treaties and other tactics used. This book includes both the US and Canada. I enjoyed many of the observations including the discussion of Indians in film, mentioning that several Native Americans didn't look authentic enough to get Indian roles and one of the most prolific Indian actors, Will Rogers (Cherokee) who was more than just a brilliant wit, never played an Indian. The section on Dead Indians (stereotypical Indians) and Live (real) Indians was very interesting. I'm not proud of my ancestral legacy of dealing with the Indians. There is enough land on this continent that employing such concepts as manifest destiny and eminent domain, using short-lived treaties and ruthless slaughter is not only appalling but unnecessary. Show Less
LibraryThing member LibraryCin
This is a history (from the point of view of an Indian non-historican) of Indians in North America. It looks at treaties, popular culture and more.
It was ok. I liked that it was very informal, with some humour thrown in. I quite enjoyed how the author interjected his wife's comments in at various
It was ok. I liked that it was very informal, with some humour thrown in. I quite enjoyed how the author interjected his wife's comments in at various
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points, as well. To be honest, I'm not sure how much of it I'll remember, though. Having trouble focusing on it could have been due to a personal loss just before starting the book, however. Show Less
LibraryThing member Haidji
From the amazon book description: (because I'm speechless after reading this book)
"In The Inconvenient Indian, Thomas King offers a deeply knowing, darkly funny, unabashedly opinionated, and utterly unconventional account of Indian–White relations in North America since initial contact..."
I'm
This book should be taught in high school.
"In The Inconvenient Indian, Thomas King offers a deeply knowing, darkly funny, unabashedly opinionated, and utterly unconventional account of Indian–White relations in North America since initial contact..."
I'm
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speechless! This book should be taught in high school.
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LibraryThing member LDVoorberg
I enjoy Thomas King's books, but this one did not engage me. I know it's nonfiction, and he did what he could to inject his typical humour into it (and he succeeded in that) but the subject matter is just so challenging and depressing, it's difficult to like this book. It comes across as all
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history does -- very one sided. Certainly how European settlers treated the American natives was wrong, but how can we right such an ingrained wrong? Politics are politics: it's not necessary a conspiracy to eliminate aboriginals. All interest groups get screwed by politics! It's a story that must be told, but not as the sole voice. I look forward to reading his latest piece of fiction instead. Show Less
LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
The glib sarcasm (which was suppose to be humor) & his abject self appeasing style of writing put me off......
Many (incorrect) historical "facts" were rightly put to death... but I wasn't impressed and I liked "Green Grass, Running Water" by him much better......
LibraryThing member SandyAMcPherson
This edition is an updated version of the earlier book (2012) and includes the author's photography and 2017 political statements. For the dominating white culture, this is a rightfully embarrassing history of injustice and unfairness, written in a slightly ironical narrative. Thomas King has a
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wonderful turn of words which appear through out the book: just for openers, "...writing non-fiction is like herding porcupines with your elbows..." and many other highly quotable insights on Native - White relationships in North America. This book should be required reading in high school history classes as good start on correcting the mistaken views perpetuated in educational settings. Show Less
LibraryThing member Gwendydd
This is a scathing history of how Indians have been treated in their own land for the past few hundred years, told in the rambling style of an old man sitting by the campfire, with a heaping dose of gallows humor. The humor only barely softens the totally justifiable bitterness King has about how
The book is more or less a history, but King rebels against his colonizer's mode of doing history - the book is not in chronological order and doesn't really cite sources (although he talks about some of his sources enough that it would be easy to track them down) and blends personal anecdotes and humor with historical facts. It is very much told in his voice, and feels like he's sitting right there telling you about his history. It feels very personal. That makes it easy to feel the personal pain that King feels about centuries of broken treaties and blatantly racist policies.
Despite the conversational style and wry humor, this is not an easy read. It will make you angry and sad. It probably ought to be required reading for all white Americans and Canadians.
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his people have been the victims of sustained and systemic genocide for 500 years.The book is more or less a history, but King rebels against his colonizer's mode of doing history - the book is not in chronological order and doesn't really cite sources (although he talks about some of his sources enough that it would be easy to track them down) and blends personal anecdotes and humor with historical facts. It is very much told in his voice, and feels like he's sitting right there telling you about his history. It feels very personal. That makes it easy to feel the personal pain that King feels about centuries of broken treaties and blatantly racist policies.
Despite the conversational style and wry humor, this is not an easy read. It will make you angry and sad. It probably ought to be required reading for all white Americans and Canadians.
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LibraryThing member MaggieFlo
This is very readable but it is very unbalanced. I like my history to develop both sides of a thesis but you won't find it in this book. This is Thomas King's version of the treatment that North American natives have faced with various governments since the1600s. He deals with the portrayal of
Don't read this is you want an objective view of the native history and governance.
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natives in film, betrayals with land treaties and governments, their status and non-staus identification, the list of injustices goes on. There really are no happy stories about native successes in this book as it seems that the deck is stacked against them, that they cannot possibly succeed in any endeavour.Don't read this is you want an objective view of the native history and governance.
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LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
In this latest book by author Thomas King, he points out that history is really 'stories we tell about the past'. But these stories aren't chosen by chance and Dr King has a problem with the ones which have been chosen previously. So, in this book, he chooses which stories to tell. And what a story
This is not your normal history. That Dr King is, first and foremost, a novelist is very apparent in the book. This is not a comment on the validity of the history but on its readability. This is no dry chronological account nor does King pretend to a lack of bias. As he once said in an interview, this is more an argument he has been having with himself for a very long time rather than a conventional history. He writes with passion and anger and not a little humour about the attitudes of the European conquerors towards the First Nations people in both Canada and the United States. It seems like it might have been simpler to write about one country or the other but as King points out Indians don't perceive borders in the same way that whites do and, by juxtaposing the policies of the two countries, it is fascinating to see how similar they have been. Canada has usually been a few years behind the US but we always seem to catch up where the native people are concerned whether it's been the forcible removal of Natives from what was supposed to be their lands by Treaty when the land could be more 'profitable' in other, shall we say, whiter hands or in the rise of residential schools in the hopes of 'killing the Indian to save the man'. And massacres were never as popular in Canada as in the US but our treatment has been just as heinous in many other ways. When Dr King tells of the three young native men who were driven by the police to the outskirts of Saskatoon and left to freeze to death, a story I was previously unaware of, I was saddened but not surprised. The murders of First nations people have rarely raised much hue and cry in Canada.
KIng doesn't completely let Natives off the hook for some of their problems. He questions the rise of casinos as a source of wealth for many of the bands, especially in the US. However, as much as he questions this, he points out that it has been better than some of the other ventures which Natives have entered into with outside corporations, for example allowing some of their land to be used as waste dumps resulting in ecological disasters for the bands. And, at least, the casinos have had positive results in that many of the tribes have used the money to buy up more land ironically in some cases land that was originally theirs before it was taken back by the government for some other purpose.
And, as King makes clear, for the First Nations, it's always about the land, a fact that many people just can't understand. To the European settlers right up to the present, land is just another commodity to be measured not by our connection to it but by its value on the market. In this day and age of climate change versus pipelines and tar sands, this is an important distinction.
Dr King who, by the way, is Cherokee, points out that, although we tend to lump all Natives together, there are, in fact, several hundred distinct tribes with distinct customs and traditions. There are also many distinctions made by the governments of our two countries - legal Indians, Status Indians, non-status, etc and all of these distinctions mean different treatment for the people in each classification. And then there is popular culture which tends to divide Indians between Dead Indians and Live Indians. We tend to love Dead Indians AKA the Noble Savage with their great costumes and headdresses and Pow Wows but live Indians not so much.
I have no doubt this book will cause some controversy. History, or so we like to pretend, is supposed to be unbiased so where are the footnotes, the bibliographies, where is the list of sources. But reality is all history has a bias no matter how dry or source laden. With The Inconvenient Indian, Dr King has just made his history more accessible than most, more fascinating, more readable. In this book, he tells us a side of history too long ignored. Best of all, it's written in such a way that its damn near unputdownable. Definitely a book everyone should read.
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teller he is!This is not your normal history. That Dr King is, first and foremost, a novelist is very apparent in the book. This is not a comment on the validity of the history but on its readability. This is no dry chronological account nor does King pretend to a lack of bias. As he once said in an interview, this is more an argument he has been having with himself for a very long time rather than a conventional history. He writes with passion and anger and not a little humour about the attitudes of the European conquerors towards the First Nations people in both Canada and the United States. It seems like it might have been simpler to write about one country or the other but as King points out Indians don't perceive borders in the same way that whites do and, by juxtaposing the policies of the two countries, it is fascinating to see how similar they have been. Canada has usually been a few years behind the US but we always seem to catch up where the native people are concerned whether it's been the forcible removal of Natives from what was supposed to be their lands by Treaty when the land could be more 'profitable' in other, shall we say, whiter hands or in the rise of residential schools in the hopes of 'killing the Indian to save the man'. And massacres were never as popular in Canada as in the US but our treatment has been just as heinous in many other ways. When Dr King tells of the three young native men who were driven by the police to the outskirts of Saskatoon and left to freeze to death, a story I was previously unaware of, I was saddened but not surprised. The murders of First nations people have rarely raised much hue and cry in Canada.
KIng doesn't completely let Natives off the hook for some of their problems. He questions the rise of casinos as a source of wealth for many of the bands, especially in the US. However, as much as he questions this, he points out that it has been better than some of the other ventures which Natives have entered into with outside corporations, for example allowing some of their land to be used as waste dumps resulting in ecological disasters for the bands. And, at least, the casinos have had positive results in that many of the tribes have used the money to buy up more land ironically in some cases land that was originally theirs before it was taken back by the government for some other purpose.
And, as King makes clear, for the First Nations, it's always about the land, a fact that many people just can't understand. To the European settlers right up to the present, land is just another commodity to be measured not by our connection to it but by its value on the market. In this day and age of climate change versus pipelines and tar sands, this is an important distinction.
Dr King who, by the way, is Cherokee, points out that, although we tend to lump all Natives together, there are, in fact, several hundred distinct tribes with distinct customs and traditions. There are also many distinctions made by the governments of our two countries - legal Indians, Status Indians, non-status, etc and all of these distinctions mean different treatment for the people in each classification. And then there is popular culture which tends to divide Indians between Dead Indians and Live Indians. We tend to love Dead Indians AKA the Noble Savage with their great costumes and headdresses and Pow Wows but live Indians not so much.
I have no doubt this book will cause some controversy. History, or so we like to pretend, is supposed to be unbiased so where are the footnotes, the bibliographies, where is the list of sources. But reality is all history has a bias no matter how dry or source laden. With The Inconvenient Indian, Dr King has just made his history more accessible than most, more fascinating, more readable. In this book, he tells us a side of history too long ignored. Best of all, it's written in such a way that its damn near unputdownable. Definitely a book everyone should read.
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LibraryThing member AJBraithwaite
A very readable cross between a memoir and a history book, looking at attitudes towards indigenous people in North America. I was familiar with a lot of the Canadian history, but less so with many of the US equivalent stories. The history of native involvement in Hollywood was interesting. Thomas
A minor niggle: it's always 'the English' in this book, rather than 'the British' when he talks about European settlers/traders (usually in opposition to 'the French'). As many of the early settlers in Canada were Scots (Sir John A. Macdonald, for example), this jarred with me a bit.
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King has an engaging and entertaining style of writing which leavens the often grim subject matter with humour. This helps to press his points home without depressing the reader too much.A minor niggle: it's always 'the English' in this book, rather than 'the British' when he talks about European settlers/traders (usually in opposition to 'the French'). As many of the early settlers in Canada were Scots (Sir John A. Macdonald, for example), this jarred with me a bit.
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LibraryThing member MarFisk
Originally Published on Tales to Tide You Over
The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King - A Curious Account of Native People in North America
My relationship with The Inconvenient Indian changed during the process of reading. It starts out a tongue-in-cheek, humorous, if biting, account of the history
Through recounting seemingly endless points of interaction between the tribes, and Canadian and United States governments, King establishes how the policies and philosophies of whites toward the tribes has never been, nor had any intention of being, an honest encounter between equals.
Whether comparing the process of subsequent treaties, laws, and court rulings with the original agreements or providing actual quotes from the white leaders of the time, military, religious, and political, King shows how the intent from the start was to eliminate native culture from the start by any means possible, legal, indoctrination, assimilation or assassination, to name a few. The book covers the question of dismissing history to begin anew by pointing to court decisions and leases in effect until 2064 that declare such things as land owned by a tribe has half the land value as land owned by white people. The last was set into court documents with no consideration to logic, or recognition of discrimination and bias.
This is an uncomfortable book, more so because it is not about yesterday so much as it is about today and the future, with history showing the underlying causes. It’s about how successive governments in the United Stated and Canada go about controlling the narrative such that my personal experiences with “Live Indians,” to use the term in the book, as a child were superseded by the social push for Dead Indians until college where the clash between the two made me have to reexamine what I knew and what I’d been told. Tell someone, especially a child, often enough that real Indians died out long ago, and it sticks. After all, this was one of the direct methods used to assimilate some of the native population much like the Borg on Star Trek by taking them as children, denying them access to their families, forbidding them from using their native tongues, and putting out good little Americans who, or so one church claimed, were actually lighter in skin tone when the process had been completed.
So, yes, this is an uncomfortable book. It makes you unable to hide behind cultural myth and reveals the reasons behind all the cheating and treaty breaking that had little to do with actual ignorance as much as deliberate willful refusal to consider another perspective might exist and might be just as valid. The choices and decisions of the Europeans back in the very beginning set up obligations modern governments suffer under, or rather, do their best to eliminate while paying lip service to the concept of justice and rights. I’d been living under the belief of sovereign nations, an odd concept in some ways, but if you look at the early Europeans (and modern governments as it turns out) as invaders out to claim resources they didn’t/don’t own, the concept that at least the sovereignty of the natives was maintained is a comfort of sorts. However, that too was rewritten out of the treaties long ago, with it being a promise to “Dead Indians” that modern governments see no reason to maintain against the “Live Indians” who persist in fighting the Borg.
As a historical text, The Inconvenient Indian pushes too many facts and dates, and fails to maintain either local or chronology. But that style works in what is an education in the relations between two groups based on deliberate deceit and lack of honorable intentions from the start. Rather than memorizing the content, the periodic lists of names and treaties offer an deliberate overwhelm to give insight into just how broken both the history and the modern perceptions are. This also leads to a couple places where the repetition stood out as a negative, but overall, I think the narrative style (neither strict history nor memoir) works to strengthen the frustration beneath the factual and humorous accountings.
Oh, and it’s not a total downer. King is happy to point out the times when efforts were made to repair relations, though sometimes the consequences of those efforts did not serve the stated purpose even so.
It’s a complex book, but one I think deserves to be widely read. Until we see beyond the delusions in the North American narratives, we will be unable to engage not just with those on North American soil but with every country and culture across the globe, many of whom see hypocrisy where we see honor (out of deliberate ignorance).
P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King - A Curious Account of Native People in North America
My relationship with The Inconvenient Indian changed during the process of reading. It starts out a tongue-in-cheek, humorous, if biting, account of the history
Show More
of relations between the various white authorities and those who were native to North America when Europe discovered a vast, unclaimed land. Yes, that description is fraught with problems and that’s exactly what this book is about.Through recounting seemingly endless points of interaction between the tribes, and Canadian and United States governments, King establishes how the policies and philosophies of whites toward the tribes has never been, nor had any intention of being, an honest encounter between equals.
Whether comparing the process of subsequent treaties, laws, and court rulings with the original agreements or providing actual quotes from the white leaders of the time, military, religious, and political, King shows how the intent from the start was to eliminate native culture from the start by any means possible, legal, indoctrination, assimilation or assassination, to name a few. The book covers the question of dismissing history to begin anew by pointing to court decisions and leases in effect until 2064 that declare such things as land owned by a tribe has half the land value as land owned by white people. The last was set into court documents with no consideration to logic, or recognition of discrimination and bias.
This is an uncomfortable book, more so because it is not about yesterday so much as it is about today and the future, with history showing the underlying causes. It’s about how successive governments in the United Stated and Canada go about controlling the narrative such that my personal experiences with “Live Indians,” to use the term in the book, as a child were superseded by the social push for Dead Indians until college where the clash between the two made me have to reexamine what I knew and what I’d been told. Tell someone, especially a child, often enough that real Indians died out long ago, and it sticks. After all, this was one of the direct methods used to assimilate some of the native population much like the Borg on Star Trek by taking them as children, denying them access to their families, forbidding them from using their native tongues, and putting out good little Americans who, or so one church claimed, were actually lighter in skin tone when the process had been completed.
So, yes, this is an uncomfortable book. It makes you unable to hide behind cultural myth and reveals the reasons behind all the cheating and treaty breaking that had little to do with actual ignorance as much as deliberate willful refusal to consider another perspective might exist and might be just as valid. The choices and decisions of the Europeans back in the very beginning set up obligations modern governments suffer under, or rather, do their best to eliminate while paying lip service to the concept of justice and rights. I’d been living under the belief of sovereign nations, an odd concept in some ways, but if you look at the early Europeans (and modern governments as it turns out) as invaders out to claim resources they didn’t/don’t own, the concept that at least the sovereignty of the natives was maintained is a comfort of sorts. However, that too was rewritten out of the treaties long ago, with it being a promise to “Dead Indians” that modern governments see no reason to maintain against the “Live Indians” who persist in fighting the Borg.
As a historical text, The Inconvenient Indian pushes too many facts and dates, and fails to maintain either local or chronology. But that style works in what is an education in the relations between two groups based on deliberate deceit and lack of honorable intentions from the start. Rather than memorizing the content, the periodic lists of names and treaties offer an deliberate overwhelm to give insight into just how broken both the history and the modern perceptions are. This also leads to a couple places where the repetition stood out as a negative, but overall, I think the narrative style (neither strict history nor memoir) works to strengthen the frustration beneath the factual and humorous accountings.
Oh, and it’s not a total downer. King is happy to point out the times when efforts were made to repair relations, though sometimes the consequences of those efforts did not serve the stated purpose even so.
It’s a complex book, but one I think deserves to be widely read. Until we see beyond the delusions in the North American narratives, we will be unable to engage not just with those on North American soil but with every country and culture across the globe, many of whom see hypocrisy where we see honor (out of deliberate ignorance).
P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member zzshupinga
Galley provided by NetGalley
This is one of those books that is very difficult for me to review, not just because of the story that Thomas tells, but the way he tells it. He doesn't just tell us the history of the people, in fact he tells us that he won't be giving us a history book. Instead, he's
Native American history is a passion of mine and while I'm familiar with the "truth" of both sides and I've visited Indian Reservations and talked and ate meals with the people that lived there and yet...Thomas's anger and way of telling the story still set me back. It made me relook at aspects of my childhood, the movies that I watch, the romantic view I have of aspects of both the Native American world and our world, and reexamine everything. It's a powerful book and one that should be read by many. I give the book 3 out of 5 stars
This is one of those books that is very difficult for me to review, not just because of the story that Thomas tells, but the way he tells it. He doesn't just tell us the history of the people, in fact he tells us that he won't be giving us a history book. Instead, he's
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weaving together a tale with facts, and stories, and legends, to tell us about the Native people. He guides us on a journey to relook at what we think we know and see it in a new light.Native American history is a passion of mine and while I'm familiar with the "truth" of both sides and I've visited Indian Reservations and talked and ate meals with the people that lived there and yet...Thomas's anger and way of telling the story still set me back. It made me relook at aspects of my childhood, the movies that I watch, the romantic view I have of aspects of both the Native American world and our world, and reexamine everything. It's a powerful book and one that should be read by many. I give the book 3 out of 5 stars
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LibraryThing member Carlathelibrarian
I picked this book up because it was in the finals of Canada Reads 2015. It is easy to see why it was included as a Book to Break Down Barriers.
As I read this book, a little piece of my Canadian Pride was ripped away. It was not really a history, but it gave a history of how the Native Americans
As I read this book, a little piece of my Canadian Pride was ripped away. It was not really a history, but it gave a history of how the Native Americans
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were treated historically in both Canada and the U.S. It was quite enlightening to see how the people were treated, lied to, placated etc. then it started all over again. As a Canadian to see what Harper is still trying to do was somewhat heart breaking. I think every Canadian needs to read this book to help them understand why the Native Americans are still feeling the way do and still fighting for land and rights. Show Less
LibraryThing member ainjel
Tom King has fantastic narrative voice. The narrative he weaves is nuanced and bitingly tragic. He doesn't want your sympathy. He wants you to know. Do with that knowledge what you will.
Awards
Governor General's Literary Award (Finalist — 2014)
Libris Award (Winner — 2013)
British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction (Winner — 2014)
RBC Taylor Prize (Winner — 2014)
Canada Reads (Nominee — 2015)
Evergreen Award (Nominee — 2014)
Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction (Shortlist — 2013)
NAISA Best Subsequent Book Award (Winner — 2013)
Trillium Book Award (Shortlist — English — 2013)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2012
Physical description
336 p.; 7.99 inches
ISBN
0385664222 / 9780385664226