Nice to hear you mention Green Apple Books, Tonya. I lived in SF for twelve years and that was a big favorite. I'm currently reading James Welch's The Indian Lawyer. We have a big book festival coming up here in Montana later this month named after Mr. Welch, and featuring only Native writers. And my podcast partner and I are going to be interviewing Debra Magpie Earling about her novel Perma Red, which is an incredible book. So she requested that we pair her book with The Indian Lawyer, and I'm loving it. Also came across this very timely passage, from a book published in 1990:
“Montana is becoming one big reservation and all the people in it are the Indians. They make noises about self-determination, but we know who, up to this point, determines what’s good for Montana—not the Indians, not the people of Montana, but the special interests, the giants, and their backers. And these backers are the ganglia of the body politic. They are spread throughout and they have interests you wouldn’t believe. They would sell out Montana for the opportunity to have a photo hanging on their wall of them kissing George Bush’s ass.
"But—this is worst-case scenario. Even here, on the state and local level, the conservatives, the gun nuts and the constitutionalists, are posing a real challenge to our candidates. They call themselves the mainstream, and the scary thing is they might be right. This country is turning is a ad direct, Sylvester. Those people you wanted to appeal to—the Indians, the poor people, the conservationists—they are on the outside, liking in. And I’m afraid they’re going to stay there for the next four years, possibly the next eight years.”
Those sound like a couple fascinating books. I just added Perma Red to my to-read list. And wow, what a quote. It reminds me of what Wendell Berry wrote a few years ago, that rural America has always been a colony for wealthy interests. It was in the NY Review of Books, 2017 (just had to look it up again). He wrote:
"The business of America has been largely and without apology the plundering of rural America, from which everything of value—minerals, timber, farm animals, farm crops, and “labor”—has been taken at the lowest possible price. As apparently none of the enlightened ones has seen in flying over or bypassing on the interstate highways, its too-large fields are toxic and eroding, its streams and rivers poisoned, its forests mangled, its towns dying or dead along with their locally owned small businesses, its children leaving after high school and not coming back. Too many of the children are not working at anything, too many are transfixed by the various screens, too many are on drugs, too many are dying."
I was so struck by that letter when it appeared. Having lived in rural America most of my life, I had seen all of the things he described. But I never quite had the word for it.
Thanks, Tabby! I love the responses on this so much, I want to do more group-posts in the future. Maybe next time it'll be "What are you listening to?" If nothing else, I get a bunch of great recommendations.
what are you listening to would be fabulous... or, what are you cooking!!! HA! but, maybe that would just appeal to me, foodie that I am! love being a part of Juke, thanks again, Tonya.
I am on a road trip, so my reading reflects my "regimen" around that. When I travel I tend to bring a book that takes place in the relevant area, so I am re-reading one of my perennial favorites, Joe David Brown's "Addie Pray," which tracks much of the southeast.
I also always bring along what I call a vintage malt shop book or two - teen novels written in the 1940s & '50s. I have no idea why, I just find them soothing & transporting. If I am going anywhere, I am likely to be reading about a spirited high schooler getting her first kiss in the Midwest.
I have often thought that each person's list of "books that travel" is so telling about their personality. Just having physical books with you at all! That has to be an incredibly rare trait now.
"Paper Moon" was such an excellent film, it makes me think the book has to be even better. And I can't get over the "vintage malt shop" as a genre! That does sound soothing. Good traveling choices.
Thank you so much! "Paper Moon" is one of my all-time favorite movies; wonderful as it is, the book expands their adventures & the whole naughty/sweet vibe much further.
Nice to hear you mention Green Apple Books, Tonya. I lived in SF for twelve years and that was a big favorite. I'm currently reading James Welch's The Indian Lawyer. We have a big book festival coming up here in Montana later this month named after Mr. Welch, and featuring only Native writers. And my podcast partner and I are going to be interviewing Debra Magpie Earling about her novel Perma Red, which is an incredible book. So she requested that we pair her book with The Indian Lawyer, and I'm loving it. Also came across this very timely passage, from a book published in 1990:
“Montana is becoming one big reservation and all the people in it are the Indians. They make noises about self-determination, but we know who, up to this point, determines what’s good for Montana—not the Indians, not the people of Montana, but the special interests, the giants, and their backers. And these backers are the ganglia of the body politic. They are spread throughout and they have interests you wouldn’t believe. They would sell out Montana for the opportunity to have a photo hanging on their wall of them kissing George Bush’s ass.
"But—this is worst-case scenario. Even here, on the state and local level, the conservatives, the gun nuts and the constitutionalists, are posing a real challenge to our candidates. They call themselves the mainstream, and the scary thing is they might be right. This country is turning is a ad direct, Sylvester. Those people you wanted to appeal to—the Indians, the poor people, the conservationists—they are on the outside, liking in. And I’m afraid they’re going to stay there for the next four years, possibly the next eight years.”
Those sound like a couple fascinating books. I just added Perma Red to my to-read list. And wow, what a quote. It reminds me of what Wendell Berry wrote a few years ago, that rural America has always been a colony for wealthy interests. It was in the NY Review of Books, 2017 (just had to look it up again). He wrote:
"The business of America has been largely and without apology the plundering of rural America, from which everything of value—minerals, timber, farm animals, farm crops, and “labor”—has been taken at the lowest possible price. As apparently none of the enlightened ones has seen in flying over or bypassing on the interstate highways, its too-large fields are toxic and eroding, its streams and rivers poisoned, its forests mangled, its towns dying or dead along with their locally owned small businesses, its children leaving after high school and not coming back. Too many of the children are not working at anything, too many are transfixed by the various screens, too many are on drugs, too many are dying."
I was so struck by that letter when it appeared. Having lived in rural America most of my life, I had seen all of the things he described. But I never quite had the word for it.
Perma Red is a masterpiece. They're currently filming a limited series from it.
such fun to read! Thanks, Tonya
Thanks, Tabby! I love the responses on this so much, I want to do more group-posts in the future. Maybe next time it'll be "What are you listening to?" If nothing else, I get a bunch of great recommendations.
what are you listening to would be fabulous... or, what are you cooking!!! HA! but, maybe that would just appeal to me, foodie that I am! love being a part of Juke, thanks again, Tonya.
What a great idea! I'd LOVE to do a "what are you cooking?" post.
I am on a road trip, so my reading reflects my "regimen" around that. When I travel I tend to bring a book that takes place in the relevant area, so I am re-reading one of my perennial favorites, Joe David Brown's "Addie Pray," which tracks much of the southeast.
I also always bring along what I call a vintage malt shop book or two - teen novels written in the 1940s & '50s. I have no idea why, I just find them soothing & transporting. If I am going anywhere, I am likely to be reading about a spirited high schooler getting her first kiss in the Midwest.
I have often thought that each person's list of "books that travel" is so telling about their personality. Just having physical books with you at all! That has to be an incredibly rare trait now.
"Paper Moon" was such an excellent film, it makes me think the book has to be even better. And I can't get over the "vintage malt shop" as a genre! That does sound soothing. Good traveling choices.
Thank you so much! "Paper Moon" is one of my all-time favorite movies; wonderful as it is, the book expands their adventures & the whole naughty/sweet vibe much further.