Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country, Erdrich, Louise. Published by National Geographic Society, Washington DC, 2003. First Edition. 8vo up to 9½” tall., 208pp., with black and white illustrations by the author. Quarter black cloth over cream boards, silver titles, copper endpapers. In fine, unread condition and housed in a fine, unclipped jacket.
In Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country, Erdrich takes us on an illuminating tour through the terrain her ancestors have inhabited for centuries: the lakes and islands of southern Ontario. Summoning to life the Ojibwe’s sacred spirits and songs, their language and sorrows, she considers the many ways in which her tribe—whose name derives from the word ozhibii’ige, “to write”—have influenced her. Her journey links ancient stone paintings with a magical island where a bookish recluse built an extraordinary library, and she reveals how both have transformed her.
A blend of history, mythology, and memoir, Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country is an enchanting meditation on modern life, natural splendor, and the ancient spirituality and creativity of Erdrich’s native homeland.
Karen Louise Erdrich is a Native American author of novels, poetry, and children’s books featuring Native American characters and settings
