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Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country
Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country | Louise Erdrich
23 posts | 18 read | 40 to read
For more than twenty years Louise Erdrich has dazzled readers with the intricately wrought, deeply poetic novels which have won her a place among today's finest writers. Her nonfiction is equally eloquent, and this lovely memoir offers a vivid glimpse of the landscape, the people, and the long tradition of storytelling that give her work its magical, elemental force. In a small boat like those her Native American ancestors have used for countless generations, she travels to Ojibwe home ground, the islands of Lake of the Woods in southern Ontario. Her only companions are her new baby and the baby's father, an Ojibwe spiritual leader, on a pilgrimage to the sacred rock paintings their people have venerated for centuries as mystical "teaching and dream guides," and where even today Ojibwe leave offerings of tobacco in token of their power. With these paintings as backdrop, Erdrich summons to life the Ojibwe's spirits and songs, their language and sorrows, and the tales that are in their blood, echoing through her own family's very contemporary American lives and shaping her vision of the wider world. Thoughtful, moving, and wonderfully well observed, her meditation evokes ancient wisdom, modern ways, and the universal human concerns we all share. "This book is a treasure and a delight."Minneapolis Star Tribune From the Trade Paperback edition.
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review
charl08
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Pickpick

Loved this book. One for lovers of books about travel, nature and books. And the illustrations, especially of her baby daughter, are so sweet.

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charl08
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I am haunted by a book that I found the first time I visited Ober's island...
a little pamphlet-sized inconsequential-looking book covered with a black paper that looked like oilcloth. I slipped it from the shelf and opened it. Tristram Shandy. The first novel in the English language.... Laurence Sterne had signed the title page. I had a strange, covetous, Golum-like feeling as I held the book, my precious.

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charl08
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To read and read...

humouress Hmm; I never thought of doing that - but I doubt I'd have managed it 😄 6mo
charl08 @humouress my mum said it only worked for her with the first kid... 6mo
33 likes2 comments
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

This is very short and very interesting. She talks about Ojibwe culture and language, mixes in some insight about books, but the most fascinating to me was that she had a baby when she was 48 and brought her along on this travel adventure.

#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

DivineDiana What an amazing woman! 1y
Soubhiville I loved the island library! 1y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1y
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TheKidUpstairs
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Pickpick

This was a great book to dip into and read amongst all the others I have on the go. Short sections with beautiful writing, insights into Ojibwe culture and history, and possibly the coolest library I've ever heard of!
#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

Soubhiville I loved the description of this library! Cool little book. 1y
vlwelser I randomly picked this one also. I'm on the last chapter. It's very interesting. 1y
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TheKidUpstairs
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"The point of books is to have way too many but to always feel you never have enough, or the right one at the right moment, but then sometimes to find you'd longed to fall asleep reading The Aspern Papers, and there it is."

#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

Soubhiville Great quote! This was a cool book. 1y
Lcsmcat I loved this one! 1y
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Butterfinger
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Pickpick

What a wonderfully relaxing read. I chose this for #Nonfiction2021 written by a Native American, but it was more about the Ojibwe language and the rock paintings (books) of the Ancient Lake People. She includes books that influence her as a person and they are now on my tbr list. So glad I found this book. @Riveted_Reader_Melissa
#BBRC #Art @LibrarianRyan

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Sounds very good! 3y
LibrarianRyan very cool. 3y
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Butterfinger

He has also filed a claim for compensation against the Oblate Order of the Catholic Church. They were in charge of his education, but instead they stole life, innocence, and spirit from him and from his people. He thinks they should be responsible for helping to reconstruct what was lost.

Dividing and multiplying and factoring were concerns of the body, and of survival.

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Lcsmcat
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Pickpick

Short, but deserving of deep attention, this book is lovely. A love letter to Erdrich‘s Ojibwe roots, to books, to nature and motherhood. Highly recommended.

vivastory This sounds great. Adding to my TBR 3y
Lcsmcat @vivastory I hope you enjoy it. 3y
Tamra Stacked! 3y
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Lcsmcat
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I‘m loving this meditation / travelogue / intro to Ojibwe life. @Lindy the talk of paint and dye recipes made me think of you. Have you read this one?

Soubhiville I thought this was a cool little book. When she gets to the part about the island book collection 😍. 3y
Lindy No, I haven‘t read this and it looks great! Thanks for bringing it to my attention. 3y
Lcsmcat @Lindy Unfortunately she doesn‘t give the recipe, but it‘s a fascinating read. 3y
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Soubhiville
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Pickpick

The first half of Books and Islands focuses on the islands in Lake of the Woods, which is on the border of Minnesota and Ontario. The author describes the ancient Ojibwe pictographs and stories about some of the 14,000 islands in the lake, which she is visiting by boat. I admit this part dragged for me in some places, even though her discussion of the Anishinaabe people and language were interesting.

The second half saved the book for me, ⬇️

Soubhiville (Cont.) as it focuses on books 😊📚. There is an island, Ober‘s Island, on which Ernest Oberholtzer built a collection of cabins and filled them with a collection of 11,000 books! Then she goes on to talk about her bookstore in MN, Birchbark Books. #ReadingTheStates2021 #Minnesota and #Bookspin for April. (edited) 3y
Caryl Birchbark Books is a beautiful bookstore! https://birchbarkbooks.com 3y
Soubhiville @Caryl thanks for the link! I just perused the selection of native arts 😊. Some beautiful things! 3y
TheAromaofBooks Great review!! 3y
Caryl @Soubhiville If you are ever in Minneapolis, you must visit. Lovely shop, lovely booksellers. 💕 3y
66 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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Soubhiville
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#weeklyforecast @Cinfhen

My reading plans for the week. My second COVID shot is Tuesday, and I took Wednesday and Thursday off in case I feel yucky afterwards. So either two extra reading days or maybe two sick days on the couch with TV... fingers crossed for no bad side effects. 🤞📚

Crazeedi Good luck, hope no side effects 3y
AmyG I can only say if you do have a side effect...it‘s a day of feeling awful. But it will pass and then you are done! Fingers crossed it‘s nothing much.🤞🏻 3y
TrishB Fingers crossed 🤞🏻 3y
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Bookzombie I hope you don‘t have any side effects! Getting vaccinated was worth it but I have been useless today. Fingers crossed! 3y
Cinfhen I had mild body aches & chills after the second dose and it was only for a few hours, hopefully you‘ll have no side effects and you can enjoy your days off!!! 3y
Cinfhen Love the graphics 🦋🦋🦋 3y
TheBookHippie 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 3y
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Soubhiville
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#bookspinbingo

Here‘s my clean board for April! The tagged is my #bookspin and A Thousand Miles from Nowhere is my #Doublespin. I‘m looking forward to getting started filling these in. 😊📚 Thanks @TheAromaofBooks !

Hooked_on_books That‘s a good looking bingo card! I read The Body is not an Apology shortly after it published and it‘s so good! I have such admiration for her and it‘s one of the few books I‘ve held onto. 3y
Soubhiville @Hooked_on_books that‘s great to hear! It‘s for one of my bookclubs. I‘m looking forward to it, and a great discussion afterwards! 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
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Lcsmcat
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I can‘t believe it‘s almost March! Here‘s my #bookspin #doublespin list for next month. @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
37 likes1 comment
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Centique
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Louise Erdrich may be the Queen of Booklovers....

“We have a lot of books in our house. They are our primary decorative motif - books in piles on the coffee table, framed book covers, books sorted into stacks on every available surface, and of course books on shelves along most walls. Besides the visible books, there are the books waiting in the wings...”

Lcsmcat I love her fiction, but haven‘t even heard of this one. Stacked! 3y
Centique @Lcsmcat I heard them mention it on Get Booked I think, ages ago - and put it on my TBR - it‘s lovely so far 😊 3y
JamieArc I believe that. Her bookstore is really cute. 3y
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Tamra @JamieArc it is! 💜 3y
GingerAntics LOVE her fiction!!! 3y
Centique @GingerAntics me too! I think I‘ve read four so far, and she‘s become a favourite author for me. I want to read everything by her now 😍 3y
Caryl @JamieArc @Tamra — I love Birchbark Books (and Louise Erdrich, of course)! 3y
GingerAntics @Centique I haven‘t read quite as much, but I just got 6 of her books delivered, so it‘s happening. This one is getting added to my wish list, too. 3y
Reggie The quantities and types of books are fluid, arriving like hysterical cousins in overnight... that makes me smile. What a nice passage. 3y
batsy This is lovely and SO relatable 💜 3y
Centique @Reggie me too 😊 I‘ve never had the arrival of hysterical cousins though. I‘ll have to have my books arrive like abandoned brother in laws who then languish around the house 😂😂😂 3y
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review
Dorianna
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Pickpick

This was not the book I was expecting, but I very much enjoyed it. Erdrich writes about her life, Ojibwe history, and and her travels that lead to an island Ernest Oberholtzer and his books called home. Erdrich, as usual, does not disappoint.

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Dorianna
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I am also wondering where one earns the World‘s Quickest Beaver Skinner title.

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Nebklvr
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Pickpick

A friend has just returned from traveling and plans to share her experiences over a glass of wine and nibbles.....that is the experience of this book. A thoughtful, calm, warm and inviting conversation.

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Nebklvr
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Texreader That is an awesome way to describe a library! 7y
Nebklvr @Texreader loved it! 7y
Nebklvr @Texreader Also very unusual to find it prioritized as it should be! 7y
19 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Nebklvr
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Hmmmmm....

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Nebklvr
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Books as decoration----check.

LauraBeth ✅✅ 7y
Suet624 Yup!! 7y
16 likes2 comments
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BookishFeminist
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Today is "Columbus Day" in the US. Eff that. It's Indigenous Peoples Day as far as I'm concerned. Columbus was an imperialistic smallpox wagon that committed & encouraged atrocities against natives.

So I'm spending time reading Native lit today, starting with this short book on books written by Louise Erdrich. It tells the story of her travels to islands and Ojibwe land & how her life & Ojibwe culture is intertwined with books. It's great! ??

Notafraidofwords I worked at a library once that had nonfiction books about Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 for kids. Not one book described accurately the result of Columbus arriving there. The books basically stated that Puerto Rico should have been happy with the arrival of Columbus. 7y
TheNextBook I'm noticing now how the omission of information has led a lot of adults to feel as if everyone should be happy with the events of 1492 forward. They ignore the effects of colonization on Indigenous People and get mad when Indigenous People ask for some damn respect and acknowledgement. The issue over the pipeline and Native land is a prime example 7y
Nebklvr Columbus day is a stupid holiday. You can't claim to discover a land when there are people waving at you from the shore....well, fine! I'm going to go to the cheesecake factory and plant a flag! Guess what world? I just discovered cheesecake! What have you slackers done with your lives?! 7y
BooksForEmpathy Exactly. Thank you for saying this!!! And I have to read this immediately! Didn't know it existed. 7y
168 likes16 stack adds5 comments
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BookishFeminist
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I used to live in the Twin Cities, & my favorite indie bookstore there (& easily top 5 ever) is Birchbark Books & Native Arts in Minneapolis, Mn. It's owned & operated by Louise Erdrich, & it has an unparalleled curated selection of books, particularly those by indigenous authors. It's full floor to ceiling with beautiful native art, writing, poetry, & has cozy places to read. I always walk out with many titles I'd never heard of. 🌿🍃#getindie

Shortstack I went to high school in Anoka! Small freaking world! I've also lived in Pittsburgh and Fargo, ND. 8y
LeahBergen Wow! 8y
haileybean I live near St. Cloud! I haven't been to this book store but it looks so pretty and cozy. I want to go now. 8y
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BookishFeminist @Shortstack Umm WHERE??? @becausetrains is from Anoka Co. He grew up in Circle Pines & went to Centennial. We lived in St Paul & visit his folks out there often. 8y
BookishFeminist @LeahBergen Yes! Such a beautiful bookstore. 8y
BookishFeminist @haileyhugsbooks I thought you were from MN from some of your posts! You should def make the trip down from St Cloud and go. Easily one of my all time fave bookstores, and I visit a lot. Lol 8y
Shortstack @BookishFeminist Crazy!! I went to Anoka Senior High. I also lived in Andover K-3rd grade. The 7 years I've lived here is probably the longest I've stayed in one spot my entire life. 👀 My parents just moved to Phoenix two years ago, but we still go to the Back to the 50s car show most Summer's at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. 8y
Shortstack @haileyhugsbooks Midwest represent!!! 🙌 8y
Karkar Minnesota is the best state ever!!! ❤️❤️❤️ 8y
Alicia Definite #booktourist goals to visit there! 8y
BookishFeminist @Shortstack gah the 50s car show! Lmaooo. Also known as "Sarah trying to run errands in Roseville and getting stuck behind an antique half put-together vehicle going 5 mph down Hamline Ave" ??? 8y
Shortstack @BookishFeminist Have you ever been? It's so much fun! 8y
becausetrains @Shortstack small world! I miss the MN State Fair itself, and Back to the 50s too. My dad and I sometimes went to the car show, and occasionally my uncle brought his '63 Pontiac. Haven't been to either for three years since moving to DC. (Also... I've heard & read stories about the Anoka-Hennepin School District and "tolerance issues" - how did you fare?) 8y
Shortstack @becausetrains I mostly kept to myself in high school. I took my senior year away at college. Anoka Senior High was do massive it was easy to get lost in. You'd hear stuff though and it'd break your heart. Also: Nice! My dad had a 33' Ford when I was growing up. 8y
Nebklvr So need to go! 8y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled I had NO idea this existed. If I ever get back to MN, this is a MUST VISIT! 8y
ramyasbookshelf Louise Erdrich owns a bookstore??!! I want to go there now! 8y
becausetrains @Shortstack yeah, I don't blame you for going to college early! Kind of wish I had, or at least done most courses at community college. Your dad's car sounds pretty cool 😎 remind me to tell you sometime about the truck my dad bought to restore (and how it's still sitting there 20 years later 😐😂) 8y
Shortstack @becausetrains I'm excited to hear about it! My dad restored a Malibu with his twin brother. I'm jealous. I want to restore a car! 8y
becausetrains @Shortstack I wish it was that exciting! 😂 Back when I was in junior high (I'm 33 now, haha) he bought a 1950 International Harvester on a whim from a family down the street, and has been slowly, fitfully throwing money at it since. I still have no idea why he chose that model of truck, since he never drove one and no one around him owned one 🤔 Since he is a boring engineer, he wants to be pretty much stock too 😂 8y
RealLifeReading Love Louise Erdrich and this book! 8y
WordWaller YASSSS 🙌 I 💖 BirchBark! 8y
WordWaller @BookishFeminist OMG I used to live in Roseville right off Hamline and THE STRUGGLE WAS REAL. Fun seeing all the cars though 😂 8y
BookishFeminist @WordWaller 😂😂 I can imagine! We used to live on Grand Ave & the Roseville library was where I went to study all the time. 🙅🏻🙅🏻 As if Grand Ave wasn't bad enough! 8y
Seashore Love the quilt in the background, very cozy. 8y
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