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Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America
Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America | Thomas King
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. Ranging freely across the centuries and the Canada U.S. border, King debunks fabricated stories of Indian savagery and White heroism, takes an oblique look at Indians (and cowboys) in film and popular culture, wrestles with the history of Native American resistance and his own experiences as a Native rights activist, and articulates a profound, revolutionary understanding of the cumulative effects of ever-shifting laws and treaties on Native peoples and lands.Suffused with wit, anger, perception, and wisdom, "The Inconvenient Indian" is at once an engaging chronicle and a devastating subversion of history, insightfully distilling what it means to be Indian in North America. It is a critical and personal meditation that sees Native American history not as a straight line but rather as a circle in which the same absurd, tragic dynamics are played out over and over again. At the heart of the dysfunctional relationship between Indians and Whites, King writes, is land: The issue has always been land. With that insight, the history inflicted on the indigenous peoples of North America broken treaties, forced removals, genocidal violence, and racist stereotypes sharpens into focus. Both timeless and timely, "The Inconvenient Indian" ultimately rejects the pessimism and cynicism with which Natives and Whites regard one another to chart a new and just way forward for Indians and non-Indians alike. "
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ravenlee
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Man, I just cannot get away from this POS.

Clare-Dragonfly He‘s done so many shitty things! He turns up everywhere! 5mo
27 likes1 comment
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ravenlee
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Ouch. And even more true in the COVID era.

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ravenlee
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“…you might wish to describe Christianity as the gateway drug to supply-side capitalism.”

TheBookHippie 🎯 5mo
Tamra King has a razor sense of wit and humor! 5mo
Cuilin 💯 5mo
30 likes3 comments
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ravenlee
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deliasson
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Pickpick

This book is a must read for Canadians and those living in the U.S.A.

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Tamra
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😳 That is shame on Teddy.

Despite this particular passage, so far this account is personable and laugh/snort out loud amusing!

mcctrish I love Thomas King! I went down a rabbit hole and tried to read everything he‘s ever written, I love his voice and what I learn when I read his books 2y
Tamra @mcctrish he does seem to be a font of knowledge about a very wide array of things & ideas! I started this on audio, but knew I had to have it in print to savor it. 2y
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rabbitprincess
Pickpick

Another pick for the audio edition, read excellently by Lorne Cardinal. This is a must read.

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SarahBookInterrupted
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Check out Kim‘s book review of The Inconvenient Indian on Book Interrupted‘s Manuscript Mondays. https://www.bookinterrupted.com/post/manuscript-monday-the-inconvenient-indian

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Tamra
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I got thru the Prologue and a few pages into the first chapter on audio and it was SO GOOD I knew I needed to read it in print to better absorb the content.

Just got a copy today. 👏🏾 Cover is bent, but oh well I‘m not too fussy for $6.50.

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Naya
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Pickpick

14/2021

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kwmg40
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I just watched the documentary inspired by this book. It premiered at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) and I managed to get a digital ticket before they sold out. It's filled with powerful ideas, images and music, and King himself does a good part of the narration.

I'm not sure when and how the film will be available, but I highly recommend it (along with King's book of essays) for anyone interested in Aboriginal issues.

rabbitprincess Glad you were able to get a ticket! I was too late. Will have to keep an eye out for it. 4y
kwmg40 @rabbitprincess Oh, that's too bad! I think I was lucky to get the ticket. The online ticketing system was a nightmare when I signed on. It took me 5 tries and much cursing before I was able to complete the purchase. 4y
22 likes2 comments
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Creadnorthey
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Pickpick

It‘s a bit of a heartbreaker, but King‘s humor makes this a terrific and poignant read- especially considering the times we are living in! It gives focus to this activist- letting me know what we can and should be fighting for and why we should be fighting.

KVanRead Really liked this one too 👍🏽 4y
7 likes1 comment
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rabbitprincess
Pickpick

This is a must read. Crisp, clear, angry, sad, yet witty as well, with a playful narrative structure for a non-fiction book. Run, don‘t walk to get this.

MsMelissa I agree 💯 % 4y
MsMelissa King has a new book coming out in August (fiction) 4y
rabbitprincess @Book_Fiend_Melissa Yesss! Thanks for letting me know! On the list it goes 😎 4y
23 likes3 comments
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Sace
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Thomas King is snarky and I love it!

#CYOReadathon
@rabbitprincess

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rabbitprincess
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#CYOReadathon Day 1 complete. Estimated reading time: 4 h 5 min
I started AND finished the tagged book, which is so good!
Also read today‘s installments of my Serial Reader books (the Du Bois and the Austen) and nibbled away at Survival, by Margaret Atwood, which I am reading via Overdrive/Libby.

I am « officially » reading for the readathon Jul 1, 4, and 5, but I may post the other days too ?

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rabbitprincess
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An article suggests that the Twilight franchise is « a gateway for non indigenous people to view more accurate indigenous characters than those of the past, forever changing how the world sees Native Americans through film. »
King: « Right. We used to be portrayed as bloodthirsty savages. Now we‘re vampire-killing werewolves. »
#CYOReadathon total about 2.5 h so far.

Sace Oooo....what a teaser. Can't wait to dive in to this. (And maybe I should watch some Twilight Zones one day.) 4y
25 likes1 comment
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Sace
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It's #CYOReadathon time again! I'll be reading Wednesday - Friday. This month I want to educate myself about the American myth because we all know that liberty and justice have not been for every citizen. I'll be starting with the tagged book.

DieAReader I‘m in! Putting this in my planner now! @GHABI4ROSES @SusanOrnelas65 4y
MsMelissa I‘m in 😊 Not sure I‘ll have a theme, other than maybe read books I‘ve had forever and haven‘t read yet. 4y
Sace @Squidget Woo hoo! 4y
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Sace @Book_Fiend_Melissa that certainly sounds like a theme to me! 😂 4y
GHABI4ROSES @Squidget I happen to be scrambling to finish that same subject in studies, and the leisure book is also related. IN. Thank you! 4y
DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES 😘my pleasure😉 4y
dylanisreading Going to put this in my planner as well. Just have to figure out my theme. 🤔 4y
69 likes7 comments
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rabbitprincess
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I‘m in for another #CYOReadathon! Realistically, July 1 has the best chance of being an uninterrupted readathon day, but I will also try for July 4 and 5.

Tagged is also the book that @Sace tagged for her post with this graphic—it is on my to-read pile right now, so I‘m taking that as a sign I should read it during this readathon!

Sace I'm starting wihh the same. Added Bonus - It's a ROOT. 4y
rabbitprincess @Sace Yay book buddies and ROOT book buddies at that! Going to finish up a book tonight so I can get a head start on this and build some momentum 😄 4y
24 likes2 comments
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Sace
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It's #CYOReadathon time again... Well, starting next week. I think this will coordinate nicely with the #MidYearRush that @Clwojick has organized. I haven't really thought of any goals for either, but I will do that today and post them later.

The only thing I know for sure is I will be reading books about US History that's left out of high school curricula (starting with tagged book.)

Clwojick ♥️♥️♥️♥️ 5y
MsMelissa The Thomas King book is excellent. 5y
mhillis Looking forward to it!! 5y
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Sace @mhillis I'm glad! It's the perfect way to start the month. 5y
xicanti Thomas King is excellent. 5y
rabbitprincess This book is actually on my to-read stack right now! I think it‘s a sign that I need to read it during the readathon 😁 5y
Sace @rabbitprincess oh! I can't wait to hear your thoughts! 5y
Sace @xicanti I look forward to reading it. 5y
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jmofo
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“He was tired of wearing sombreros, he told me, and suggested that we trade places. I‘ve never been one to say no to a complication, so I put on the sombrero, and he put on the headband with the feather. The producers didn‘t notice or didn‘t care. ‘Just stand among the appliances‘ they told us, ‘and wish everyone a merry Christmas. In your own language.‘”
It‘s a beautiful day and this book is a great read so far
May‘s #doublespin is a joy.

TheAromaofBooks Yay! So glad you are enjoying it!! 5y
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Bertha_Mason

"You see my problem. The history I offered to forget, the past I offered to burn, turns out to be our present. It may well be our future."

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mrsmarch
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Brought to my attention by @trueisa4letterword this evening. 2019 is the UN Year of Indigenous Language. Teaching indigenous languages preserves cultural knowledge and improves the rich diversity of human experience. Diné Bí Ná‘álkid Time is a Sesame-Street-inspired show for young Navajo language learners. & they need our help. Please send a few dollars their way or share this as widely as you can. https://www.gofundme.com/f/saveournavajolanguage

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Kelsey18
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Trying to read more #IndigenousLit this summer. Any recomendations?
#Indigenous #CanadaReads

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talija
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Pickpick

This book could be summarized by that one quote. Filled with critical anger and personal anecdotes, sprinkled with the right amount of wit, it is a great introduction to an Indigenous point of view on history - and to King‘s writing and words. This book is to show that Indigenous Resistance not only will, but should prevail.

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xicanti
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I'm headed to a gift exchange on Sunday, so OF COURSE I chose to make a readers' pack: an important book, some gluten-free reading snacks, and a skate stocking to hold it all.

Rachbb3 Toblerone 💛 6y
BookBabe That stocking is adorable! Where did you get it? 6y
xicanti @Rachbb3 so delicious, and safe for my cousins to eat! 6y
xicanti @BookBabe it caught my eye at the thrift store. It's in perfect condition and everyone at this party loves hockey, so I HAD to grab it. 6y
41 likes4 comments
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wingardiumfuriosa
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#ReadHarder2018: a book of colonial or post-colonial lit. I deliberately picked this from my TBR pile after finishing my Read Harder pick for a western ("True Grit"), as I expect reading them back-to-back will be an illuminating experience.

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Cobscook
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So true!

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SomedayAlmost
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The writing center where I teach has our annual conference this weekend-Writefest. I saw a great panel on writing as activism. “Inconvenient Indian” was recommended by a panelist interested in indigenous people‘s literature coming out of Canada. #tbr #diversebooks #coolauthorpanel

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tournevis
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Started reading the book that's been wnning all the Québec prizes this year. I can see why, it is very well written, engaging, and wonderfully plotted. It is also a heap of White Man colonial guilt about the Disappearing Indian, the Magical Indian and the Natural Indian. I just read a whole book from an actual Amerindian denoucing that as a pastiche. The latter has not gotten any prizes. *sigh* This post-colonial scholar is tired.

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mag.au
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“What do Indians want? Great question. The problem is, it‘s the wrong question to ask.” Thomas King‘s running commentary on historical and contemporary Indigenous issues is not quite what I expected: far more punch and unabashed opinion. An important voice to consider before I tackle Medicine Unbundled.

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xicanti
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Pickpick

A must read for all North American settlers. King packs this deceptively short book with plenty of irony, a long list of receipts, and the sort of humour you trot out when the situation's the exact opposite of funny. It's heavy but necessary. #canada150

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xicanti
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Breakfast, minus the several slices of bacon I ate while I waited for my egg to fry. I tried condensed milk in my coffee because there's a bunch left from Christmas and I heard that was A Thing. It tasted like a hot version of Tim Horton's iced coffee.

I hope I can finish this book today, but it's heavy stuff so I may need more time with it.

Eggs Yes please 7y
Miss_Kim Haven't tried condensed milk in my coffee but have tried evaporated milk and it's almost like cream. It's too cold to go to Timmy :'ds 7y
Miss_Kim Timmy's today 😊 7y
BookBabe Yum! 😋 7y
34 likes4 comments
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xicanti
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Tomorrow I'm gonna reinvent myself as a sensible person who doesn't eat three bowls of trifle in one day.

Tonight, I feast (and read).

silentrequiem Eating trifle all day makes you a very sensible person! Yum! 7y
xicanti @silentrequiem if only it also made me a well-nourished person! 7y
silentrequiem @xicanti I see a cherry. That's your fruit! 7y
xicanti @silentrequiem it does also have dairy a@d grains, and there're a few almonds for protein. If only I didn't feel ill from all the sugar... 7y
39 likes4 comments
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Sybille
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Pickpick

A fantastic introduction to the history and current state of indigenous affairs. Thomas King has a tolerance for the unfairness lived by his people. It truly opened my eyes to a new way of thinking.

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kidamy
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Can you call it a haul if it's only two books? My Chapters/Indigo order came in!

Yeah, I ordered books despite having a clear need to work through some and #readmyowndamnbooks. #bookhaul

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shawnmooney
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This article reminds me how much I'm looking forward to finally reading this book. I lent it to my mother as soon as I bought it last year, and then she promptly lost it. Several months later she found it, so I look forward to getting it back from her next month when I go back to Canada for a visit!

http://www.cbc.ca/books/2015/02/canada-reads-contender-thomas-king-how-i-wrote-t...

JazzFeathers A Native American friend of mine read it and loved it. It's on my TBR. I've read Medicine River by King and l absolutely loved it. Such awesone characters. And l love all the stories interconnect and create a larger picture 7y
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NerdyRev
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Pickpick

King's book is funny, accessible, and probably one of the best Native history books, written by a Native (most aren't). The book covers both US and Canadian Indian histories by focusing in on key aspects of history. As he jokes, he doesn't start with Columbus (although he does), he wants to tell a fuller story- how Indians are portrayed in history, in film, in life, and in our language. He does it with a wink, while laying a bunch of facts.

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NerdyRev
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With Canada Day yesterday and July 4th Tuesday and I am still in an education week, I decided on this one for my last education book. I figured it ties the two holidays together and keeps July 4th and Canada Day in perspective. So far, it is funny and historical, a great combo. It was also a Canada Reads selection in the past.

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Augustdana
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So it's Canada day, and I was in chapters last week and they have box sets out to celebrate 150. These are five of the top ten books chosen. I would not want to be the person in charge of this feat! I've read two of these books ... so far. The inconvenient Indian was one of them and it was a fascinating heartbreaking story of resilience.

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tournevis
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Not going downtown today, I think. My son was looking foreward to seeing MiniTFO.

CouronneDhiver The weather is definitely not cooperating with today's plans. 7y
9 likes2 comments
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teebe
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Because I've been bombarded lately with the ridiculousness that is #Canada150 and I kinda feel like handing copies of this book out whenever it comes up. #thoughtprovoking #aprilbookshowers

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tournevis
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Pickpick

Finally got a copy of my own. This book should be required reading for every Settler in North America, and certainly for all 11- or 12-graders. So good, so important.

Lindy Agreed. 8y
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Beholderess
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Pickpick

A challenging book, not even as much because of the factual content - the account of the injustices is well known - but rather because of the author's irreverent attitude towards historiography.
His deliberate disregard for the rules of "rational" discourse, "fairness", "objectivity" and "even handedness" is difficult for me to process. I understand what he intends to say, and damn, he puts it eloquently, but still...

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Babs_book_obsession
Pickpick

I don't recommend a lot of books but this is one I wish I could get everyone to read. I was worried that it might be a difficult read but it is not, it is very accessible and the sarcasm and wit makes it enjoyable. It made for an excellent bookclub discussion and I still find myself thinking about it regularly.

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Beholderess
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This is something to keep in mind while reading this book. It is by no means an academic work, and the author is extremely unapologetic about it
#history
#nonfiction #nonfictionlove #socialjustice #diverseauthors #diversebooks

Bibliogeekery Great quote! I love Thomas King! 8y
7 likes1 comment
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Beholderess
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I am a newcomer to Canada, about to celebrate my first Thanksgiving here, and I'm reading this. Awkward

#thanksgiving #socialjustice #worsttiming

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Nafiza
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Pickpick

This was a sobering read, probing at current understanding of a First Nations/Native person's struggle to live their lives in ownership of their selves amd their land. King talks at depth about the political histories of the Natives and how the governments of Canada and US have constantly failed the first nations people. This was an excelle t read and one I recommend to everyone.

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Nafiza
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It's not always this neat but I do like looking at my shelves.

read_diverse_books Holy crap, that's a lot of books! I have a home library as well, but most of the books aren't mine. I'm slowly taking over, though. 😤 8y
theshrinkette 😍😍😍😍😍😍 8y
Nafiza @read_diverse_books Being persistent is the way to go about it! 8y
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WOCreads Can I move on plz!!!?😍😍😍📚 8y
WOCreads *in 🙈 8y
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Zdog156
Pickpick

A cursory review of an extremely large topic

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teebe
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For #somethingforsept #authorsofcolor: These are all books by #IndigenousAuthors from Canada and the US. I'm not even sure this is everything I have tbh but this stack shows a good range of genres: histories, memoirs, narrative fiction, poetry, short stories, plays. A couple of them are by my family and a couple mention my family. #septphotochallenge #nativereads #poc #diversebooks