- BookBrowse
- Posts
- The History & Present of "Native American"
The History & Present of "Native American"
A graphic memoir, Colum McCann, Aaron John Curtis, and more ...
BookBrowse Highlights
Hello Readers!
This week’s First Impressions reads take us from ginseng farms in Wisconsin with Craig Thompson’s beautiful graphic memoir Ginseng Roots to the bustle of working-class Singapore in Jemimah Wei’s intense novel of sisterhood The Original Daughter.
Join us for our book club discussion of Milo Todd’s The Lilac People, a timely work of World War II fiction about trans people living under persecution by both the Nazis and Allies.
Our Editor’s Choice review covers Twist, the elegant latest from Colum McCann, following a journalist on a vessel for repairing the ocean’s vast network of submarine cables.
With our review of Aaron John Curtis’s profound debut Old School Indian, we bring you a “beyond the book” article exploring the history of the term “Native American.”
Plus, we announce this year’s Pulitzer winners and have new books for members to request!
Thanks for reading,
The BookBrowse Team
First Impressions
Each month, we share books with BookBrowse members to read and review. Here are their opinions on two recently released titles.
Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson
“Ginseng Roots is a tour de force graphic memoir. Craig Thompson tells many overlapping stories in this volume, formerly published as a 12-issue comic book series. In revealing his personal search for meaning and purpose he explores his roots, which are contained within the story of ginseng farming in America. He details the travails of midwestern small farm life…The shared moments with his brother and sister, his interviews with the ginseng farmers of Wisconsin and their counterparts in South Korea and China, are all revelatory in their own way.” —Claire M. (Wrentham, MA) |  |
"The illustrations brought meaning where words alone would have failed to enlighten me. I enjoyed this book and will recommend it for book group discussion.” —Melanie B. (Desoto, TX)
“I don't know how to talk about such a beautiful book…Thompson looks at human foibles (including his own) with honesty and sympathy, inspiring in me feelings of tenderness and rage and humor and more.” —Maria P. (Hillsboro, VA)
The Original Daughter by Jemimah Wei
“This story draws the reader in right from the start. Close family relationships are strained by the arrival of an accidental sister, as well as by societal expectations and close living conditions in Singapore. But it is the competition and sibling rivalry of the sisters that drive this coming-of-age story. As one sister's career soars, and one sister struggles, can they hold on to their childhood loyalty and sibling love? These characters and their parents are complicated and flawed, but also sympathetic. The descriptions of Singapore life in the 21st century are interesting and sometimes humorous. This is a beautifully written book. Highly recommended for book clubs as there are lots of discussion points.” —Lynn D. (Kingston, NY) |  |
“Wei's writing is immersive, balancing introspection with sharp dialogue and evocative descriptions. I found myself completely engaged.” —Cherryl V. (San Francisco, CA)
“Tactile and brilliant and bare. It’s grim and relatable all at once.” —Connie K. (Oldsmar, FL)
Book Club Discussions
Discussions are open to all! If you’d like to participate, you can do so by creating an account here. Please note that discussions can contain spoilers.
The Lilac People by Milo Todd
From the Jacket In 1932 Berlin, Bertie, a trans man, and his friends spend carefree nights at the Eldorado Club, the epicenter of Berlin's thriving queer community. An employee of the renowned Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld at the Institute of Sexual Science, Bertie works to improve queer rights in Germany and beyond, but everything changes when Hitler rises to power. The institute is raided, the Eldorado is shuttered, and queer people are rounded up. Bertie barely escapes with his girlfriend, Sofie, to a nearby farm. There they take on the identities of an elderly couple and live for more than a decade in isolation. |  |
From the Discussion
“The Lilac People is beautifully written, the dual timeline is easy to follow, the main characters are well developed…one of the best books I have read in a while and I read a lot!” —Laura_S
“The importance of a sense of community plays an integral part…I loved the way the author expressed this.” —Melissa_Chaitin
“This book evoked so many feelings and I’m left thinking so much about it — the mark of a great book!” —Emily_Bahhar
For Members
This issue of The BookBrowse Review contains reviews and "beyond the book" articles for 14 titles, including Old School Indian by Aaron John Curtis, The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong, and Twist by Colum McCann. We also bring you our list of May Books We're Excited About, previews of upcoming books, fresh First Impressions titles, and more. Not Yet a Member? Do you love to spend your reading hours immersed in captivating storytelling and intriguing ideas? |  |
Then a BookBrowse membership is for you! What you see on BookBrowse for free and in this newsletter is just a small part of what is available to members — for just $5.00/month! Join Today!
Members! This month's First Impressions and Book Club books are now available to request. Offer closes end of Saturday, May 10. Books are provided free of charge to BookBrowse members resident in the US with the understanding that they'll do their best to either write a short review or take part in an online discussion forum (depending on whether the book is assigned for First Impressions or the Book Club). Our basic membership guarantees you at least four books a year when you request each month. |  |
Free books are one of the many benefits of a BookBrowse membership. Join by this Saturday (for just $5.00 a month) to request and receive a book from this list. Don't wait!
Pulitzer Prize Winners
James by Percival Everett, a 2024 BookBrowse Best of Year title and National Book Award Winner, has now been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. To see the other 2025 Pulitzer winners, check out our Award Winners page by clicking the button below. You can also browse previous award winners for the Booker, Edgar, Hugo, and many other prizes. |  |
Editor’s Choice
Twist by Colum McCann
As Colum McCann's novel Twist opens, Anthony Fennell, a writer struggling with alcohol and career stagnation, has reluctantly agreed to write a long-form journalistic piece on the Georges Lecointe, one of the world's busiest cable repair vessels, for an online magazine. With his always elegant prose, Colum McCann is one of those rare writers who successfully arcs back and forth between the wide-angle perspective of global and societal concerns and its opposite, the sharply focused close-up on individuals and their specific and complicated human lives. … continued Review by Danielle McClellan |  |
Beyond the Book
”Native American” Is Complicated
Paloma Zhaniser is a gender violence policy analyst affiliated with the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. When I interviewed her, she was clear that she doesn't use the term Native American, preferring "Indigenous" because of its accuracy: "It is the American part of Native American I object to. It is not accurate. I didn't choose to be identified in that way. I have the right to choose what I want to be called." In the novel Old School Indian, Mohawk author Aaron John Curtis addresses "Native American" five minutes into the story. … continued Article by Valerie Morales |  |
Reply