There There by Tommy Orange
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Web ID: 9092826Great Book
Generational oppression as seen in the lives of urban Native Americans. A great commentary on the modern NA experience.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Eye-opening and powerful read—highly recommend!
I read this for my english class and so far it has been one of my favorite books to read in the class. I appreciate how the Orange clearly paints a picture of the struggles of Native American life without trying to romanticize it or leave out the difficult parts, and I think it showcases well the implications of colonization on the tragic course of many of these characters’ timelines. It is a very authentic feeling story, with some characters struggling with themes of abandonment and addiction, and some characters are more likeable than others—it adds to the realness, as that is the same way you’ll encounter people in real life. Though there are some very emotionally hard-to-read topics, there is nothing untrue about how these characters have to experience life. Overall, I found it to be a great book, and I definitely recommend.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Beautiful Native American Representation
I read this book for a project in my English class and wow did it open my eyes. This book was a beautiful representation of identity discovery, extreme racially motivated violence, and realistic issues that we don't open up enough about.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Difficult read
A lot of characters where their stories are told in short vignettes and whose lives intercept at the Oakland Powwow. I hated this book. I found it to be an emotionally difficult read. Except for the children I did not find most of the characters to be people I would want to meet. Too many were trying to find an easy out without working to improve their lives. Of the adults I did find Opal, Jacquie, and Harvey trying to improve their lives. Some of the characters were just innocent bystanders--Edwin, Bill, Dene, Blue, and Thomas--trying to connect to their heritage and caught in the cross fire. The others I had no use for. I would like to know what happens to each one though especially Orvil. He was a doll and trying to find his path to his heritage and where he fit in. He was also trying to teach his younger brothers. I hope they make it to adulthood without the baggage that followed so many of the adults in their lives.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
You will be moved by this book
“If you have the option to not think about or even consider history, whether you learned it right or not, or whether it even deserves consideration, that’s how you know you’re on board the ship that serves hors d’oeuvres and fluffs your pillows, while others are out at sea, swimming or drowning, or clinging to little inflatable rafts that they have to take turns in keeping inflated, people short of breath, who’ve never even heard of the words hors d’oeuvres or fluff.” There There by Tommy Orange follows twelve Native Americans all from different walks of life, as they all travel to a big powwow in California. Each character is touched in some way by sadness, prejudice, and substance abuse. The author also talks about the treatment and prejudices of Native Americans through out history and today. I don’t think a human being could read this book and not be moved by it. The author wrote with such passion and realism about a group of people who have been mistreated, overlooked, and treated terribly through out history. Many of the things written in this book that occurred to Native Americans, I never even knew about. I definitely intend to correct that and learn more about this topic. I cannot recommend this book enough. I honestly believe everyone should read it. I give it 5 full stars.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Horrifying, electric, devastating.
A genius debut. This book will haunt you. The characters are thoughtfully developed, and Tommy Orange provides great nuance to their traumas and decisions. You’ll hate it at some times, but don’t put it down. That’s the point. It’s devastating, poetic, and one of the most difficult books I’ve ever read.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com