Yellow Raft in Blue Water

Yellow Raft in Blue Water
by Michael Dorris

This entrancing novel follows the lives of three generations of Native American women. It starts from the point of view of Rayona, a 15 year old half Native American, half African American girl who's mother escapes a hospital, packs their belongings, and abandons Rayona at her Grandmother Ida's house on the reservation. Rayona's reaction to this change of events unfolds from there. Next we learn the life story of Christine, the free spirited, energetic, and somewhat selfish mother of Rayona. Her story unfolds, explaining some of her eccentricities and the reason behind her abandonment of the daughter she truly loves. The final story covers Ida's life and how she came to be Christine's mother. Each story adds a new layer of depth to the story, twining the lives of these three women to tell a story of love, loss, suffering, and endurance.

I recommended this book for my book club. The book starts a little slow, but picks up speed by the time you are a third of the way through Christine's story. By the end, I was so amazed at how their stories tied together that I kept flipping back and forth between the three women's story to compare their different viewpoints. I wish that Ida's story was a little longer, but I am satisfied with the ending otherwise. There are so many nuances to this book to enjoy that our book club ended up getting kicked out of our meeting room before we could finish discussing it. If you are looking for a well crafted novel told from a Native American perspective, I recommend that you try Yellow Raft in Blue Water.

Non-fiction favorites

I admit, I read more fiction than non-fiction in my spare time. I sometimes find some non-fiction books so dense that I am only able to swallow them in small bites. Fortunately, some truly talented non-fiction authors write books that read like fiction - the story flows without getting bogged down by technicalities. I gobble such books down with greedy relish. Here are two non-fiction books I devoured in big, yummy bites.

Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother
by James McBride

This touching book tells the story of two lives. In alternating chapters James tells both the story of his life growing up half African American and half Jew with eleven brothers and sisters in the Brooklyn projects and the story of his mother, the daughter of a rabbi, who runs away from home, marries a African American minister, raises 12 amazing children, and helps found a church. His mother's views on color and life are an inspiration to all. James is an amazing writer whose book is both heart-warming and inspiring. I recommend it to everyone.

The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls

You can tell Jeannette wrote for a newspaper, because she knows how to grab your attention right from the beginning. In the first two pages, she's on her way to attend a Park Avenue party. Her cab stops at a red light, and she looks out the window and spies her mother digging through a dumpster in a nearby alley. You then find that her mother lives the life of a vagrant by choice.

Jeannette goes on to tell the story of her life growing up in an eccentric family who live a nomadic existence, doing the "skidaddle" whenever either bill collectors get too close or her parents feel too hemmed in. Her parents are smart and unconventional. They are also selfish and abusive in their neglect. Yet, Walls writes her memoir with love in every sentence. Her life growing up may not have been traditional, but it did make her the strong, intelligent, and creative person she is today. This story is at times funny, unnerving, touching, and poignant. Truly an addictive read.