Customer Reviews

A Face in the Rock: The Tale of a Grand Island Chippewa

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I found this book very enjoyable reading. Being of Northern Michigan Anishnabe descent, it was a pleasure to read about the area where I grew up. This book is a genuine read about the Grand Island experience of the past. Munising, AuTrain and Grand Island are beautiful places to be and this is a must read about the history of the area, about a single life more or less, about an original people that the tourists in the area really don't get enough info about.

I came across A Face in the Rock in a bargain bin and picked it up because 1. it was so [inexpensive] and 2. it was local history. In truth, I didn't expect much from it---the edition that I bought had a badly designed cover---and it ended up sinking down my pile of "to read" books. I finally got around to it months later on a rainy, dreary, ... autumn day and, lo and behold, got totally sucked into it. A Face in the Rock as a book does everything a history should do: it captures the inherent drama, maintains an intimate, personal approach, sets the story against the framework of forces at work on the larger stage. It's also fairly short and to the point---the author keeps things moving nicely. It's nearly perfect, and a remarkable and poignant tale. Recently it has been reissued in a snappier edition (with praise from the NY Times and Louise Erdrich, among others) and, hopefully, this will help it find a wider audience. If you're at all interested in the history and development of the Great Lakes region, in native American history, or in sweeping dramas, get this book.

I thought this book was very good.I read it as a class project, and I thought it would be very very boring at first.Like oh yeah A Face In The Rock sounded really interesting to me!I think Powers of the Air was a very brave Grand Islander.He stood up for what he believed in.I thought Loren Graham wrote this book very well.I also thought it was interesting how he got his resources.Overall i think the book was very good.I will probably read it again.I would reccomend it to everyone because it is a good book for children because they can learn about the Grand Islanders and some of their legends.Thank You!

Loren R. Graham spent years gathering information about the Chippewa of Grand Island and his passion for telling the story of this beautiful place is readily appearent. Growing up in Michigan's upper penninsula I was familiar with the enchanting Munising shore of Lake Superior and the mostly marginalized Chippewa of modern-day Michigan. However, I knew little of how the Chippewa lived in the past or the story of the Grand Island indians' life in isolation and the impact after the whites came. It is a story of change brought about by cultural pressures from within the Chippewa tribe and much more so by the industrial-age expansion of white men. Graham keeps the story interesting by anchoring it around the life of Powers of the Air, an endearing Chippewa man who survived a tragic battle with the Souix in which he lost his father, only to face many more losses in the story that unfolds. Through Powers of the Air, Graham teaches Grand Island indian tradition and folklore. He tells of the magical beauty of the island. He shares Powers of the Air's interactions with whites on the island and how the resources of Grand Island were threatened. Carrying the story forward, he tells how in recent times both Grand Island and the Chippewa are seeing a promising future. If you have experienced the notable beauty of Superior's southern shore yourself, this story will add depth and meaning to what is already something special. If you simply enjoy a well-told history, then you won't be disappointed either.

This was an interesting historical account of the original Indian inhabitants of Grand Island in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. A Face in the Rock is more meaningful for those who have made the trip to this beautiful island. The water is crystal clear and the lack of tourists are surprising. Kyle and I actually took a kayaking trip to near by Pictured Rocks which provides breath-taking sites all along the coast of Lake Superior. If you are interested in the outdoors or just love to go to the beach this is a wonderful location for you.