The Moccasin Maker [Paperback]

E. Pauline Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1998

Long before American Indian women’s literature achieved its current popularity, the writings of E. Pauline Johnson (1861-1913) pioneered the field. A mixed-blood of Mohawk-English descent, Johnson gained renown for literary recitals and theatrical performances in Canada, England, and the United States, being billed at the turn of the century as the "Mohawk Princess." Many of Johnson’s stories in The Moccasin Maker depict nineteenth-century Indian women caught between the forces of cultural continuity and the pressures of assimilation.

Editorial Reviews

Review

E. Pauline Johnson, the daughter of a Mohawk Chief and an English woman, was born in Canada in 1861. Moccasin Maker opens with the life story of the author's mother, Lydia. The stories that follow concern what it means to be Indian in a country conquered by the British. "The Tenas Klootchman" (girl-baby in Chinook) is the touching, true story of Maarda, an Indian woman whose beautifully woven baby basket sits empty after her infant dies, and a sick white widow-woman whom Maarda finds carrying a strong, healthy infant girl "rolled in a shawl." While Maarda cares for the woman and child, the empty basket haunts her: "she seemed to see a wee flower face looking up at her like the blossom of a russet-brown pansy." In addition to lovely prose and elegant plot twists, this collection is particularly stunning for the honor and respect it pays to the birth cultures of the author. -- For great reviews of books for girls, check out Let's Hear It for the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14. -- From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Jesse Larsen --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (September 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806130792
• ISBN-13: 978-0806130798
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,878,902 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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