Voice of the Turtle (Paperback)

by Paula Gunn Allen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Allen ( The Sacred Hoop) , a leading figure in Native studies and herself a Laguna Pueblo/Sioux, offers a useful and interesting, if flawed, anthology of American Indian literature of the first seven decades of the 20th century. She also provides a solid introduction, which puts the collected pieces in historical context, and she ushers in each selection with a brief explanatory note. Allen intends this work, as well as its projected sequel, to serve as a kind of map through Native writing for non-Native readers. Major figures in Native letters are represented. A well-chosen selection from N. Scott Momaday's Pulitzer-winning House Made of Dawn , for instance, presents the country's perhaps best-known Native writer in the novel that opened the publishing door for many current Indian authors. Also represented are pivotal writers such as D'Arcy McNickle (though not from his seminal work, The Surrounded ) and John Joseph Mathews (from Sundown , his novel of Osage life in the early part of the century). Nonfiction is also included, and no doubt the collection will be helpful to readers unfamiliar with the rich diversity of Native intellectual history. Yet odd critical judgments mar the volume. One wonders why Allen included multiple pieces by some authors (Charles A. Eastman and John M. Oskison, for example) while excluding the work of other, equally important writers (such as Alexander Posey and Ella Cara Deloria). And such relatively minor figures as Arthur Parker and Estelle Armstrong are represented, as well as works that were coauthored by whites and whose authorial voice and authenticity are difficult to apprehend. Author tour.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
YA?In her introduction, Allen clearly expresses her intention: to give non-Native readers the opportunity to experience something of the wholeness of Native thought. And this is exactly what she accomplishes with this masterful collection of stories. Readers are introduced to a representative sampling of 18 different Native American authors who convey stories from their divergent traditions in a variety of forms. After reading such fine selections as Black Elk's "Great Vision," Luther Standing Bear's "First Day at Carlisle," or D'Arcy McNickle's "Train Time," readers will gain a better understanding of various Native peoples. A biographical sketch on each author is included.?Beth Gourley, Handley Regional Library, Winchester, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: One World/Ballantine (September 11, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345395050
• ISBN-13: 978-0345395054
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,463,089 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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