Bleed into Me: A Book of Stories (Native Storiers: A Series of American Narratives) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "My father only smoked cigarettes on Independence Day..." (more)
Key Phrases: John Paul, Don Ann, Uncle Jay (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Jones paints a bleak picture in this collection about Native American men struggling to break the circle of violence, alcoholism and broken families that circumscribes their lives. "Halloween," the opening short short, sets the tone: a brutal father initiates his six-, nine- and 12-year-old sons into manhood by teaching them to smoke cigarettes and drink beer on national holidays. "Bile" revisits an all-too-familiar Native American tragedy, as a young man and his family wait helplessly while his hospitalized father succumbs to the ravages of cirrhosis. Jones concludes the collection of 17 stories with "Discovering America," a terse, furious summary of discrimination against Native Americans narrated by a young drifter who fumes inside as he encounters stereotyping and racism across the country. The constant threat or fact of violence in these stories combined with Jones's idiosyncratic, staccato prose makes for gripping and visceral reading, but these oblique, barely sketched pieces can also be difficult and disorienting. Still, in his evocation of young men grasping for hope while ruled by anger and helplessness, Jones shows talent.
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From Booklist

Jones, an English professor and Blackfoot author with three novels to his credit, here brings his stinging commentary to 16 stories, each one illuminating a small part of what it's like to be an Indian in contemporary America. In one bittersweet tale, two white kids mistake an Indian's red pickup for their uncle's as they hop in for the trip to school. Not-so-subtle prejudice runs high as everyone he encounters in his role as unwilling abductor presumes his guilt. Drugs and alcohol infuse many stories, some ending tragically in their portrayal of the harsh realities of life on and just off the reservation. The concluding story, "Discovering America," brilliantly encapsulates the whole collection, as a young man writing a play travels from Florida to Arkansas, Texas, and New Mexico. Guilty of "Driving While Indian," he is greeted with suspicious glances, called "Chief," and asked if he has "scalped anybody today." Jones' sardonic tale reveals the sort of casual stereotyping and prejudice that never seems to disappear. Deborah Donovan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 152 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803226055
• ISBN-13: 978-0803226050
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,094,802 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars if you're not reading stephen jones...you need to start. now., August 25, 2005

By	D. McCoy "Drew" (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

stephen jones, the author of three previous novels, THE FAST RED ROAD, ALL THE BEAUTIFUL SINNERS, and THE BIRD IS GONE as done it once again. time and time again jones manages to blow me away with his vision of the world around us. BLEED INTO ME is a collection of stories, some have been published previously while others this is their first time seeing print. nobody puts together scenes like stephen jones. nobody takes ordinary events and flips them on their head like he does. the characters that roam the pages of this collection are 'real' people, people we all know. to steal a line from another review that sums it up best, "Jones sees this world, its parallels between beauty and despair, grace and turmoil, and describes it with originality and stylistic flair. Jones's vision is unflinchingly peculiar. It's also a vision like no other.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A paper treasure chest, October 6, 2005

By	Daniel Short (Oklahoma City, OK United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a very strong collection of stories and an excellent place to start if you're new to Stephen Graham Jones. If you want to have a taste before taking the 15 dollar plunge, do what I did and type the author's name into that A9 Web Search box up top. Several of the short stories featured here can be sampled through various online publications, along with other little gems that could have just as easily fit into the book. You'll probably find yourself hooked before it even arrives in the mail.

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic collection of shorts, April 30, 2009

By	Richard Thomas "wickerkat" (chicago, il) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

SGJ is one of my favorite authors, and if you haven't read his work yet, this is a great way to start. I can't remember EVER reading a story of his, and he is one of the most prolific writers I know, that has come close to letting me down. Great job Stephen.