David Treuer’s Rebellious New History of Native American Life [NewYorker.com]
A book attempts to counter a narrative of tragedy by examining the past. In the 2006 book “ Native American Fiction: A User’s Manual ,” by David Treuer, the novelist and academic describes an assignment that he gave to students in a Native American-fiction class. They read a short story by Sherman Alexie, in which a character is described shedding “Indian tears.” What, he asked his students, might “Indian tears” signify? The students responded with confidence, “as if unearthing whole...