6 Writers and 14 Books for Indigenous Peoples Day

[image description: An Indigenous woman holds a sign at a protest that says “Indigenous womxn will lead us forward.” She has long brown hair, brown eyes, and has a black handprint painted over her mouth.]
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I always feel a little weird recommending books that we should be reading all year on specific days, but I’d feel weirder if I didn’t acknowledge Indigenous Peoples Day. Especially since one of my freelance gigs is rewriting problematic educational content and I had to correct a “Columbus discovered America”-type lesson not that long ago. There’s still so much that people at large, especially white people, have to learn about Indigenous history and everyday life.

Rather than recommending individual books like I normally do, I wanted to recommend the entire body of work by several Indigenous authors. Some only have one book out right now and others have more than a dozen. I’ve read books by all of these authors and am a big fan of their work. Though I haven’t read every single book these six authors have published (yet), I feel pretty confident saying all their books are good, important, worthwhile, entertaining reads.

In no particular order…

Tommy Orange

He’s only got one book out right now, There There, and it had me on the edge of my seat. I’m eagerly awaiting his next book. His fiction is singular––no one writes like he does.

Tommy Pico

In the Before Times, before the pandemic, I saw Tommy read at an event at Two Dollar Radio and he brought such great energy. He was bright, bubbly, and built quick rapport with the audience. I couldn’t take my eyes off him! His poems are at once deep and brooding while also having a sense of levity. He wields language like a specialty tool.

Elissa Washuta

Elissa read at the same event where I saw Tommy Pico and she was dynamic and fascinating. I’m in awe of how her brain works and how she finds magic in the everyday. Her books will leave you reeling and wanting more.

Terese Marie Mailhot

She’s only got one book out but I read it a couple of years ago when it first came out and I still think about it frequently. That’s about the highest compliment I can give a book. When you read 100+––and sometimes 170+––books a year, the ones that stick with you are the really good ones.

Billy-Ray Belcourt

Admittedly, I hadn’t heard of Billy-Ray until his third book came out, so I had some catching up to do. I’m so glad I did!

Joy Harjo

If Joy’s name sounds familiar it’s because she’s been the US Poet Laureate like three times. She has over a dozen books out––poetry, memoir, and edited anthologies. I first encountered her poem “She Had Some Horses” at a poetry workshop for high schoolers and have been a fan ever since.

If these authors sound intriguing to you, and I hope they do, I’ve made a list of some of my favorite books of theirs on my Bookshop page. When you shop there, you support indie bookstores and this blog.