Those in the know keep telling scholars that they’d better write narratively if they want to reach a non-specialist audience. That can lead to big messes.
I also read David Treuer's review in the New Yorker, and had similar concerns. Perhaps Treuer's own book, "The Heartbreak of Wounded Knee," provides some clues. My main takeaway was Treuer's almost desperate desire for native peoples to be seen as canny survivors, not as victims. Your timely column will make me finally get around to reading "Autumn of the Black Snake," which I bought months ago. One more thought - I found Graeber & Wendat's "The Dawn of Everything" a revelation on native history in North America.
Have you read Hämäläinen’s Lakota book? It’s been on my radar but I haven’t read it. It seems likely that it avoids some of these issues by being more focused.
Dominant Narratives and Their Overturnings: the History Genre That Can Never Die
These books are meant to be seen not read.
I also read David Treuer's review in the New Yorker, and had similar concerns. Perhaps Treuer's own book, "The Heartbreak of Wounded Knee," provides some clues. My main takeaway was Treuer's almost desperate desire for native peoples to be seen as canny survivors, not as victims. Your timely column will make me finally get around to reading "Autumn of the Black Snake," which I bought months ago. One more thought - I found Graeber & Wendat's "The Dawn of Everything" a revelation on native history in North America.
Have you read Hämäläinen’s Lakota book? It’s been on my radar but I haven’t read it. It seems likely that it avoids some of these issues by being more focused.
The first of your links, for those without a WaPo subscription: https://wapo.st/3AGjJgh
The second link, for those without a NYT subscription: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/20/arts/indigenous-continent-pekka-hamalainen.html?unlocked_article_code=CUhIt97pqiqKRIa_DMut-JbchbG7LMmvm23GrzVfQQ_cvQRD7mwr-RUVqFhE9HkOCRGzzAu3OH0XgOfsRZJWLrJeHE6KQcaqY7OOistunc4UzIJJi34b5Zso9gIut4Nyz6tb6eeDDrypfRj4GwZo_OCxPIzDggdVG9dsZw9KLYN-irm2FNEGZQIu4IRSuISLjEBLH8HP-BWIny-mT9sQgIo28L6t_pX-H8sTl8EoY-W3MhdcjZ1cCFaPelSI3NqqHhhfsWNLMc2pIl7PlY6nZqw84UXDCBMtPt7P2ok9aiGdhvBPI6Csv6xHmjCG9hJRo37v3mT-k_9HvX8ngO9C_qqrXCJzkJB-22lv8Q&smid=share-url