Book notes | The Night Watchman
The16th novel by Minnesota author Louise Erdrich, discussed by UMRA Book Club I at its February meeting, is a stellar depiction of reservation life and the consequences of relocation in the mid 1950s.
The novel is set in 1953–54 on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in northern North Dakota. Tribal Chairman Thomas Wazhashk spends his afternoons and early evenings on tribal business. From midnight to 6 a.m., he is the night watchman at the Turtle Mountain Jewel Bearing Plant in the nearby town of Rolla.
Thomas is grateful for the overnight shift since the reservation is hard up and cannot pay the $30 monthly chairman’s salary. But trouble comes to the tribe in the form of House Concurrent Resolution 108, calling for the “emancipation” and relocation of Indians from their reservations.
If the law is passed by Congress, reservation land will be sold. Thomas and the Tribal Council meet, draw up a petition, and begin their fight against HCR 108—which will take them all the way to Washington, D.C.
The novel’s other primary character, 19-year-old Patrice Parenteau, is intelligent, spunky, and intuitive. She works hard in the jewel bearing plant and is the major financial support for her family. She lives with her mother, Zhaanat, a traditional healer, and younger brother, Pokey. Her father, an inveterate drunk, is rarely home.
Patrice’s older sister, Vera, left the reservation and moved to Minneapolis and the family has not heard from her for five months. This second story line narrates Patrice’s attempts to locate her sister to bring her and her baby back to the reservation.
Most of the UMRA Book Club group had positive things to say about the book, though some members were puzzled by Native American spirituality, especially the jiisikid flying inside a special tent and the spirit with him seeing Vera, although hundreds of miles away.
There was general agreement that there were too many minor characters and keeping track of all the characters was overwhelming. The respect for elders in the community was noted, especially the way Thomas, on his birthday, took a pinch of tobacco to his father and asked his father to tell him about his name.
—Becky Anderson, Book Club I member
UMRA Book Club to meet February 19
Fri, Feb 19 2021, 2pm
Becky Anderson will lead the discussion of The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, February 19.
The UMRA Book Club currently has 16 members, a number that works well for our discussions. Contact Pat Tollefson at [email protected] for more information, including suggestions for starting a new book club.
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.