The Inconvenient Indian

Anchor Canada

Trade Paper

314 pages

Review by Carla McKay

Whether you are Native or non-Native, you need to read this book. If you do so, you will have a totally different perspective about Native people in North America.

This story needed to be told and there's no one better to tell it than award-winning and best-selling author, Thomas King.

This book is not only a retelling of the historical account that most of us, both Native and Caucasian, learned in history class. It's told with the kind of sharp wit and humor that only King can tell. It's hilarious and yet so profoundly true.

Here are some of the chapter titles to whet your appetite: Forget Columbus, The End of the Trail, One Name to Rule Them All, Like Cowboys and Indians, What Indians Want, and As Long as the Grass is Green.

Former National Chief Shawn A-In-Chut Atleo writes, ""The Inconvenient Indian exposes and makes accessible, perhaps for the first time, our perspective of events that have shaped this continent. [King] brings humour, razor-sharp analysis and insight, compelling every reader to confront the uncomfortable and urgent reality of our peoples today."

Fellow First Nations author Richard Wagamese wrote this in THE GLOBE AND MAIL: "Essential reading for everyone who cares about Canada [North America] and who seeks to understand Native people, their issues and their dreams...King is beyond being a great writer and storyteller, a lauded academic and educator...."

But don't let words like "lauded academic and educator" scare you off. And if you need even more incentive to pick up this book and read it, there's an interview with King from CBC's Shelagh Rogers' "The Next Chapter".