Staff Pick
Harjo's memoir is both gritty and glittering. Her experiences with domestic abuse, poverty, and addiction are sometimes heart-wrenching, but on the other side of her journey is poetry, music, and art. A stunningly intense and beautiful read. Recommended By Rose H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
In this transcendent memoir, grounded in tribal myth and ancestry, music and poetry, Joy Harjo, one of our leading Native American voices, details her journey to becoming a poet. Born in Oklahoma, the end place of the Trail of Tears, Harjo grew up learning to dodge an abusive stepfather by finding shelter in her imagination, a deep spiritual life, and connection with the natural world. She attended an Indian arts boarding school, where she nourished an appreciation for painting, music, and poetry; gave birth while still a teenager; and struggled on her own as a single mother, eventually finding her poetic voice. Narrating the complexities of betrayal and love, is a memoir about family and the breaking apart necessary in finding a voice. Harjo's tale of a hardscrabble youth, young adulthood, and transformation into an award-winning poet and musician is haunting, unique, and visionary.
Review
"Stirring. . . . In her harrowing and ultimately hopeful story, Harjo allows the reader to know her intimately, and we are enriched by her honesty." Ms.
Review
"A saga about the survival of spirituality and creativity in the face of generations of racism, dispossession, and familial dysfunction." Rebecca Steinitz
Review
"A must-read for her fans and a fascinating door into her world for those new to her work." Boston Globe
Review
"Harjo allows the reader to know her intimately, and we are enriched by her honesty." Elizabeth Wilkinson Minneapolis Star Tribune
About the Author
Joy Harjo is an internationally known performer and writer of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation. She has written seven books of poetry, including She Had Some Horses and How We Became Human, and lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.