Night of the Living Rez

Synopsis: This collection of short stories is set on the Penobscot Indian Nation reservation in Maine, where the author ws raised. At the center of the collection is David, a Penobscot boy living on the Rez, as we read different vignettes of his life from youth to adulthood. Stories explore everything from runaway daughters to infant loss and cancer, from beer runs to porcupine hunts.

Review: I have a fondness for this style of book. The twelve stories could stand alone, but together they provide a novel-like portrait of David’s life on the rez. Talty has an incredible ability to take seemingly disparate events in David’s life, but demonstrate how interconnected they are. Intergenerational trauma is the tie that binds. This is modern life on a reservation, with poverty, addiction, and trauma, but also community, friendships and love. There’s a fascinating blend of traditional and modern worldviews in these tales.

Rating: 4/5

Recipe: A central theme of this book is the tension between preserving cultural traditions and living in the 21st century. Frick, David’s mother’s boyfriend, portrays himself as a “medicine man” and wants to teach David to hunt, but doesn’t really try that hard. I guess the local Shop and Save is just easier. Traditional Penobscot foods of course included game such as venison and moose. This recipe for venison steak could be adapted for any kind of protein.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups olive oil

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons dry mustard

2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 lb venison loin or leg, cut into 6 steaks

1) Combine all ingredients except venison in a large bowl. Put venison into the marinade and refrigerate 8-12 hours

2) Remove from marinade, and season with salt and pepper. Grill until medium rare, 4-5 minutes per side. Rest 5 minutes before serving.