"Gerald Vizenor counters the cultural notions of dominance, false representations, and simulations of absence, and, by documents, experience, and theories, secures a narrative presence of Native Americans."--Publisher description.

Five classics of American Indian culture are collected for the first time here. They are: George Copway's Kah-ge-ga-gah-bowh; Charles Eastman's Soul of the Indian; American Indian Stories; Coyote Stories; and Black Elk Speaks.

"For many the phrase "Native nonfiction" inspires thoughts of the past, of timeless oral history transcriptions and dry 19th century autobiographies. In Shapes of Native Nonfiction, Washuta and Warburton explode this perspective by showcasing 22 contemporary Native writers and their provocative approaches to form. While exploring familiar legacies of personal and collective trauma and violence, these writers push, pull and break the conventional essay...