November is Native American Heritage Month, an opportunity to celebrate the heritage and cultures of Indigenous groups in the United States. In honor of the occasion, UVA Library staff members have gathered some reading and viewing recommendations by and about Native Americans.
Check out their suggestions below:
“The Translation of Dr. Apelles: A Love Story” by David Treuer [Ojibwe tribe] (Graywolf Press, 2006)
Dr. Apelles (first name never provided) spends most of his days working at RECAP (the Research Collections and Preservation Consortium), checking in “books one likes or that one recognizes as … potentially important but for which one has no use or that … never will be read.” In his spare time, he translates obscure works from Algonquian languages. One such story from the 19th century makes him realize what he is missing in life — love. However, his relationship with his coworker Campaspe brings many risks, in its way paralleling the journey of the lovers in the story he translates. Treuer has elsewhere questioned the extent to which fellow Indigenous authors accurately reflect Indigenous culture or perpetuate stereotypes in their writing, and he certainly presents a different kind of Native American protagonist and a modern story (albeit one struggling with the weight of the past) in this novel.
— Keith Weimer, Librarian for History and Religious Studies
“The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” by Stephen Graham Jones [Blackfeet tribe] (S&S/Saga Press, 2025)
Jones’ novel reads a bit like a Native American “Interview with the Vampire.” In 1912 the Blackfoot warrior Good Stab offers his “confession” to a Lutheran pastor in Miles City, Montana, following decades of predation upon Indigenous and white victims. Part of what has motivated Good Stab is revenge for the catastrophic events of the 1870s — including the massacre of his band and the commercial slaughter of the buffalo. Jones’ tour de force presents a strongly voiced and well-plotted counter-narrative to prevailing trends in American history. He challenges received Christian understandings of grace, including Luther’s, though he himself is not Lutheran.
— Keith Weimer, Librarian for History and Religious Studies
“Even as We Breathe: A Novel” by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle [Cherokee tribe] (Fireside Industries Books, 2020)
For Native American Heritage Month, I share a book that holds personal meaning for me: “Even as We Breathe” by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle. As a descendant of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), I was so moved by this story — not only because it is the first novel published by a citizen of the EBCI, but because it also echoes the lived experiences of my own ancestors. The novel is set in Western North Carolina during World War II and centers around the Grove Park Inn and Resort, a place one of my ancestors had a physical hand in building but whose family would not have the privilege to visit as guests for generations to come. Reading Clapsaddle’s words, I could feel the quiet strength of those who came before me. Her characters navigate racism, injustice, and cultural divides with resilience and grit, and their journey reminded me of the perseverance of my own family. To me, this debut novel is more than just a beautiful story. It is a reclamation of voice, place, and identity. I hope others will read it and feel the heartbeat of our mountains and people.
— Kelly Graham, Director of Development
Works by and about Edward S. Curtis
- “Shadow Catcher: The Life and Work of Edward S. Curtis” by Laurie Lawlor (Walker, 1994)
- “Edward S. Curtis: The Life and Times of a Shadow Catcher” by Barbara Davis (Chronicle Books, 1985)
Between 1900 and 1930 the photographer and ethnologist Edward S. Curtis embarked on an incredible undertaking to photograph Indigenous peoples of North America, ultimately producing a 20-volume work titled “The North American Indian.” Commissioned by J. P. Morgan (through the librarian of his collection Belle da Costa Greene), Curtis included over 1,500 photographs of Indigenous people: focusing not only on portraiture, but also documentation of the daily lives and customs of those he referred to as a “vanishing race.” Curtis’ photographs are laden with sepia hues and stark contrasts that are immersive and compelling, serving as one of the most aesthetically powerful documents of a people embracing their traditions and amongst the 
struggles of a changing world.
The biographies listed above trace Curtis’ life and work, with particular focus on the creation of his multi-volume document of Native Americans. For a comprehensive collection of Curtis’ photo series, check out “The North American Indians: A Selection of Photographs.”
NOTE: Many of Curtis’ photos are in the public domain, and can be viewed on the Smithsonian website or on Wikipedia.
— Kiowa Hammons, Director of Copyright & Scholarly Communication Services