Voice of the Turtle

"Paula Gunn Allen has been at the heart of a literary movement that has made Native American literature a part of the canon.... Voice of the Turtle is a collection of stories that will transform readers, offering an opportunity to understand the diverse literary traditions of American native peoples."
--Clifford Trafzer
Editor of Earth Song, Sky Spirit
Meticulously edited by Paula Gunn Allen, Voice of the Turtle presents an unprecedented, comprehensive collection of Native American narrative literature from its first publication in 1900 through 1970. In forms as varied as oral recitation, autobiography, and fiction, this anthology gives readers a profound sense of the multiplicity of Native traditions and their ritual-centered worldview. Inside you'll discover:
A Red Girl's Reasoning by E. Pauline Johnson
Coyote Juggles His Eyes by Mourning Dove
Train Time by D'Arcy McNickle
"First Days at Carlisle" from My People, the Sioux by Luther Standing Bear
The Widespread Enigma Concerning Blue-Star Woman by Zitkala-Sa
"The Longhair" from House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday
With passionate eloquence and fiery boldness, Voice of the Turtle displays the richness, depth, and range of Native American literature during a century when Native culture was fighting--triumphantly, in the long run--for breath and life.
"Voice of the Turtle alchemizes the spirit of spoken words into magical icons of printed literature."
--Kenneth Lincoln
American Indian Studies, UCLA
"An invaluable gap-filler in the canon of American literature."
--Booklist
"Provocative...Comprehensive...An accessible, varied collection."
--Boston Sunday Herald


Genre: Fantasy