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Thinning Blood

A Memoir of Family, Myth, and Identity
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( 1,980 ratings, 326 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Thinning Blood by Leah Myers is an exploration of Indigenous identity in the modern world. Through a deeply personal narrative, Myers delves into her own familial history and the broader historical context of Native American lineage. The book blends history, memoir, and cultural commentary, reflecting on the challenges of preserving heritage in a rapidly changing society.
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Format: Hardback
$4999
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in exploring personal narratives intertwined with historical experiences, particularly those that delve into the complexities of cultural identity and heritage. It's a compelling read that navigates the connections between personal identity and broader historical influences, offering unique insights that resonate deeply with those curious about the intersections of personal and historical stories.

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A vibrant new voice blends Native folklore and the search for identity in a fierce debut work of personal history

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Leah Myers may be the last member of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe in her family line, due to her tribe's strict blood quantum laws. In this unflinching and intimate memoir, Myers excavates the stories of four generations of women in order to leave a record of her family. Beginning with her great-grandmother, the last full-blooded Native member in their lineage, she connects each woman with her totem to construct her family's totem pole: protective Bear, defiant Salmon, compassionate Hummingbird, and perched on top, Raven.

As she pieces together their stories, Myers weaves in tribal folktales, the history of the Native genocide, and Native mythology. Throughout, she tells the larger story of how, as she puts it, her "culture is being bleached out," offering sharp vignettes of her own life between White and Native worlds: her naΓ―ve childhood love for Pocahontas, her struggles with the Klallam language, the violence she faced at the hands of a close White friend as a teenager.

Crisp and powerful, Thinning Blood is at once a bold reclamation of one woman's identity and a searingly honest meditation on heritage, family, and what it means to belong.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Thinning Blood is described as a powerful blend of memoir, Native history, and myth, seamlessly transcending genre boundaries. Its vivid scenes are particularly striking, creating an impactful reading experience.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781324036708

Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 23 May 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: WW Norton & Co

Illustration: 4 illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 147.0mm

Height: 218.0mm

Weight: 314g

Pages: 176

About the Author

Leah Myers received an MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of New Orleans, where she won the Samuel Mockbee Award for Nonfiction two years in a row. She now lives in Alabama, with roots in Georgia, Arizona, and Washington.

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  • Thinning Blood
    Leah Myers may be the last member of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe in her family line, due to her tribe's strict blood quantum laws. In this unflinching and intimate memoir, Myers excavates the stories of four generations of women in order to leave a record of her family. Beginning with her great-grandmother, the last full-blooded Native member in their lineage,...
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    $3099
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