Book Review: The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

The Night Watchman
by Louise Erdrich (Erdrich)

One of the protagonists, Thomas Wazhashk, is a night security guard at the jewel-bearing plant in Turtle Mountain Reservation during the 1950s. Not only is the jewel-bearing plant real, and still in existence, but Thomas Wazhashk is based on the author’s own grandfather. When Thomas is not doing rounds to keep the plant safe while it’s closed, he is working to protect the Turtle Mountain Band of the Chippewa. He is the tribal chairman at a time when a U.S. Senator was trying to “terminate” the tribe, declaring the people on the reservation as doing well enough they no longer needed the reservation, the land, or government assistance. The Senator was masking his intentions as a new “emancipation” bill.

Pixie Paranteau, the other protagonist, insists everyone call her Patrice. She works at the jewel-bearing plant to support her mother and brother, and uses her vacation days to search for her sister lost in Minneapolis.

Erdrich has an ability to blend in a spiritual element that reveals experiences beyond what the living can usually see. I rank Erdrich’s writing as a reason for living, it is that beautiful.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich or The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates.]

[ publisher’s official The Night Watchman web page ] | [ Wikipedia page for Louise Erdrich ]

Recommended by Jodi R.
Anderson and Bethany Branch Libraries

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