The Hiawatha
The Hiawatha by David Treuer is a First Edition published by Picador USA in 1999, featuring 310 pages in English. This novel explores the life of Betty, a recently widowed mother who, influenced by government relocation schemes, moves her four children away from their Ojibwe heritage to start anew in Minneapolis. As Betty navigates the challenges of maintaining her family’s dignity, her sons experience their own struggles, with Lester finding romance on the soon-to-be-demolished train, The Hiawatha, while Simon takes on a perilous construction job to protect his mother.
Readers will find a narrative that intertwines personal and historical elements, reflecting on themes of family, survival, and identity. The story spans two decades, culminating in Simon’s release from prison and the impact of his return on the family dynamics. The Hiawatha delves into the complexities of life for Native Americans during a time of significant change, offering insights into the struggles faced by those caught between their cultural roots and the pressures of modern society.
Official synopsis Publisher
Recently widowed, and encouraged by government relocation schemes to move Native Americans off their reservations, Betty takes her four young children from their Ojibwe roots to make a new life in Minneapolis. As Betty struggles to keep her family and her dignity intact, her younger son Lester finds romance on the soon-to-be-demolished train, The Hiawatha, while his older brother Simon secretly protects his mother by taking a dangerous job as a construction worker, scaling the heights of the skyscrapers that, once completed, will never welcome him.
Twenty years later, Simon is released from prison for a horrible crime of passion. His return to Minneapolis sets in motion the dramatic, inevitable conclusion to one family’s fight to survive.
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