17 Books About Native American Culture to Read This November

University presses have long been a vital force in Native studies, publishing more than 80 specialized works despite the challenges they face. These presses possess the unique ability to shed light on stories and scholarship that often go unnoticed by mainstream trade publishers, especially when dominant narratives seek to erase and dismiss Indigenous life.

Native studies demand an interdisciplinary approach, blending memoir, history, religious studies, ritual studies, sociology, and more—a style rarely embraced by traditional media outlets. As Native American and Indigenous Studies have evolved into a distinct field in recent decades, many notable books, such as Ned Blackhawk’s Yale University Press publication "The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History," which won the 2023 National Book Award for Nonfiction, and Ma-Nee Chacaby’s CBC Canada Reads winner "A Two-Spirit Journey," have emerged from university presses.

Among the prominent university presses in this domain are the University of Oklahoma Press, the University of Nebraska Press, and the University Press of Kansas, all of which boast a rich history of publishing in Indigenous studies. Nestled in Lawrence, Kansas, the University Press of Kansas collaborates with Haskell Indian Nations University to publish a diverse array of works, ranging from David Wallace Adams’ "Education for Extinction: American Indians and the Boarding School Experience" (now in its second edition) to the Lyda Conley Series on Trailblazing Indigenous Futures, edited by Farina King, Kiara M. Vigil, and Tai S. Edwards, emphasizing Native voices and sovereignty.

For those seeking outstanding Native American and Indigenous Studies publications this November, consider the following titles published by university presses: Eli Baxter’s "Aki-wayn-zih: A Person as Worthy as the Earth" from McGill-Queen’s University Press, which recounts one man's journey growing up within an Ojibways hunting and gathering society and overcoming the residential school system while incorporating traditional legends.

Philip J. Deloria's "Becoming Mary Sully: Toward an American Indian Abstract" from the University of Washington Press explores the life of early 20th-century Dakota Sioux artist Mary Sully, delving into her involvement with modernist art and abstract paintings of public figures. Tom Mould, Eddie Johnson, and Jay Wesley’s "Choctaw Traditions: Stories of the Life and Customs of the Mississippi Choctaw," published by the University Press of Mississippi, offers a comprehensive collection of over 1,400 stories gathered from interviews with more than 100 tribal members, shedding light on the Choctaw customs of the past three decades.

Lastly, Grayhawk Perkins' "Grayhawk’s Native American Folktales," published by the University of Alabama Press, presents a collection of traditional Indigenous folktales aimed at captivating readers ages 7 to 12, featuring familiar animal characters such as Deer, Rabbit, Bobcat, and Turtle, and imparting valuable lessons about human behavior and interactions.