Louise Erdrich's first novel, , came out in 1984 to instant and international acclaim. A short story cycle narrated by a variety of different characters, the book chronicles the intertwined histories of Chippewa and mixed-blood families in North Dakota over half a century, laying bare the ordeals and joys of twentieth-century Native American life. Like the other books in the series, this presents important background material to establish the context of the novel, interviews with the author, and pivotal critical responses to the work.