All My Sins Are Relatives (39)

All My Sins Are Relatives
W. S. Penn

This book was a gift from my wife. She knows the author, a prof at Michigan State University.
Penn's father is Indian, but does not speak of it. His mother is white and despises all things Indian... He is caught in the middle.. and it is his grandfather who tells him the stories of his Indian heritage. He works for much of his life trying to understand and reconcile these worlds... This autobiographical book looks at his rememberances and thoughts from his childhood, about his relationship with his own children, about his college days, about his VietNam expereince, about his encounter with his maternal grandfather. The experiences are interesting, yet not in chronogical order.. but as we learn, this is partial the point.. that time can be looked at differently.
And interesting, although somewhat heavy book. Also deals a lot with early "Indian" writers and how much of their books were their words.. and how much of it was editors. And what makes someone an "Indian" writer.. can a mixed blood really be an "Indian" writer. He examines that question as well as some of his own expereices with Editors that wanted to change his word so the book would sell.