Writing in a striking combination of verse and prose, Eric Gansworth (Extra Indians) intends to take back the power of the Indigenous slur "apple" in this NBA-longlisted title.
Gansworth, a member of the Onondaga Nation, reveals in this memoir the heartbreaking struggle of a family with too little to eat and a mostly absent father whose every attempt to get ahead is undermined by structural racism. In Apple, Gansworth works to validate Native experience, forcefully reminding readers that a significant portion of the U.S. population is Indigenous--that "Indians" haven't disappeared. With Apache, Navajo and Coconino voters recently contributing to a historic voter shift in Arizona, the work being done by Gansworth and other Indigenous individuals deserves significant attention.
The exceptional elements of this memoir abound. Gansworth's own art adds dimension to an already evocative narrative and his black-and-white illustrations and personal photos feature his family as well as significant apple imagery. With dramatic textual imagery, nuanced storytelling and evocative illustrations, Apple is a stirring depiction of Indigenous life. --Jen Forbus, freelancer