Day 91: Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty

In his book What is Art? Tolstoy argued that the purpose of art was the sincere transmission of emotion from the artist to the audience. On that metric, Morgan Talty’s collection of linked stories, Night of the Living Rez, is a success. The stories are all about a Penobscot (called Panawahpskek in the stories) man named David living in rural Maine at different points in his life from childhood to young adult to adult. Different stories introduce us to his mother and her part-time father and part-time father figure Frick, as well as his grandmother, his sister, and her son Robbie. Robbie dies very young under tragic circumstances. While the stories often deal with heavy themes like addiction — methadone comes up in several stories — mental health issues and poverty, there is often a sense of humor in the stories. This sense of humor is often of the form, wow the car broke down again, can you believe it. Yes, the stories are often bleak, but they are also filled with heart and very much worth reading.

While I could force myself to write more about Talty’s book, I think the best thing to do is to say that you ought to find a copy of the book and pick any one of the stories and read it for yourself. I posted a few of my favorite passages to give some idea of what the book is like.

QOTD: What was the last book by an indigenous writer you finished?

May 22, 2025. kindle borrowed through Libby and Audible audiobook. 296 pgs.