Book Review: History as humour

Who knew our history could be so funny? Apparently, Thomas King did, and we may forever be indebted to him for “The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America”.

First off, let’s make it clear that this isn’t a history book. King is generous enough to admit as much. What it is  — a narrative of relations between “Indians” and the “Whites” (his words), a reminder of how our identities and present situation was constructed, a chronicle of King’s own thoughts on and interactions with historic moments — makes for entertaining but informative reading.

Taking aim at the stories that define our peoples — from Louis Riel to Custer, from mascots like the Redskins to serious matters like residential schools and land claims – – King never fails to highlight the absurd and the humourous, while giving us a new understanding of our own history. In his view, our history is mostly a history of what White people want – primarily our land.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about the stories of our peoples on both sides of the borders, and don’t mind smirking the whole way through it, this is a book worth reading.

“The Inconvenient Indian” – Thomas King; Doubleday Canada; ISBN 617-0-385-66421-9; 288 pages;  Hardcover: $34.95, Paperback:$22.00

–Ben Powless