Freedom to Read 'em Book Club -- There, There by Tommy Orange

There, There by Tommy Orange

There There is the debut novel by Cheyenne and Arapaho author Tommy Orange. Published in 2018, the book follows a large cast of Native Americans living in the Oakland, California area. The characters struggle with a wide array of challenges, ranging from depression and alcoholism, to unemployment, fetal alcohol syndrome, and the challenges of living with an "ambiguously nonwhite" ethnic identity in the United States. All of the characters unite at a community powwow and its attempted robbery.

This novel explores themes of Native peoples living in urban spaces (Urban Indians), and their struggles with identity and authenticity. There There was favorably received, and was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize. The book was also awarded a Gold Medal for First Fiction by the California Book Awards.

The Freedom to Read 'em Book Club will not meet during the months of November and December because of the holidays.                                                           See you in January 2027!