John Smelcer

"A poignant story of colonization and assimilation, something I know a little bit about. A masterpiece."—Chinua Achebe

"One of our most brilliant writers tells a harsh truth about American history."—Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States

Praise for Edge of Nowhere:

"Smelcer's prose is lyrical, straightforward, and brilliant . . . authentic Native Alaskan storytelling

...

Hace 2.000 años un predicador llamado Jesús fue condenado a la crucifixión. Un hombre llamado Simón, de Cirene, se vio obligado a ayudar a Jesús a llevar la cruz pesada. El encuentro cambió su vida. Desde entonces, sus descendientes han salvaguardado un secreto increíble.

2,000 years ago an itinerant Jewish preacher was condemned to crucifixion. A man named Simon, from Cyrene, was compelled to help Jesus carry the heavy cross. What did he and Jesus talk about? Eager to learn more about this rabbi," Simon returned to Jerusalem the next day. What he learned changed his life, and gave his descendants an incredible secret.

Thomas Merton has been called "An American Prophet" and "The Conscience of America." Throughout the tumultuous 1960s, Merton was a vocal advocate for the civil rights and peace movements. Merton was the first major religious figure in America to come out against the Vietnam War. He convinced Martin Luther King, Jr. to add his voice to the cause. In the fall of 1968, Merton left the safety of the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani monastery in Kentucky...

In the mythologies of cultures worldwide, Raven, or his smaller cousin, Crow, is often portrayed as an ever-selfish, ever-hungry trickster and destroyer. In this collection, John Smelcer has crafted Raven as all these things, but also as an Instigator who was present at key moments of human history when things went awry. This is the collection that Hughes considered to be the American cousin to his Crow.

The Great Death arrived with the man from downriver, the one who came with the light-colored strangers and had little red spots covering his body. Thirteen-year-old Millie and her younger sister, Maura, are fascinated by the guests, but soon sickness takes over their village. As they watch the people they know and love die, the sisters remain unaffected and begin to realize that they will have to find a new home. Alone in the cold Alaskan winter of...

This is a collection of stories from the Ahtna Indians of Alaska, collected and retold by tribe member John Smelcer. Numerous illustrations by Larry Vienneau accompany the stories and numerous pictures of the Ahtna Indians and the storytellers are also, included. The book's Foreword is by Gary Snyder. Each story is, introduced by John Smelcer. A comprehensive bibliography of works on Alaskan mythology and folklore is included at the end.