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WINNER OF THE 2021 PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

WASHINGTON POST, AMAZON, NPR, CBS SUNDAY MORNING, KIRKUS, CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND GOOD HOUSEKEEPING BEST BOOK OF 2020

Based on the extraordinary life of National Book Award-winning author Louise Erdrich’s grandfather who worked as a night watchman and carried the fight against Native dispossession from rural North Dakota all the way to Washington, D.C., this powerful novel explores themes of love and death with lightness and gravity and unfolds with the elegant prose, sly humor, and depth of feeling of a master craftsman.

Thomas Wazhashk is the night watchman at the jewel bearing plant, the first factory located near the Turtle Mountain Reservation in rural North Dakota. He is also a Chippewa Council member who is trying to understand the consequences of a new “emancipation” bill on its way to the floor of the United States Congress. It is 1953 and he and the other council members know the bill isn’t about freedom; Congress is fed up with Indians. The bill is a “termination” that threatens the rights of Native Americans to their land and their very identity. How can the government abandon treaties made in good faith with Native Americans “for as long as the grasses shall grow, and the rivers run”?

Since graduating high school, Pixie Paranteau has insisted that everyone call her Patrice. Unlike most of the girls on the reservation, Patrice, the class valedictorian, has no desire to wear herself down with a husband and kids. She makes jewel bearings at the plant, a job that barely pays her enough to support her mother and brother. Patrice’s shameful alcoholic father returns home sporadically to terrorize his wife and children and bully her for money. But Patrice needs every penny to follow her beloved older sister, Vera, who moved to the big city of Minneapolis. Vera may have disappeared; she hasn’t been in touch in months, and is rumored to have had a baby. Determined to find Vera and her child, Patrice makes a fateful trip to Minnesota that introduces her to unexpected forms of exploitation and violence, and endangers her life.

Thomas and Patrice live in this impoverished reservation community along with young Chippewa boxer Wood Mountain and his mother Juggie Blue, her niece and Patrice’s best friend Valentine, and Stack Barnes, the white high school math teacher and boxing coach who is hopelessly in love with Patrice.

In the Night Watchman, Louise Erdrich creates a fictional world populated with memorable characters who are forced to grapple with the worst and best impulses of human nature. Illuminating the loves and lives, the desires and ambitions of these characters with compassion, wit, and intelligence, The Night Watchman is a majestic work of fiction from this revered cultural treasure.

The Night Watchman: A Novel by Louise Erdrich is a powerful and moving story of resilience, strength, and community in the face of oppression. Set in 1953 on the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation in North Dakota, the novel tells the story of Thomas Wazhashk, a night watchman who is tasked with protecting his people from a government plan to terminate their reservation and relocate them to cities.

As Thomas and his fellow tribal members fight to preserve their way of life, they must also contend with the personal challenges that come with living in a world that often devalues and disrespects them. Thomas is a complex and unforgettable character, a man who is haunted by the memories of his past but who is also determined to fight for a better future for his people. Through his eyes, we see the beauty and resilience of the Chippewa community, as well as the devastating impact of colonialism and racism.

The Night Watchman is a timely and important novel that sheds light on a little-known chapter of American history. It is a story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Key Themes in The Night Watchman

Identity and Belonging: The novel explores the importance of identity and belonging, both on a personal and a communal level. Thomas and his fellow tribal members struggle to maintain their sense of identity and connection to their community in the face of government efforts to assimilate them into white society.

Resilience and Strength: The Night Watchman is a story of resilience and strength. Despite the challenges they face, the Chippewa community comes together to fight for their rights and their way of life. Thomas is a particularly powerful example of resilience, as he overcomes personal tragedy and adversity to become a leader and a voice for his people.

The Power of Storytelling: Storytelling plays an important role in The Night Watchman. Thomas is a gifted storyteller, and his stories are used to convey the history and traditions of the Chippewa people, as well as their struggles and triumphs. Storytelling is also a way for Thomas to connect with his community and to pass on his knowledge and values to future generations.

The Impact of Colonialism and Racism: The Night Watchman is a powerful indictment of colonialism and racism. The novel shows how these forces have devastated Native American communities, both physically and psychologically. Thomas and his fellow tribal members are constantly reminded of their second-class status in American society, and they are forced to fight for their basic rights.