How to Be an Indian in the 21st Century
Louis V. Clark III (Two Shoes)
Warm, plainspoken, and wryly funny, Clark shares his own American Indian story, talking frankly about a culture’s struggle to maintain its heritage.
120 pages, 5.5 x 8.25
Paperback: $15.95 | ISBN: 978-0-8702-0815-7
Ebook: $12.99 | ISBN: 978-0-87020-816-4
Publication Date: 2/1/2017
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Description
“My name is Louis Clark. They call me Two Shoes. I am of two worlds.” So begins How to Be an Indian in the 21st Century, the memoir of Oneida poet and author Louis V. Clark III, or Two Shoes. Composed from verse and prose, the book reveals a profound story of loss, identity, race, racism, and culture. Clark employs his unique voice to take readers on a deeply personal quest to discover what it means to be Native American in today’s world.
Written with the rhythms of Oneida oral storytelling traditions, the memoir weaves poems and prose to capture the alienation, audacity, and triumphs that have defined Clark’s life experiences—from his childhood on the Rez to his role as an Oneida Tribal Elder. Clark celebrates “the heartbeat of my nation” and encourages the rest of us to “speak the truth, confound the idiots, [and] listen to the silence.” In sharing sometimes-uncomfortable truths, Clark adds an important voice to the ongoing conversation about race and belonging in America.
Author Bio
Louis V. Clark III (Two Shoes) was born and raised on the Oneida Reservation in northeastern Wisconsin. Members of the Iroquois Confederacy, his family is of the Bear clan. Clark turned to poetry as a way to convey his feelings, tell his stories, and continue the oral traditions of his people, the People of the Standing Stone. He has written two books, How to Be an Indian in the 21st Century and Rebel Poet: More Stories from a 21st Century Indian, both published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press. Clark and his wife live in Omro, Wisconsin, where their home is filled with love from six children and nine grandchildren.
Educational Resources
In the poetic memoir How to Be Indian in the 21st Century, students will explore questions about race, identity, religion, and more, drawing from the author's personal experiences. In this packet, students will discover the different methods and vocabulary inherent in the poetry forms Louis used to tell his story.
To bring How to Be Indian in the 21st Century into your classroom or district, visit our How to Order for Schools page.
How to Be an Indian in the 21st Century
Louis V. Clark III (Two Shoes)
120 pages, 5.5 x 8.25
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