First published 2026
Joseph V. Lee examines what it means to be Indigenous in contemporary America through his perspective as an Aquinnah Wampanoag from Martha's Vineyard. The award-winning journalist confronts the challenges facing tribal communities as they navigate threats to their land, culture, and traditions. Lee begins with his own tribe's story on Martha's Vineyard, then expands his inquiry to address broader questions about Indigenous identity and colonialism's persistent effects. He combines personal narrative about his family's experiences with interviews featuring Indigenous leaders, artists, and scholars from across the globe. Their conversations span topics from cultural preservation and language revitalization to climate change impacts and questions of belonging. Through this blend of memoir and reportage, Lee unpacks the complexities of Indigenous identity while offering readers fresh insights into American society and the possibilities for stronger communities.
Genres: american, non-fiction, biography-memoir, social-justice, cultural-studies
Vibes: hopeful, intimate, reflective, thought-provoking, urgent
Tropes: intergenerational-story, multi-perspective, personal-narrative
Setting: Martha's Vineyard, Aquinnah, America, Contemporary America
Period: 21st-century, contemporary
256 pages · Paperback · Atria/One Signal Publishers
Content warnings: colonialism