Writing Indian Nations

“An important contribution to the scholarship on nineteenth-century Native literature.” — Early American Literature

“An extraordinary book.” — Western American Literature

“A much-needed volume on Native American history. . . . This book should . . . come as a clarion call to those of us who research Native American history. The concept of 'nation' is not wholly cultural — it is political, and an emphasis on the former at the expense of the latter elides vital bases for Native American political sovereignty. Writing Indian Nations serves as a much needed reminder that this remains as true today as it was in the nineteenth century.” — Western Historical Quarterly

“Makes a significant and welcome contribution to the growing body of scholarly work dedicated to the retrieval of the more obscure early writings [of American Indian intellectuals and activists].” — American Historical Review

“This compelling book . . . sets forth a cohesive multitribal history of Native writing. . . . [An] invaluable contribution. . . . Konkle’s scholarship is first-rate, grounded in comprehensive archival research yet not in the least insulated from real-world politics and pedagogies.” — American Literature

“Konkle challenges readers to reexamine both the writing of Native intellectuals and the critical frameworks — including her own — that have guided their interpretation.” — NC Historical Review

“Konkle has produced a sterling account that seamlessly blends treaty law, literary criticism, and history into a comprehensive and detailed story about what Native writers and political leaders in the early part of the nineteenth century had to say about the pitfalls and possibilities generated when these talented individual Indians and the First Nations they were part of encountered U.S. colonialism.” — David E. Wilkins, University of Minnesota