The Painted Drum: A Novel (P.S.)
by Louise Erdrich
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Book Summary Information
Author: Louise ErdrichEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-08-22
ISBN: 0060515112
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Book Reviews of The Painted Drum: A Novel (P.S.)
Book Review: The Painted Drum: A Heather Pugh Review
Summary: 5 Stars
Louise Erdrich paints a story beautifully around the lives separate people in her book entitled The Painted Drum. The book itself is actually split into four sections, each giving the stories of different people and their tragic situations which come together through one common denominator, a sacred drum. With a rich history involving betrayal, death, grief and renewal, we come to find that the drum beats with the spirit of a lost child and through her spirit the characters in the story eventually find peace within their own lives.
The Painted Drum is very insightful when trying to gain a greater understanding of the grieving and strength that is ever present within the human condition. Louise Erdrich's own rich native history resonates through every word and the overall outcome is a brilliantly constructed piece of authentic literature that would be found enjoyable, touching, and educational by any reader.
The issue of spirituality is ever present even though characters throughout the story do not come off as extremely "religious". In this way, Erdrich shows the ways in which the natural world and spirits of the deceased act as healers and spiritual guides for those living here on this earth. In this same sense, there is also a strong wisdom that is found from animals in the story. And, as many Indians joke, a story isn't an "Indian story" unless it incorporates a dog. Well, there are dogs, coyotes, and wolves that each have a lesson of their own to offer the reader, so in this way, the story certainly qualifies as truly native. Memory and the pain that comes from the past is a large component at work as well and the past constitutes as a building ground for each of the characters. The incorporation of Erdrich's native vocabulary from the Ojibwe Tribe also adds to the novel's authentic nature.
Overall one of the most touching stories I've read in a long time!
Summary of The Painted Drum: A Novel (P.S.)
While appraising the estate of a New Hampshire family descended from a North Dakota Indian agent, Faye Travers is startled to discover a rare moose skin and cedar drum fashioned long ago by an Ojibwe artisan. And so begins an illuminating journey both backward and forward in time, following the strange passage of a powerful yet delicate instrument, and revealing the extraordinary lives it has touched and defined.
Compelling and unforgettable, Louise Erdrich's Painted Drum explores the often fraught relationship between mothers and daughters, the strength of family, and the intricate rhythms of grief with all the grace, wit, and startling beauty that characterizes this acclaimed author's finest work.
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