If you watch journalists at Trump rallies ask people there when America was great, the usual answer was the years after World War II, from around 1947 to 1962. [a:Louise Erdrich|9388|Louise Erdrich|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1462224430p2/9388.jpg]'s [b:The Night Watchman|43721059|The Night Watchman|Louise Erdrich|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1560803752l/43721059.SY75.jpg|68041398], which takes place in 1953 and 1954 and is about Chippewa Indians in South Dakota, tells an important part of the reality of that era, when Jim Crow ruled the South and, less well known and the book's topic, over one hundred American Indian tribes were terminated by the federal government and 1.4 million acres of tribal land was lost.
It's a good, interesting, and important novel, which I'd have liked better if it weren't for the common practice of having so many micro-chapters of less than three pages. I know those are perfect for most people these days because they can check their phones without feeling that they've lapsed in concentration, but that's not me. I like chapters that suck you in and make you feel like you're really a part of what's going on.
I know what you're saying. "Put your teeth back in, shut up, and keep reading boring old books, geezer." Got it.

The leaves gold on green, bright in the soaking rain, padded the trails in the woods. All of the Wazhashks were hard at work. In the sloughs the little namesakes stockpiled green twigs. In the fields, the family pitchforked up the last of the carrots. Piles of squash, warty green, orange, mellow tan, solid little pumpkins, filled the cellar and were piled around the sides of the house. Braids of onions. Pale meek balls of cabbage. Crates of cream and purple turnips. Bushels of potatoes. Thomas hauled wagon loads. Wade and Martin argued themselves into the back, arranged themselves around the vegetables. Still arguing, they unloaded produce at the cafe, at the school, and at last the teachers' dining hall. Juggie Blue gave orders, telling them where to stack and pile. Tomorrow, there was going to be a parade, a community feed, a football game, and the crowning of royalty. Sharlo was in the Homecoming court.