Heritage member Mary Pember launched the release of her book, Medicine River, A Story of Survival and the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools on April 22, 2025 at Joseph Beth Books in Oakley. Mary Annette Pember is an independent journalist focusing on Native American issues.
Amazon.com describes the book as, “A sweeping and trenchant exploration of the history of Native American boarding schools in the United States, and the legacy of abuse wrought by them in an attempt to destroy Native culture and life.”
Editorial reviews on Amazon.com indicate that this book is one of the New York Times’ nonfiction books to read this spring. It is a most anticipated book by The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Ms. Magazine, The Orange County Register, and Electric Literature.
Publisher’s Weekly starred review indicated that the book is “A devastating history. . . . Weaving into her narrative her own mother’s experiences . . . Pember explores the psychological ramifications the schools had on subsequent generations. She comes to many quietly ruinous insights about the emotional neglect she herself suffered at the hands of her wounded mother. . . . Concluding with a searing call for accountability, this strikes a chord.”
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