Summary: |
"From global art superstar Kent Monkman and his longtime collaborator Gisèle Gordon, a transformational work of imagined history that will remake readers' understanding of the land called North America. For decades, the singular and provocative paintings by Cree artist Kent Monkman have featured a recurring character--an alter ego of sorts, a shape-shifting, time-travelling elemental being named Miss Chief Eagle Testickle. Though we have glimpsed her across the years, and in countless canvases, it is finally time to hear her story, in her own words. And, in doing so, to hear the whole history of Turtle Island anew. The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle: A True and Exact Accounting of the History of Turtle Island is a genre-demolishing work of genius, the imagined history of a legendary figure through which a profound truth emerges--a deeply Cree and gloriously queer understanding of our shared world, its past, and its possibilities. Volume two, which takes us from the moment of confederation to the present day, is a heartbreaking and intimate examination of the tragedies of the 20th century. Zeroing in on the story of one family told across many generations, Miss Chief bears witness to the genocidal forces and structures that dispossessed and attempted to erase Indigenous peoples. Featuring many figures pulled from history as well as new individuals created for this story, volume two explores the legacy of children's work camps (called residential schools by some), the sixties scoop, and the urban disconnection of contemporary life. Ultimately, it is a story of resilience and reconnection, and charts the beginnings of an Indigenous future that is deeply rooted in an experience of Indigenous history--a perspective Miss Chief, a millennia-old legendary being, can offer like none other. Blending history, fiction, and memoir in bold new ways, The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle are unlike anything published before. And in their power to reshape our shared understanding, they promise to change the way we see everything that lies ahead."-- |