Post by blackcrowheart on Oct 31, 2007 16:04:13 GMT -5
Getting Back to American Indian Roots: Author Tells Story of Ojibwe Ancestry, Self-Acceptance in Powerful True Narrative
BELLEVUE, Wash., June 6, 2007 -- In 1977, Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "Roots," raised self-awareness by prompting many Americans to take a closer look into their heritage. Now, 30 years later, James A. Starkey Jr. revisits this idea under a new light in his book "Back to the Blanket: A Native Narrative of Discovery" (now available through AuthorHouse).
Based on personal experiences, Starkey tells the riveting story of his own exploration of his roots in the American Indian Ojibwe tribe. The impetus for this seven-generation narrative begins in 1988, when Junior is stricken with chronic myeloid leukemia. He undergoes a rigorous 45-day treatment in which he is isolated in a sealed room and subjected to intense chemo therapy while on a mind-altering morphine drip. During this time, Junior experiences vivid visions which he never completely comprehends due to frequent interruptions by his medical treatment. Although curiosity drives him to ponder the visions, it is not until six years later that he experiences the same, but uninterrupted visions while on a train with his quirky half-white, half-Ojibwe father.
"Somewhere deep in his past, there is a dark secret of why he cannot come to grips with his ill feelings toward Indians and whites alike," writes Starkey. "Readers begin to see that it is not really about being Indian or being white at all; it is about being stuck in the middle, between the proverbial 'rock and a hard place,' and not knowing why or how you got there."
The story embarks on a quest into the past, when in 1760 Junior's ancestors' lives begin to unravel with the introduction of white trade goods, including alcohol, threatening their core beliefs and customs, and infectious diseases. As the years progress, the conflicts continue and century-old events reflect the foreboding Seven Fires Prophecy. Yet, the legacy of the Red Trade Blanket reveals a presence that will touch and bring new meaning to modern-day lives.
"Back to the Blanket" appeals to a wide range of readers, with its focus on mixed-race individuals and family relationships, and offers a time and place for healing. "The story really exposes the often undisclosed message that we really are more alike than different," says Starkey. Already used in multiple educational settings, the book also "has strong possibilities for use as classroom-related materials, either as a focus or supplemental reading."
For 36 years, Starkey taught primarily English and social sciences in the Bellevue School District. Now retired, he continues to play an active role in Indian education and the advocacy of Native issues. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and master's in education and served in the U.S. Marines and Army Reserve. He is an enrolled member of the Minnesota Ojibwe Tribe, Pembina Band. Twelve years of research and writing are represented in "Back to the Blanket," his first book. For more information, visit his Web site jamesastarkeyjr.com.
AuthorHouse is the premier publishing house for emerging authors and new voices in literature. For more information, please visit www.authorhouse.com.
EDITORS: For review copies or interview requests, contact:
Promotional Services Department
Tel: 888-728-8467
Fax: 812-961-3133
Email: pressreleases@authorhouse.com
(When requesting a review copy, please provide a street address.)
BELLEVUE, Wash., June 6, 2007 -- In 1977, Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "Roots," raised self-awareness by prompting many Americans to take a closer look into their heritage. Now, 30 years later, James A. Starkey Jr. revisits this idea under a new light in his book "Back to the Blanket: A Native Narrative of Discovery" (now available through AuthorHouse).
Based on personal experiences, Starkey tells the riveting story of his own exploration of his roots in the American Indian Ojibwe tribe. The impetus for this seven-generation narrative begins in 1988, when Junior is stricken with chronic myeloid leukemia. He undergoes a rigorous 45-day treatment in which he is isolated in a sealed room and subjected to intense chemo therapy while on a mind-altering morphine drip. During this time, Junior experiences vivid visions which he never completely comprehends due to frequent interruptions by his medical treatment. Although curiosity drives him to ponder the visions, it is not until six years later that he experiences the same, but uninterrupted visions while on a train with his quirky half-white, half-Ojibwe father.
"Somewhere deep in his past, there is a dark secret of why he cannot come to grips with his ill feelings toward Indians and whites alike," writes Starkey. "Readers begin to see that it is not really about being Indian or being white at all; it is about being stuck in the middle, between the proverbial 'rock and a hard place,' and not knowing why or how you got there."
The story embarks on a quest into the past, when in 1760 Junior's ancestors' lives begin to unravel with the introduction of white trade goods, including alcohol, threatening their core beliefs and customs, and infectious diseases. As the years progress, the conflicts continue and century-old events reflect the foreboding Seven Fires Prophecy. Yet, the legacy of the Red Trade Blanket reveals a presence that will touch and bring new meaning to modern-day lives.
"Back to the Blanket" appeals to a wide range of readers, with its focus on mixed-race individuals and family relationships, and offers a time and place for healing. "The story really exposes the often undisclosed message that we really are more alike than different," says Starkey. Already used in multiple educational settings, the book also "has strong possibilities for use as classroom-related materials, either as a focus or supplemental reading."
For 36 years, Starkey taught primarily English and social sciences in the Bellevue School District. Now retired, he continues to play an active role in Indian education and the advocacy of Native issues. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and master's in education and served in the U.S. Marines and Army Reserve. He is an enrolled member of the Minnesota Ojibwe Tribe, Pembina Band. Twelve years of research and writing are represented in "Back to the Blanket," his first book. For more information, visit his Web site jamesastarkeyjr.com.
AuthorHouse is the premier publishing house for emerging authors and new voices in literature. For more information, please visit www.authorhouse.com.
EDITORS: For review copies or interview requests, contact:
Promotional Services Department
Tel: 888-728-8467
Fax: 812-961-3133
Email: pressreleases@authorhouse.com
(When requesting a review copy, please provide a street address.)