Navajos Wear Nikes: A Reservation Life by Jim Kristofic
"This book brought to life everything that I love about living on the rez. He truly captured the spirit of the Navajo people and our land. He brought to light the issues that face our people in a funny, astute, and emotional story. I believe he answered The Question in the only way possible, with stories, just like a Navajo should. I am definitely recommending this book to people who have asked me The Question."
—Beth Riley, Amazon
Jim Kristofic portrays life on “the Rez” from the inside and out. He writes that when he’s asked if he’s an Indian, he answers in the only way that seems straightforward--with stories.
He is an adroit storyteller, and the stories he tells are absorbing, and recognizable as real life.
As a boy, his Indian-obsessed mother took a job on a Navajo reservation in Arizona. He writes, “The Navajo seemed to fit right into my mom’s Indian dream. But there I was--hot dog in hand--not really sure where I was going to fit.” Eventually, he does fit in, finding friendship and community in his new home.
Life on the Rez can be tough, but there is a well of culture and familial ties that can be starkly missing in the rest of America. When his family moves agin, this time off the Rez, Jim again must feel like an outsider, gaining new perspective on the world’s views of Rez life.
Narrated by the author.
--Willow Pennell
