Lone Dog Road

This novel by Kent Nerburn is outstanding. It’s long, 487 pages, but you’re hooked until the very end. This is a fictional tale set in South Dakota during the 1950s, which brings together ten people over a shared Lakota peace pipe.

What starts as a tragic reminder of the gentrification of Indigenous Americans turns into a story of love, belonging, and tradition.

Two young Lakota boys, Levi and Reuben, are ripped from their mothers’ arms by government agents to be placed in an Indian boarding school. During the physical removal, the boys escape the clutches of the two men sent to collect them. But during the altercation, their beloved great-grandfather’s sacred pipe is smashed. This has a ripple effect that forever changes the boy’s future. As Levi and Reuben run across the vast Dakota plains, they encounter one friendly stranger after another who assists them. Ultimately, they decide their destiny is to reach the rock quarry in Minnesota, where the precious pipe stone is mined, and bring back a piece to be fashioned into a new sacred pipe.

Throughout this journey, they discover kindness and learn to trust, ultimately expanding their family to include lost members of their tribe and unexpected champions of their heritage. 

Each chapter is told from a different perspective, including young Levi, two loving parental figures who shelter and help them, a gospel singer, and one of the government agents, who soon becomes a surprising ally. I appreciate the way Nerburn incorporates his profound knowledge of Native American culture and the Lakota language. He has quite an author’s journey of his own and is highly respected in this community for honoring the community with his accurate and deferential storytelling. 

Even if you’re not a fan of historical fiction, trust me, Lone Dog Road will change your tune. It’s a gripping tale that will entertain and evoke strong emotions. 

Book and Image Courtesy of New World Library