The Bingo Palace: A Novel

I have most of Louise Erdrich's novels for adult readers but had never read The Beet Queen, so I ordered a copy through Amazon. The book arrived in excellent condition and very promptly, so I have no complaint of that nature. However, I don't now consider it one of Erdrich's best novels. Nonetheless, it's integral to a series of novels she's written that are set on an Ojibwe reservation called Little No Horse; so I do recommend it for readers who are interested in the series overall.

All of Louise Erdich's novels are great and wonderful!!!

Louise Erdrich strikes me as one of very few contemporary authors who are creating something new in fiction. Literary scholars publish articles on her books because she explores complex, nuanced, multicultural community and family dynamics in original, powerful ways.For one thing, the stories of the families in Bingo Palace are explored through three generations, from myriad and completely different angles, through the course of four books: Bingo Palace is the fourth book in the tetralogy whose other books are Love Medicine, The Beet Queen, and Tracks.Despite all this, Erdrich is a natural and earthy storyteller. And so are her characters. Her stories are suspenseful, ridiculous, horrifying, radiant, crass, wise, soulful, and captivating.

This being one of Louise Erdrich's earlier works, it forms the basis and framework for the wonderful works that follow. This purchase was a gift, as it is one of my very favorite books by any writer, nevermind by Louise Erdrich, and I have an older edition permanently placed in my front bookcase (for ease or re-reads). Please, read this great book and then what follows along with the connected works by another great writer, Winona Laduke, and you have weeks, months and years of wonderful literary experiences...which will stay with you forever...I don't really want to spoil the fun, except to say that both Erdrich and Laduke write beyond the Native American genre and world: they touch the human condition and offer the experience to the reader....

I almost want to give this one star, but I'll give it two for Erdrich being such a good writer. I haven't read all of her novels, but this is the worst of hers I have come across and I've read at least 2/3rds of her writing. No cohesive plot (though that it often of little to no importance for Erdrich), meandering prose...I could barely make it through. This features a central male character, and aside from her classic character of old, funny, wise Nanapush (which in his narrative she writes at the top of her game and is not featured here), I've noticed a distinct lack of sensibility, reasoning or realism to her male characters. The female characters barely go anywhere either. Erdrich needs a really good plot or idea to bring to life her reoccurring small town(s) in north North Dakota, or it kinda sinks in the mud too deep.

I wrote my senior thesis with this book among others by Erdrich. It's not a fast-read, but neither is the history behind the ambivalence accompanying contemporary descendants of the First People. This book is a fictional exploration of the swindling by expansionist politics and the still toxic consequences that ultimately create a crisis of identity in the characters.This is a must-read for those looking to explore "post"-colonialism.

Read this book for a Native American Literature class, and I've learned so much about Native culture from this (not that I mean all native culture, of course). Definitely a great read for adults: it can be interpreted in many ways, and has a bittersweet ending.Definitely want to read the rest of Erdrich's books!

Love this author but haven't read it yet. Have read many of her other books and recommend Louise Erdrich. She develops her characters in such detail and some of her quotes stay with me and bring me back when I need them. Very insightful and inspirational!

fabulous book in a great series- good condition

My new favourite author

Louise Erdrich: The Bingo Palace.What a beautiful book!The characters may be known to the reader from Erdrich’s source book, Love Medicine, about several families on an Indian reservation in North Dakota, and their biological and generational relationships.The hero of Bingo Palace is Lipsha Morrissey, a poor orphan, adopted by Great Uncle Kashpaw.But Lipsha is now grown up and he falls in love with Shawnee, a single mother, who lives with her sisters. Yet, the father of Shawnee’s little boy is known. It is Lyman Lamartine, a big, authoritative man, and Lipsha’s relative. From here on it is a book about love.Beautiful language and unusual metaphors create this love song about the feelings of an insignificant orphan against the powerful “brother” and a woman’s freedom to choose according to her heart. Lipsha is not competing only with Lyman, also against him is Shawnee’s need to better herself, leave, and finish college.We don’t even know exactly how it ends. We just know where it goes. It is one of the most beautiful love stories in modern literature.

An excellent book. Multi-layered. It makes you reflect and think about Native American culture. Excellent character development. Wonderful prose. I highly recommend this book.