Winter in the Blood
First edition | |
Author | James Welch |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Genre | Fiction |
Published | 1974 Harper & Row |
Media type | Hardcover, paperback, ebook |
Winter in the Blood (1974) is the first novel by Native American author James Welch, whose parents were Blackfeet and A'aninin; he grew up on their reservations.[1]
Winter in the Blood was published by Harper & Row. It was later issued as a paperback by Penguin Paperback. It was adapted as an independent film of the same name, produced by Native American writer Sherman Alexie and released in 2012.
Synopsis[edit]
Set in contemporary times, the novel features a self-destructive narrator undergoing an identity crisis. He lives on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in central Montana. His tribe and his culture are clashing with a nearby white settlement and the effects of poor legislation by the federal government. He moves through his days in a mental haze and tries to find consolation in sexual encounters.
He suffers from family tragedies, trying to deal with memories of his father found dead in a snowdrift, and blaming himself for his elder brother's fatal accident at the age of fourteen. A distant tone is set from the beginning, as the narrator's name is never given.
Setting[edit]
The novel takes place on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation and along the Hi-Line of Montana. These are areas where Welch lived in childhood. He grew up on this and the Blackfeet reservation.
Film adaptation[edit]
Winter in the Blood was adapted as a screenplay by Ken White.[2] It was produced as a 2012 feature film by Native American author Sherman Alexie with brothers Alex and Andrew Smith.[1] It was the Official Selection in 2013 of the Los Angeles, Austin, and American Indian film festivals.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ a b O'Connor, William (2014-08-22). "Sherman Alexie on His New Film, the Redskins, and Why It's OK to Laugh at His Work". The Daily Beast.
- ^ a b Winter in the Blood, Official film website, accessed 14 February 2013