Michael Dorris

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="21d005a0dvldtc.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC00" FACE="Arial" ><B>PT3 Readers are Leaders</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FF3300" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PT3 Readers are Leaders"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="home.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reading Room"><U>Reading Room</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Web Sites about Books"><U>Web Sites about Books</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Web Reading"><U>Web Reading</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Authors"><U>Authors</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Writings on the Web"><U>Writings on the Web</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Writings on the Web"><U> Writings on the Web</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Recommended Reading for students"><U>Recommended Reading for students</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id101.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Multicultural authors"><U>Multicultural authors</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Multicultural Booklist"><U>Multicultural Booklist</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Naomi Nye "><U> Naomi Nye </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id106.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Esmeralda Santiago"><U>Esmeralda Santiago</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Maya Angelou"><U>Maya Angelou</U></A>   |   <B>Michael Dorris</B>   |   <A HREF="id109.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rosa Guy"><U>Rosa Guy</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id110.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="_"><U>--Type Title Here--</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#FFCC00" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFCC00" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Michael Dorris</div> <div> Web page project by Denia Angevine Carter, Adolescent Literature, June 2002, Dr. Barbara Stanford</div> <div> Michael Dorris</div> <div> Background information </div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.wooster.edu/ArtfulDodge/Dorris.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.wooster.edu/ArtfulDodge/Dorri"><U><U>http://www.wooster.edu/ArtfulDodge/Dorris.html</U></U></A></div> <div> This site provides an in-depth interview with the author Michael Dorris.</div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.angelfire.com/mn2/APS/nativeamerican/biography.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.angelfire.com/mn2/APS/nativea"><U><U>http://www.angelfire.com/mn2/APS/nativeamerican/biography.html</U></U></A></div> <div> This link provides another biography of the author, including a list of his books.</div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse.pl/A32" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse."><U><U>http://www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse.pl/A32</U></U></A></div> <div> This site, part of the Native American Authors of the Internet Public Library, has numerous links for Michael Dorris information. It also contains a detailed list of all his published books.</div> <div> Author’s web site, email, etc.</div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.hotink.com/72997.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hotink.com/72997.html"><U><U>http://www.hotink.com/72997.html</U></U></A></div> <div> The author is deceased, so there is no way to contact him personally, but this site has a eulogy, complete with photograph of Mr. Dorris.</div> <div> List of the author’s works </div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse/pl/A32" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse/"><U><U>http://www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse/pl/A32</U></U></A></div> <div> This site included a list of his books.</div> <div> The following books contain short stories by the author.</div> <div> Song of the Turtle: American Indian Literature 1974-1994. Edited by Paula Gunn Allen. Ballantine Books, 1996</div> <div> Conversations with American Novelists. Edited by Kay Bonnett and Greg Michalson, et. al. University of Missouri Press, 1997.</div> <div> Reviews of author’s books (selected entries)</div> <div> <B>Editorial Reviews</B></div> <div> <I><B>Amazon.com</B></I></div> <div> In this broad and ambitious novel, Michael Dorris demonstrates his gift for crafting the distinct voices of characters in varied settings. His story traces the family history of figures from his stunning first novel, <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>A Yellow Raft in Blue Water</U></FONT>, which was itself an intergenerational narrative woven from the stories of three Native American women--daughter, mother, and grandmother. <I>Cloud Chamber</I> begins in Ireland, crosses the Atlantic, and heads west from Kentucky to Montana to Washington State, following the generations. Intermarriage creates a diverse mix of family stories and individual identities. The myths about and courageous actions of ancestors emerge as the shaping forces of family legacy. Dorris is daring in the range of his narrative and successful in casting his characters' deep humanity. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>The New York Times Book Review, </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><I><B><U>Valerie Sayers</U></B></I></FONT></div> <div> . . . composed of shards of memory: the ragged jumps in the characters' storytelling and the novel's refusal to tidy up their mysteries are evocative and powerful . . ..</div> <div> <B>Editorial Reviews</B></div> <div> <I><B>Amazon.com</B></I></div> <div> When Michael Dorris, 26, single, working on his doctorate, and part Indian himself, applied to adopt an Indian child, his request was speedily granted. He knew that his new three-year-old son, Adam, was badly developmentally disabled; but he believed in the power of nurture and love. This is the heartrending story, full of compassion and rage, of how his son grew up mentally retarded, a victim of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome whom no amount of love could make whole. The volume includes a short account of his own life by the 20-year-old Adam, and a foreword by Dorris' wife, the writer <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>Louise Erdrich</U></FONT>. <I>The Broken Cord</I> won a National Book Critics Circle Award in 1989. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>The New York Times Book Review, </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><I><B><U>Patricia Guthrie</U></B></I></FONT></div> <div> <I>The Broken Cord</I> should be required reading for all medical professionals and social workers, and especially for pregnant women, and women who contemplate pregnancy, who may be tempted to drink.</div> <div> <B>Editorial Reviews</B></div> <div> <I><B>Amazon.com</B></I></div> <div> A peaceful, tropical world is the setting for <I>Morning Girl</I>, a simple yet rich glimpse into the lives of a young sister and brother. Morning Girl and Star Boy grapple with timeless, universal issues such as experiencing simultaneous anger and love toward family members and the quest to discover the true self. As all siblings do, these children respond to, play off of, and learn from each other. Precisely where Morning Girl and Star Boy are growing up is not revealed, but it's clearly a place where the residents have no modern amenities. Living in harmony with nature is a necessary priority here, and--given the descriptive names of the characters--a Native Indian culture seems likely. But not until the epilogue do readers discover that the story takes place in 1492. Suddenly we realize that the strange-looking visitors Morning Girl welcomes to shore are not as harmless as they may appear. The excerpt from Christopher Columbus's journal provides an ominous footnote: these gentle people, who seem so very much like us, will not be permitted their idyllic existence much longer. <I>--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.</I> </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>From </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><I><B><U>Horn Book</U></B></I></FONT></div> <div> Rising above the glut of celebratory Columbus books, the brief, lyrical novel alternates between the first-person voices of twelve-year-old Morning Girl and her younger brother, Star Boy, who are Taino Indians living on a Bahamian island in 1492. Through the course of events, the siblings not only achieve understanding of each other but begin to understand their places in the wider community. A book not to be missed. <I>-- Copyright © 1993 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.</I> <I>--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title</I></div> <div> Lesson Plans for teaching Michael Dorris’ books </div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-3580.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plan"><U><U>http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-3580.html</U></U></A></div> <div> This site provides a detailed lesson plan of Guests including enrichment and extension activities.</div> <div> <A HREF="http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/spring98/charles.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN"><U><U>http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/spring98/charles.html</U></U></A></div> <bR> <div> This link provides a general lesson plan on teaching the young adult novels of Dorris</div> <div> The following guide is available throu<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.amazon.com/"><U><U>http://www.amazon.com/</U></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Literature Guide: Guests (Grades 4-8)</B></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">by <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>Michael Dorris</U></FONT><B> Paperback:</B> 16 pages; Dimensions (in inches): 0.06 x 10.81 x 8.31 </div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Publisher:</B> Scholastic Trade; ISBN: 059006570X; (January 1, 1999) </div> <div> <B>Editorial Reviews</B></div> <div> <I><B>From </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><I><B><U>Booklist</U></B></I></FONT></div> <div> Gr. 4-7. Without portentous stereotypes, Dorris tells a story of a Native American boy who leaves home to find himself. Moss isn't sure why he walks away into the forest. His life seems stale. What's more, he's mad at his father for inviting a group of white strangers to be guests at the village harvest festival. Lost and alone, Moss opens up to the natural world and becomes "the forest's welcomed guest." He meets a fierce runaway girl, and they help each other get home. Moss knows that he hasn't encountered a noble mentor on his vision quest; he hasn't suddenly become "a man." What he has found is a new view of himself and the world around him. He realizes he has been selfish and inhospitable. And now he can see that neither the guests nor the village hosts are comfortable at the feast. They can't understand each other. The strangers are hungry, but why are they so greedy and grasping? Even for a sensitive boy, Moss seems too articulate about his inner journey. But Dorris dramatizes that universal experience of feeling stuck at home, as well as the excitement of finding what you didn't know was there. As in <I>Morning Girl</I> (1993), the encounter with Europeans is seen through the eyes of a young person. Several stirring old creation stories woven into the narrative underline Moss' quest for both freedom and responsibility. Dorris' casual sentences are simple and beautiful, showing in their very particularity that Moss discovers the wonder of familiar things. <I>Hazel Rochman</I> <I>--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.</I></div> <div> Background information on the culture, including links to map, pictures and language helps</div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.aol.com./MrDonnHistory/American.html - NATIVE" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.aol.com./MrDonnHistory/Am"><U><U>http://members.aol.com./MrDonnHistory/American.html - NATIVE</U></U></A></div> <div> This site provides numerous historical lesson plans on Native Americans as a whole</div> <div> ~ramseyil/native.htm"<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/native.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/native.h"><U><U>http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/native.htm</U></U></A></FONT></div> <div> Another very informative Native American site.</div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.amricanpentimento.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.amricanpentimento.com/"><U><U>http://www.amricanpentimento.com/</U></U></A></div> <div> An excellent resource that contains site maps of most Native American cultures.</div> <div> <A HREF="http://cougar.ucdavis.edu/nas/NALC/home.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://cougar.ucdavis.edu/nas/NALC/home."><U><U>http://cougar.ucdavis.edu/nas/NALC/home.html</U></U></A></div> <div> This site contains the Native American Language Center</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>