Paper Trail

Over the years, Michael Dorris - award-winning anthropologist, nonfiction writer, and bestselling novelist - has written essays on a remarkably wide range of topics reflective of the many hats he has worn: father, son, and husband; scholar, professor, and student; writer; critic; activist; traveler; and observer. His pieces have appeared everywhere from the New York Times to Ladies' Home Journal to Booklist and, collected here, show that whatever his subject, Michael Dorris is consistently thought-provoking. In Paper Trail, Dorris reminisces about the mother and grandmother who raised him, recalling the time he and his mother went backstage in Louisville to meet Tyrone Power. He wrestles with the painful recognition of his adopted son's affliction with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, exposing his feelings and failings in a way that clearly shows the complexities of dealing with that dilemma. He gives keen insights into contemporary Native American issues and explores the backroads of America, all the while entertaining, inspiring, and engaging us with his humor, anger, and awe. A remarkably diverse collection, Paper Trail offers the unique perspectives of Michael Dorris.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction, Fiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.