Calling for a Blanket Dance

By: Oscar Hokeah

Narrated by: Oscar Hokeah, Rainy Fields

Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

A moving and deeply engaging debut novel about a young Native American man finding strength in his familial identity, from a stellar new voice in fiction.

Told in a series of voices, Calling for a Blanket Dance takes us into the life of Ever Geimausaddle through the multigenerational perspectives of his family as they face myriad obstacles. His father’s injury at the hands of corrupt police, his mother's struggle to hold on to her job and care for her husband, the constant resettlement of the family, and the legacy of centuries of injustice all intensify Ever’s bottled-up rage. Meanwhile, all of Ever’s relatives have ideas about who he is and who he should be. His Cherokee grandmother urges the family to move across Oklahoma to find security; his grandfather hopes to reunite him with his heritage through traditional gourd dances; his Kiowa cousin reminds him that he’s connected to an ancestral past. And once an adult, Ever must take the strength given to him by his relatives to save not only himself but also the next generation of family.

How will this young man visualize a place for himself when the world hasn’t given him a place to start with? Honest, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting, Calling for a Blanket Dance is the story of how Ever Geimausaddle found his way to home.

©2022 Oscar Hokeah (P)2022 Algonquin Books

Critic reviews

“With intricate prose and unflinching vernacular, Oscar Hokeah chronicles a family and a community. We learn trials and aspirations for each generation, and witness what is woven into complicated arrival. We need these characters and their testimonies. But more than that, we crave–I crave—this kind of honest storytelling. These rhythms. These dances. This beauty. This welcoming to a place where the people speak and are unafraid.”—Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

“Calling for a Blanket Dance is a stunning novel. Oscar Hokeah writes from deep inside the heart of his communities, bringing life to generations of voices who became so real to me they felt like relatives. The reader can't help but invest in each character as they navigate bitter challenges, sometimes surprising themselves with their strength, their ability to survive and love. Hokeah's prose gorgeously weaves authentic local vernacular with the lyrical notes of hard-won insight. This novel belongs on every recommended booklist for fans of literary fiction.”—Susan Power, author of The Grass Dancer

​“With solid Tommy Orange vibes, the first novel from Oscar Hokeah is a coming-of-age tale told from a chorus of multigenerational voices . . . One to watch, for sure.”—BookPage, 2022 Preview: Most Anticipated Fiction

One of my top 5 favorite books

I’m enrolled in the EBCI and it was so nice to hear my language in a book. My favorite part was about the booger mask. I also grew up rugged and in foster homes, this book was so beautiful and I resonated with this in so many ways. This book wasn’t corny or trying too hard like some indigenous writings come off, I really I appreciate that. I loved the narrators way of reading too. This book was beautiful.

Hau dae ohn dae!

A'ho day baht haw from one Kiowa to another. Appreciate and love the language usage and have recommended to other family members! beautiful book

Calling for a Blanket Dance has inspired me !

I absolutely loved the story and how it evolved from beginning to end. I makes me want to start making baby quilts like I use to do. I love the family stories and especially how a blanket dance was used to raise funds for those in need. Thanks for this memorable novel, Oscar.

Loved This Novel

This was a book that kept my attention from start to finish. It not only has a good storyline but is educational in many ways. Highly recommend this novel.

We are All Related

I loved this book, it is a very true account of many. It is told in a manner using generational perspectives- very well done. I would highly recommend this book and will share it’s power.

Great Story

A captivating story about a Native family's journey to piece together their fragmented past and facing the inter generational challenges and trauma set in Oklahoma's

Loved this!

Story is told through different voices over generations. I don’t usually listen to fiction but the narration enhanced this rich story.

Good Story Readers Need a Boost

The female reader was not as strong as I think the voices of the characters needed

Strong story though - I think I will read the book instead of listen

Gives

So much more to learn…

I heard an interview with Oscar on NPR. This novel paints a hopeful image in the eyes of the many who bear generational rage and dislocation. I listened also for my cousin David from Rush, who was incarcerated and eventually lost his life to drugs. We lost you way too early, Cuz.

Yes!

I really liked this book. I enjoyed how different family members’ perspectives were used and different timelines, yet they all tied together. Usually I have a hard time with a lot of character shifts but this one was fine. I appreciated the cultural pieces, especially the differences in tribes and what it is like to be Native mixed with other races/ethnicities. Well done. No negative feedback.