The Indian Card: Who Gets to Be Native in America was a Macmillan Audio pick, and I need everyone to read this book. This book is completely indescribable in the insight Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz frankly shares on Native American self and political identity in the United States. It is honestly hard for me to talk about the impositions on Native Americans because it frustrates me on their behalf, and yet I recognize my white, American, privilege. This book would be perfect for anyone on a journey of decolonizing one’s mind—which is so important for living in our world today.

Schuettpelz does not hold back in her call outs of “f-ed up” situations, which I absolutely admired because why would we beat around the bush of ugliness? Sometimes, the data and numbers did lose me a little, and I’d have to go over them again, but she is admittedly into data, and numbers have not historically been it for me. My favorite parts of this book were the anecdotes that Schuettpelz recorded from individuals from around the country and in various tribes, one being a First Nations woman. Schuettpelz peeled back the layers of intricacies of US federal law and tribal law, revealing hypocrisies, racism, and the effects of colonization on Native American tribes’ own cultures. 

As you can imagine, this book had no “answers” per se, but it presented data and perspectives I think are important. And that’s honestly such an understatement.

I recommend this book to absolutely everyone. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Amy Hall, a new to me narrator with quite a few titles under her belt, and do recommend it for audiophiles as well.