Eric Gansworth

The author is an Onondaga American Indian who grew up on a Tuscarora reservation in Niagara County, New York in the 1960s-70s. He was born the youngest of seven children in his family and recalls being raised in part by his older siblings because his mother worked full-time. His father was rarely present in his life growing up. Gansworth recalls feeling different from those around him through much of his childhood, not only because he was Onondaga, but also because he was more interested in books, art, and superheroes than sports or other activities most reservation children enjoyed. He also loved music and developed a particular appreciation for the Beatles, evident in the poem and section titles throughout the memoir. After graduating high school, Gansworth attended community college and considered going into the medical field. He later chose to study literature and became a novelist...