Beyond the Book

When asked what inspired her to write these books, Erdrich says, "My mother and sister did research that led our family back to Madeline Island. Standing on the shores of Lake Superior, I have wondered whether my ancestors stood in the same place, saw the same scene, heard the same sounds --- the high-pitched cry of the flicker or the white throated sparrow's song. It was natural to want to write about the past, for me, and it came from the heart."

She lives in Minnesota with her children, who help her run a small independent bookstore called The Birchbark.

This article was originally published in August 2005, and has been updated for the June 2006 paperback release. Click here to go to this issue.

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