Reservation Blues is a captivating novel that weaves a powerful tale of Indians, rock ’n’ roll, and redemption. The story begins when legendary bluesman Robert Johnson mysteriously appears on the Spokane Indian Reservation with a magical guitar. This extraordinary gift is left to Thomas Builds-the-Fire, a storyteller whose life is irrevocably changed by this enchanted instrument.
Thomas forms an all-Indian Catholic band, Coyote Springs, alongside Victor Joseph on lead guitar and Junior Polatkin on drums. The band embarks on a magical journey that takes them from reservation bars to the bustling cities of Seattle and New York. Along the way, they encounter the depths of their own souls, confronting themes of poverty, pain, and loss, yet also finding moments of joy and laughter.
In this remarkable narrative, National Book Award winner Sherman Alexie masterfully navigates between comedy and tragedy, exploring the collision of cultures with a unique blend of Delta blues and Indian rock. This novel is an exploration of identity, friendship, and the transformative power of music.
For Annie Phillips, there is a right way to do things and everything has a place. College and her flawless GPA are top priority, as is planning her perfect future. Anything less than perfection is unacceptable. So when she meets Loden Guiles, she believes she has finally found her perfect happily-ever-after.
Chase Malloy is funny, loyal, and an all-around nice guy. He’s also sloppy, tattooed, and undirected. All Chase wants to do is survive college, hang out with friends, and make music. Knowing his best friend’s step-sister since they were fourteen, Annie and he have always had a love-hate relationship. The last thing Chase expects is to fall for Annie, but he knows he’ll never live up to her idea of the perfect man.
On the outside, Annie and Loden’s relationship appears picture perfect. But behind closed doors, Annie quickly realizes Loden isn’t the man he pretends to be. Every time her not-so-well-laid plans crumble, and Loden proves to be not-so-Mr. Right, Chase is there to pick her up and brush her off. Will she realize the perfection she’s been searching for has been in front of her all this time?
Long After is a companion novel to Sometimes Never and Before Now. Many of the same characters appear in Chase and Annie's story. However, it can be read as a stand-alone book.
Note: This is a new adult novel. Due to harsh language, sexual situations, and violence, this book is recommended for readers aged 17 and up.