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Yellow Bird
Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman's Search for Justice in Indian Country | Sierra Crane Murdoch
25 posts | 15 read | 30 to read
The gripping true story of a murder on an Indian reservation, and the unforgettable Arikara woman who becomes obsessed with solving itan urgent work of literary journalism. I dont know a more complicated, original protagonist in literature than Lissa Yellow Bird, or a more dogged reporter in American journalism than Sierra Crane Murdoch.William Finnegan, Pulitzer Prizewinning author of Barbarian Days When Lissa Yellow Bird was released from prison in 2009, she found her home, the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota, transformed by the Bakken oil boom. In her absence, the landscape had been altered beyond recognition, her tribal government swayed by corporate interests, and her community burdened by a surge in violence and addiction. Three years later, when Lissa learned that a young white oil worker, Kristopher KC Clarke, had disappeared from his reservation worksite, she became particularly concerned. No one knew where Clarke had gone, and few people were actively looking for him. Yellow Bird traces Lissas steps as she obsessively hunts for clues to Clarkes disappearance. She navigates two worldsthat of her own tribe, changed by its newfound wealth, and that of the non-Native oilmen, down on their luck, who have come to find work on the heels of the economic recession. Her pursuit of Clarke is also a pursuit of redemption, as Lissa atones for her own crimes and reckons with generations of trauma. Yellow Bird is an exquisitely written, masterfully reported story about a search for justice and a remarkable portrait of a complex woman who is smart, funny, eloquent, compassionate, andwhen it serves her causemanipulative. Drawing on eight years of immersive investigation, Sierra Crane Murdoch has produced a profound examination of the legacy of systematic violence inflicted on a tribal nation and a tale of extraordinary healing.
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CatMS
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September bookclub choice.

OMG the author is all over the place in this book. Not as compelling as originally thought. Glad to be done.

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mrp27
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Pickpick

#avermerryreadathon

Another title left over from November. Glad I finally made it through as it was a a bit dry and meandering for my normal reading tastes. On one hand it‘s a true crime murder mystery during the oil boom in the 2010‘s on Native American reservations. On the other it‘s a sociological look at the idea of intergenerational trauma that the oil boom exacerbated. This also provides a lot of context for the recent protests at 👇🏼

mrp27 Standing Rock and the oil pipeline. Was both heartbreaking, fascinating and well worth a read. (edited) 3y
TheSpineView Fantastic! 3y
39 likes2 comments
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mrp27
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November #bookspin

I‘ve been horrible about completing my bookspin picks but I love to play! Here‘s hoping I get to November‘s pick.

TheSpineView I do the same thing!😁 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3y
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Larkken
Pickpick

Week 3 #teamslaughter #scarathlon total: 5238
Favorite book from this week is the tagged true crime that focuses on the Indigenous woman who searches for the missing and helped uncover corruption on her reservation. Lots of great detail on the reservation history and the oil boom on reservation land that led to this corruption, and the author‘s voice is lovely and meditative.
Also read: Ararat, The Archived, In the Tall Grass, The Jigsaw Man⬇️

Larkken The Truants, and Darkly Dreaming Dexter.
Readathon participation: screamathon, book spin bingo, litten listen, Necromonathon, read like hellathon, Spookoween readathon, October book bingo, Blackoweenathon, Murder They Readathon, Outstanding October, Pan Spookathon, Deweys24, Something Wicked Fall, trick or t(read)athon, Halloween readathon, and Wickedathon
3y
Clwojick Woohoo! Way to go! 🔥 ❤ 3y
7 likes2 comments
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Julsmarshall
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Pickpick

A fascinating true crime account of murder, money, addiction, generational pain, and family on a Dakota reservation during the oil boom. Well-researched and with a unique perspective for non fiction, this kept me reading late into the evening to find out the ending. I suspect this powerful story will stay with me for a long time. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks Book 125 of 2021!

TheAromaofBooks Great review!!! 3y
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TheBookStacker
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After finishing Firekeepers Daughter (which was 5 ⭐️) I decided to dive into more Native American reads, starting with this true crime book.

38 likes1 stack add
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Thank you so much for the book. It arrived safe and sound @Addison_Reads

Thanks Again!

Addison_Reads Yay! I'm glad it arrived. I hope you enjoy it. 3y
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Addison_Reads
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Pickpick

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks #NonFiction2021 @Riveted_Reader_Melissa

If you go into this expecting it to be simply true crime, you'll be disappointed. While there is a crime that takes place, this book is also about sociology, addiction, obsession, and forgiveness. Lissa Yellow Bird gives a candid look at a woman fighting to find purpose in her life, while unraveling a mystery, and reconnecting with her culture.

Great read! 💚

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Sounds more interesting because of all of that! Stacked! 4y
Addison_Reads @Riveted_Reader_Melissa If you're interested I'd be happy to send you my copy. 😁 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Addison_Reads if you are serious and you don‘t mind, that would be great. I‘m in the US, so that might make it easier or harder depending on where you are. If it‘s too much hassle, just let me know and I‘ll request it from the library. 4y
Addison_Reads @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I was going to offer it up later as a #PayItForward, so I don't mind at all. Just send your address to caddison97@gmail.com and I'll be happy to send it on. 😁 4y
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PaperbackPirate
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I thought I should give an #AwesomeApril update.
I did not meet either goal. I was a few pages short on my goal for Pedagogy of the Oppressed, but I did read enough to contribute to my Anti-Racist Teacher group.
I didn‘t finish Yellow Bird in time for book club, but only 3 out of 9 did so we rescheduled. I think that‘s the most who didn‘t in all our years of book club! It was interesting but it needed some editing.
Thank you anyway @Andrew65 !

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PaperbackPirate
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It‘s almost time for the #AwesomeApril Readathon with @Andrew65 !

🔎 My first goal is to read the tagged book in time for my book club meeting on April 18th at 11:00 am!

✊🏾 My next goal is to read the introduction, the rest of chapter 1, and all of chapter 2 of Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire for my Anti-Racist Teacher meeting on April 15th.

Who else is joining in?

Andrew65 Good luck 😊👍 4y
PaperbackPirate Thank you @Andrew65 ! 🙌🍀 4y
Gissy You have a nice Litsy name!🤗 4y
PaperbackPirate I appreciate your compliment @Gissy ! 4y
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Julsmarshall
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readordierachel Fab haul! 😍 4y
LiteraryinPA Ooooh, great ones! 4y
Soubhiville Nice! Happy Birthday!🎉🎂 4y
See All 10 Comments
mdemanatee What a great haul! Just finished Eve Brown and adored it and can‘t wait to just into the Heiress Hunt! And Happy Birthday!!! (edited) 4y
TheLibrarian Happy Birthday! 4y
Texreader Happy birthday!! 🎂🎊🎈🎉🎁 4y
Kalalalatja Happy birthday! 4y
Tera66 Happy Birthday!🎂🎁🎈 4y
AvidReader25 Johnston‘s book is so good and it‘s set in my town! 4y
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kelli7990
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Mehso-so

Here‘s my review for the first book I finished this month. I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. I‘m glad that I decided to listen to this book on audio because I had a hard time getting through this book. I finished this book but I wish I would have DNF‘d it instead.

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LadyCait84
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Pickpick

I do not read a lot of true crime, so I can‘t speak to how this book will fare for enthusiasts of the genre. But I can say the book is a fascinating and complex display of investigative journalism, written with honesty and a poetic keenness. Can‘t wait to discuss it at book club tonight!

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CoffeeK8
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Here are my #top6reads of the first half of the year. What a fun idea!

SamAnne I really want to read Yellowbird! This American Life had a recent segment--maybe 2-3 weeks ago? on the story told in the book. Highly recommend. 4y
CoffeeK8 @SamAnne you will not be disappointed. I did the audiobook and it was read by the author. Fair warning, it‘s not Own Voices but the author handles this deftly and addresses it head on. 4y
Centique Yay for Murderbot! I‘m on hold for this one at the library. 4y
51 likes3 comments
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mhillis
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“Lissa Yellow Bird cannot explain why she went looking for Kristopher Clarke.”

#FirstLineFridays

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CoffeeK8
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📚📚📚32 books total
🎧 18 audiobooks
🏛 14 library books
#bestofMay #May2020

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Lizpixie
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I‘m a few days late in giving my #BuzzWordBookathon #wrapup due to overdoing it in the garden and ending up flat on my back in agony in bed! Won‘t be doing that again, but the gardens looking great🌻I ended up finishing two books & 3/4s of another. With my #buzzword being #colours I read The Girl In Red & Six Gun Snow White plus most of Yellow Bird. Hopefully my reading will improve along with my back! Thanks for hosting @Clwojick & @hes7

Clwojick Oh no! Hope you‘re feeling better soon! ♥️ 4y
TheAromaofBooks Gardening is so addictive! I hope you're feeling better, and that all your hard work pays off!!! 4y
Lizpixie @Clwojick thanks lovely! The hubby is taking great care of me, he set up my potting station today so I didn‘t have to move much. He‘s a keeper! @TheAromaofBooks it is isn‘t it? If I‘m not in the garden, I‘m thinking about what I‘m doing next in the garden! My veggie garden is all planted so fingers crossed it pays off in 6 weeks🤞 4y
47 likes3 comments
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CoffeeK8
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Pickpick

Amazing book! Lissa Yellowbird‘s quest for justice is an amazing and wonderful look at true crime from an indigenous point of view. It‘s an unflinching view of her life and those around her.

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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

A man disappeared from a fracking outfit on the MHA Nation in North Dakota, prompting Lissa Yellow Bird to investigate his disappearance and the oil company. This reads as part Erin Brockovich, part Killers of the Flower Moon and is a great blend of history, sociology and true crime. I thought it was terrific.

LeeRHarry Ooh stacking! 😊 5y
kyraleseberg Stacked! 5y
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Hooked_on_books
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And with batteries acquired, my little bookstore is finished! I‘m so happy with it and will enjoy having it as an addition to my library. Thanks to everyone who showed interest in this project—it helped me push through when I got frustrated!

Kimzey Really cool! Thanks for sharing! 5y
vivastory Amazing!!!! 5y
SamAnne Wow! 5y
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Onceuponatime And you even did the chandelier! 😯 I thought that was super hard. Mine looks terrible. Great job! 👏🏼 👏🏼👏🏼 5y
CBee This is the coolest!! Looks incredible!! 5y
Smarkies It looks incredible! I definitely could not do this. I am two thumbs when it comes to putting together fiddly things. I end up with my fingers all stuck together. 😂😂 5y
Chrissyreadit Thank you for sharing this project! It‘s amazing!!!! 5y
InBooksILive That is the coolest! So amazing! 5y
Hooked_on_books @Onceuponatime Thank you! Yeah, making the chandelier sucked. There was definitely some cursing. 😆 But then to finish it and have the lights come on was very satisfying. I definitely don‘t want to make another of those! 5y
charl08 Wow! Impressive stuff. 5y
Megabooks Love it! Fantastic!! 5y
BethM That‘s incredible! 5y
Soubhiville Oh my gosh! It‘s so detailed. Very cool. 5y
ravenlee 😮👍 5y
ladym30 That looks great!❤️ 5y
Leslie_Ak2Oh Super cute! 5y
JaclynW Amazing work! It's lovely! 5y
49 likes17 comments
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Lizpixie
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Bk12 of my #MarchBookHaul & #BirthdayBookHaul (don‘t judge me🤦🏻‍♀️) is another NF, a true crime about a Native American woman‘s search for the killer of a white oil worker on her reservation in North Dakota. Lissa Yellow Bird is released from prison to find her home corrupted by oil wealth with an increase in violence & addiction. When an oil worker goes missing she becomes determined to find out what happened against overwhelming opposition.

Hooked_on_books I look forward to this one. I have it on hold from the library (in ebook form, I think). 5y
52 likes1 comment
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LatrelWhite
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The true crime story of a murder on an Indian reservation, and the unforgettable Arikara woman who becomes obsessed with solving it--an urgent, page-turning work of literary journalism and social criticism. When Lissa Yellow Bird was released from prison in 2009, she found her home, the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota, transformed by the Bakken oil boom.

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Mitch
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Such an interesting article - this is now a must read for me!

https://lithub.com/on-the-trail-of-a-murder-in-the-dakota-badlands/

TheBookStacker I‘m finally going to start this! 5y
67 likes1 stack add1 comment
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CoffeeK8
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I won a #goodreads giveaway today! 🎉🎉🎉

Cinfhen Congrats 🎊 😊♥️📚 5y
MyBookLife Congratulations 👏🏻👏🏻 (edited) 5y
Crazeedi Yay!!👏 5y
BookDragonNotWorm 🥳🥳🥳 5y
49 likes4 comments
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MonicaLoves2Read
Bailedbailed

I love True Crime. This just drug and I finally gave up.