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The Night Watchman cover art

The Night Watchman

By: Louise Erdrich
Narrated by: Louise Erdrich
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Summary

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction 2021.

New York Times best seller.

It is 1953. Thomas Wazhushk is the night watchman at the first factory to open near the Turtle Mountain Reservation in rural North Dakota. He is also a prominent Chippewa Council member, trying to understand a new bill that is soon to be put before Congress. The US Government calls it an 'emancipation' bill but it isn't about freedom - it threatens the rights of Native Americans to their land, their very identity. How can he fight this betrayal?

Unlike most of the girls on the reservation, Pixie - 'Patrice' - Paranteau has no desire to wear herself down on a husband and kids. She works at the factory, earning barely enough to support her mother and brother, let alone her alcoholic father who sometimes returns home to bully her for money. But Patrice needs every penny to get if she's ever going to get to Minnesota to find her missing sister Vera. 

In The Night Watchman multi-award-winning author Louise Erdrich weaves together a story of past and future generations, of preservation and progress. She grapples with the worst and best impulses of human nature, illuminating the loves and lives, desires and ambitions of her characters with compassion, wit and intelligence.

©2020 Louise Erdrich (P)2020 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

Winner, Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, 2021

What listeners say about The Night Watchman

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Wonderful

Slow reading of a slow story and I didn’t want it to end. Thank you, Louise Erdrich.

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1 person found this helpful

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A thought provoking read

I found this book absolutely captivating after initially struggling to connect ( my fault for not giving it the attention it deserved. The weaving of the different storylines of the various characters was extremely clever and adept. It was humbling and inspiring to hear how the future of these people and their homes rested on the hard work and determination of a small group, who were prepared to challenge the government in what had appeared to be an insurmountable task.
The narration by the author was a delight to listen too. The slow, measured reading brought to life the rich language of the text.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful

Remarkable. Beautiful. Lyrical. I have learned so much about the history of the Chippewa and the ruthless termination of many Native American tribes, and – even more than this – I have learned about humanity, spirit, courage, respect, generosity and our place in and connection with the natural world. Stunning characterisation, setting and plot. The pace felt kind of floaty, but it suited the story. Thank you, Louise Erdrich. Quite remarkable and humbling.

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My favourite read of 2022

Best book I’ve listened to in many years . A master storyteller and an interesting background

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Shocking

I was shocked to discover the government's callous plans to destroy the lives of native people. I had no idea how calculated this was in recent history. The love that the characters have for their old ways, land and each other is beautifully written.
I loved the performance too an intimate telling of a challenging story.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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slow start

worth staying with it, beautifully read by the author. an important shameful part of American history and so incredibly recent too!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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A great listen

Easy to listen to and an enjoyable plot well told. I’d highly recommend listening to this story

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  • D
  • 15-11-23

Beautifully written and read

I have learned much about Native American life theough the course of this long, long looooooongggg read. Poetic and sensitively weitten, yet lacking much in the way of plot furtherance. Best considered more of a work of poetry with moments of genuine humour and historical insight. Not my personal cup of tea, but i understand why it garners praise.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A dull meandering, stilted mess

As a rule I’m against author-read audiobooks. Despite them presumably knowing where the emphasis and tone ought to be, more often than not they tend to be inconsistent.
This was no different.
Erdrich occasionally goes into full swing “acting” lines but it’s only on occasion. The rest of the time she reads plainly but in a slow voice which only adds somnambulant vibes to the whole affair.

The book itself is slow, and meandering with an excess of characters and a lack of plot.
Won a Pulitzer apparently, which can only point to that accolade being of scant little value.

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    1 out of 5 stars

Crealy, not a book for me

Sorry, but this is slow, boring and without any narrative direction. Nothing happens, is just a narration of the life of many people and has not even a plot to follow.
Sometimes, I was lost in middle of so many characters, names and random situations that I don't even care anymore.
And yes, the narrator is the author, but for me she speaks too lineal, like if she was telling a bed story, so I felt sleep all the time.

Obviusly, this is just my opinion and a lot of people enjoy the book; but I can't stop wondering why.

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