An engaging and masterful collection of essays that vividly captures the author's diverse work as award-winning writer, activist, parent, scholar, professor, anthropologist, critic, and traveler. Packing up—Family occasions. Sundays—The contest—Father's Day—The New York hat—The train cake—A second adoption—Growing up—Mice—Rites of passage. On the road—The quest for pie—The sentry—Everybody's children. Thankfulness—Fetal alcohol syndrome : a national perspective—Fetal alcohol syndrome : a parent's perspective—Crossing the line—Crazy Horse Malt Liquor—The power of love—Indians. "I" isn't for "Indian" — Indians on the shelf—Rewriting history—Discoveries—The grass still grows, the rivers still flow : contemporary Native Americans—The hundred year war for White Earth—Learning from mistakes. For Indians, no Thanksgiving—Native American literature in an ethnohistorical context—Mr. Reagan and the Indians—Dances with Indians—Opened doors. Beating the system—Trusting the words—Summer reading—Word from the front—House of stone—Little fears—Going places. Americans all—Martyrs—Pen pals—The forgotten algebra test nightmare—Life stories—Home. The cherry tree—Three yards—Real and true estate—Maintaining a home—Cutting grass