Thirty years ago, David Treuer was a young writer, taking classes at Princeton University, far from his home on the Leech Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota. He was eager to polish his craft — and maybe a little brash. In 1995, a few months before he turned 25, Graywolf Press published his first novel.

Now, decades later, Graywolf is rereleasing that book, “Little.” In the introduction, Treuer — now a widely respected, award-winning author — reflects on his writing roots and how both he and his work have changed over the years.

This Friday, on Big Books and Bold Ideas, MPR News host Kerri Miller chatted with Treuer about what he’s learned. What does he know now that he didn’t know when “Little” was first released? What does he think about his younger self? And how does he view the burgeoning field of Native writers and books today?

Guest:

• David Treuer is the award-winning author of seven books. His first novel, “Little” was rereleased this month by Graywolf Press. He is Ojibwe from the Leech Lake Reservation and teaches at the University of Southern California.

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above. 

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