Calumet Editions

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Letters to the Chief

A Minnesota Childhood

Author:

In this enchanting memoir, Judi Lifton revisits luminous childhood years in a small Minnesota town, when days meant books, bikes, and neighborhood discovery. Her memories unfold as heartfelt letters from her fourteen-year-old self to a beloved, terminally ill friend—Chief White Feather, an American Indian storyteller and rights advocate. Never written then, these “letters of the heart” arrive now in sepia-toned prose, rich with family affection, 1950s nostalgia, and the ache of loneliness and loss.

a beautiful melding of memory and imagination by a talented writer.

—Patricia Averbach, author of Painting Bridges and Resurrecting Rain

Description

In this enchanting and unforgettable memoir, Judi Lifton captures her luminous years growing up in a small Minnesota town where childhood was a time to read a book, ride your bike, explore the neighborhood and let your mind sift through unexpected discoveries. Lifton’s memories are creatively presented as letters written by her fourteen-year-old self to a beloved and terminally ill friend who frequently travelled to her hometown, Chief White Feather, an American Indian storyteller/singer and advocate for Indian rights. In reality, the letters were “letters of the heart,” thus never written down until rendered now in sepia-tone prose that glistens with fondness for family and friends, nostalgia for the simple pleasures of childhood in the 50s, and the heartache of loneliness and loss. This is a story that will stay with you for a long time.

Product Details

PublishedFebruary 3, 2023
ImprintWisdom Editions
LanguageEnglish
Print length308
ISBN-13978-1959770787
Dimensions6 x 0.77 x 9 inches

I loved this book. I loved the small town-ness, the family dynamics, the beauty and the simplicity. I adored the frankness and the honesty. It was such a pleasure to read a memoir that was not steeped in sadness.

—Mary Ann Myers, verified review on Amazon

I lived in the Midwest during the time this was written. The stories MS Lifton wrote captured the memories I have about that time. A time when things were slower, when you knew your neighbors and when you cared about the people around you. I really liked the interaction with her siblings (who hasn’t wanted to yell at yours one time or another?) The love she had for her Grandfather Oscar and Chief White Feather was beautiful.

—Karen, verified review on Amazon

I enjoyed reading about life in a small Midwest town in the United States. I live in South America and everybody knows about life there, but those anecdotes are so innocent and so tender that I was transported to places I have never been.

—Eduardo Fernandez, verified review on Amazon

Terrific book! Like reading a young girl’s diary of growing up in a small town. Very nostalgic for me. Back in the day, kids could ride their bikes all around town. Everyone watched out for them. Warm, heartfelt book.

—Mary ML Johnson. Verified review on Amazon

This was such a pleasure to read. I laughed and cried and didn’t want the book to end. A sign of well-written book! Judi captures the imaginative, curious, determined, witty, and empathetic perspective of girlhood incredibly well.

—William O’Brien, verified review on Amazon

This is a delightful read and beautifully written book about childhood. Judi is the grandchild of Swedish immigrants and writes about her experiences in small-town Minnesota. The characters are well described, but the quality of the book lies in her clarity of memory and ability to describe life through the eyes of a child in the 1950s. It is moving and funny and disarmingly honest.

—Carding, verified review on Amazon