Night of the Living Rez

by Morgan Talty

Short Stories

Literary Fiction

Contemporary

285 Pages

"Talty's stories are achingly beautiful and brutally honest—Night of the Living Rez captures the complexity of contemporary Native life with searing humor and profound compassion that stays with you long after."

Synopsis

How do the living come back to life? Set in a Native community in Maine, Night of the Living Rez is a riveting debut collection about what it means to be Penobscot in the twenty-first century and what it means to live, survive, and persevere after tragedy. In twelve striking, luminescent stories, author Morgan Talty breathes life into tales of family and community bonds as they struggle with a painful past and an uncertain future. With searing humor, abiding compassion, and deep insight, Talty creates unforgettable moments: a boy unearths a jar holding an old curse that sets his family's unraveling into motion; a man trying to swindle pot from a dealer discovers a friend passed out in the woods, his hair frozen into the snow; a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer's projects the past onto her grandson, thinking he is her dead brother come back to life; and two friends, inspired by Antiques Roadshow, attempt to rob the tribal museum for valuable root clubs. In a collection that examines the consequences and merits of inheritance—both cultural and personal—Night of the Living Rez is an unforgettable portrayal of a Native community and marks the arrival of a standout talent in contemporary fiction.

Our Take

Morgan Talty announces himself as a major new voice in American literature with this stunning debut collection that refuses easy narratives about contemporary Native life. What makes Night of the Living Rez extraordinary is Talty's ability to balance dark humor with devastating emotional truth, creating stories that acknowledge the weight of historical trauma and ongoing hardship without reducing his characters to their suffering. The Penobscot community in Maine comes alive through interconnected stories featuring recurring characters, building a rich portrait of a place where the past haunts the present in both literal and metaphorical ways. Talty, who is Penobscot himself, writes with insider knowledge and literary craft that recalls the best work of Sherman Alexie while establishing his own distinct voice. His prose is deceptively simple, carrying profound observations about addiction, family loyalty, cultural identity, and what inheritance means when your heritage includes both ancient traditions and intergenerational pain. The collection never preaches or explains itself to outside audiences, trusting readers to enter this world on its own terms. Fans of Brandon Hobson's The Removed or Tommy Orange's There There will recognize Talty's commitment to portraying Native life with complexity and authenticity. For readers seeking short fiction that combines emotional depth with formal mastery, Night of the Living Rez is essential reading from one of contemporary literature's most exciting new talents.