Louise Erdrich discusses new novel’s inspiration, writing teenagers

Author Louise Erdrich. (Jenn Ackerman) “The Mighty Red” (out Oct. 1 from Harper) invites readers into a small sugar beet farming town reeling from the 2008 economic crisis and the repercussions of environmental destruction. In this new novel, author Louise Erdrich introduces a memorable ensemble of characters led by adolescents in turmoil. A teenage love triangle anchors this immersive book: former goth Kismet vacillates between high school football jock Gary, who is set to inherit his family’s farms and desperate to marry her, and Hugo, a sweet, tall bookworm who has vowed to win Kismet in the end. Meanwhile, a devastating accident has shaken the town; a bank robber makes waves; and a book club fuels gossip. The titular “Mighty Red” running through the novel’s pages is the Red River of North Dakota. A quintessential symbol, this river is revered yet disrespected — and Erdrich explores the dramatic consequences of agricultural practices to poignant effect. “In many ways, human beings are trapped in a toxic relationship with our wondrous home,” the author said. “But we do have options, more every day. I wanted this book to reflect that.” “The Mighty Red” explores subjects like motherhood, marriage, and roots with tenderness and wit. Erdrich’s writing is as hilarious as it is heart-wrenching, as focused on the minutiae of insular community as it is on encompassing concerns like our stewardship of the earth. A Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning Native American writer based in Minneapolis, Erdrich has made a career of crafting engrossing tales of community rocked by love and tragedy in novels such as “The Round House,” “The Plague of Doves” and “The Night Watchman.” Erdrich connected with The Seattle Times over email to answer a few questions about “The Mighty Red.” This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What was your inspiration for this novel? What drew you to its themes? “The Mighty Red” started in so many ways, but let’s begin here with buffalo bones. This is one of the ways I started thinking about sugar. When the great herds of millions of buffalo were […]

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