Deborah Miranda's 2012 book Bad Indians is a unique one, particularly because its unique structure and because it is a mixed-genre book. To that end, the book is both a history of the authors tribe of California Indians and a memoir of the authors family. Told through both personal reflection and a variety of historical and anthropological resources, the book explores topics of the United States' founding and how it has changed over time, how it -- and how the Spaniards before them -- treated American Indians, and the history of the aforementioned California Indians starting in 1770 and ending in the present day (when the book was written in the late 2000's and early 2010's). Reads the books synopsis: "This book leads readers through a troubled past using the author's family circle as a touch point and resource for discovery. Personal and strong, these stories present an evocative new view of the shaping of California and the lives of Indians during the Mission period in California. The result is a work of literary art that is wise, angry and playful all at once." (content adapted from the books' Goodreads.com page).
Kirkus Reviews liked -- but did not love -- the book, writing in part that "[Bad Indians] is not a linear narrative; present and past weave together, historical account leaves off for poetry and lyrical fantasy, the personal and political collide. This is confusing at times and does not always work, but such weakness is overcome by the bold beauty of Miranda’s words." Kirkus Reviews continued, writing that the book is "A searing indictment of the ravages of the past and a hopeful look at the courage to confront and overcome them." Bad Indians also won a number of very minor but still important awards, including 2014's Independent Publisher Book Award.
