People of the Whale is a novel by American author Linda Hogan. Published in 2008, it depicts the trials of a Native American man named Thomas, and various members of his family, as they struggle with the loss of their culture in the face of changing times.
Told from several perspectives and divided into three parts, the novel follows the arc of Thomas's life, beginning with a description of his grandfather Witka's prowess as a deep-sea hunter. Later the novel describes Thomas's childhood, his marriage to a woman named Ruth, and his departure from home when he is drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. The novel then follows Ruth's subsequent years without him, as she raises their son Marco. Thomas is reported dead by the military, but Ruth has a feeling that he is still alive. Eventually, her suspicions are confirmed, but when she finally finds him, he is a reticent and clearly damaged man, haunted by his past in the war. Thomas eventually returns to their town for a whale hunt that is being undertaken to make money. The hunt occurs and a whale is successfully killed, but Marco drowns in the ensuing upheaval. Ruth is devastated and Thomas moves into Witka's old home where he spends his days as a shut-in.
The novel then reveals that Thomas is scarred by his time in Vietnam and that he killed American soldiers who were about to slaughter a village of innocent people. It also shows that he had a daughter, Lin, in Vietnam that he was unable to take back with him. Later in the book, Lin visits Thomas in America. They talk briefly and then he travels to Washington D.C. to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall. He returns his medals and, in the middle of a disagreement at the hotel, realizes his childhood friend Dwight killed Marco. He returns to the town, tells Ruth this, and, while he is out on the water, Dwight shoots him. Thomas narrowly survives and people seek retribution against Dwight. The novel ends with an image of Thomas's life energy coming back to his body.
Published in 2008, the book was praised for illuminating elements of Native American life while exploring them through the lens of American history. A review from The Oregonian writes, "'People of the Whale' is a fascinating look at how the traditions of native Northwest peoples intersect and collide with 20th-century America, issues still very relevant and important to us today."
