Theatre of Chance

"Vizenor's five semi-autobiographical novel takes Anishinaabe rebels from World War I to the momentous sixties, from White Earth Nation to survivance. They overcome oppression with irony and solidarity. Their affinities with classical culture become the matrix of survivance. Powerful and poetic, precisely staged, brilliant and poignant. A lifetime achievement."

~Alice-Catherine Carls, Professor Emerita, University of Tennessee at Martin

"Theatre of Chance brings Basile and Aloysius, with their composite clan, into the social turmoil of the late 20th century. A heart story told in Vizenor's singular voice, this poignant flourish to their epic journey transforms the historical novel into personal, visionary tales of survivance against narrow economic, philosophical, artistic, and political failures of the past century."

~John Purdy, Director/Producer of Bearheart: The Gerald Vizenor Chronicles

"How do Erik the Red and Cristóbal Colón debate Columbus Day? Only visitors to the Theatre of Chance will find out. The most prolific voice in Indigenous Studies today, Vizenor continues his lifelong intertextual celebration of nicknames, ironic tease, and native liberty in this masterful sequel to Waiting for Wovoka."

~Birgit Däwes, University of Flensburg, Germany

"In a career, both protean and prolific, now in its seventh decade, Gerald Vizenor just keeps getting better. No one pours more music into their prose. He is the bard of chance and survivance."

~Jace Weaver, University of Georgia