{"product_id":"red-ants","title":"Red Ants: Stories","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis bold and genre-defying prose debut by the prizewinning poet incorporates social, historical, and supernatural elements to create a collection that is both contemporary and timeless, communal and deeply intimate\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKimberly Blaeser's singular stories center Anishinaabe characters who bring traditional tribal stories into contemporary experiences and break the stereotypes too often used to portray them. Here, we experience an Indigenous America inhabited by fancy dog contests, social protests, tree doctors, monsters, mosquitoes, and facial recognition software, all while blending, in the most exciting ways, the genre elements of magical realism, humor, horror, and speculative literary fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the heart of the collection is the story \"Red Ants,\" which opens on the rez between a jump rope chant and a test proctor's smile, where two girls learn how easily a life can be reduced to numbers, and how quickly those numbers can tilt ordinary days into something mythic, unsettling, and deeply human. Blaeser delves into the complexities of kinship and survival, exploring how the smallest moments of cruelty or tenderness can shape generations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor readers of \u003ci\u003eNight of the Living Rez\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eCrooked Hallelujah\u003c\/i\u003e speaking to larger issues of race, culture, and history, \u003ci\u003eRed Ants\u003c\/i\u003e explores alienation, displacement, and loneliness elevated through the precision of language, fierce emotional intelligence, and the haunting sense of place that permeates every page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKIMBERLY BLAESER\u003c\/b\u003e, former Wisconsin poet laureate, is the founding director of Indigenous Nations Poets. Her six poetry collections include \u003ci\u003eAncient Light\u003c\/i\u003e, a 2026 National Book Foundation Science + Literature title; \u003ci\u003eRésister en dansant\/Ikwe-niimi: Dancing Resistance\u003c\/i\u003e; and \u003ci\u003eCopper Yearning\u003c\/i\u003e, winner of the Edna Meudt Poetry Book Award. Other awards include the O. Henry Prize in fiction, Writer for Writers Award from Poets \u0026amp; Writers, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers' Circle of the Americas. Blaeser is Anishinaabe, an enrolled member of the White Earth Nation, who grew up on the reservation in northern Minnesota. She is an MFA faculty member at Institute of American Indian Arts and a Professor Emerita at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Learn more at www.kblaeser.org\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChicago Review of Books\u003c\/i\u003e, A Most Anticipated Book of the Year\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Millions\u003c\/i\u003e, A Most Anticipated Fall Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"This outstanding collection of stories attests to Kimberly Blaeser's remarkable writing talents. Already a magnificent poet, Blaeser's debut prose work centers the fullness of the Anishinaabe people in storytelling that fluidly glides across space, time and genre to incorporate horror, humor, realism and futurism.\" \u003cstrong\u003e--Karla J. Strand, \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eMs.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"This intellectually rich collection centers the culture of the Anishinaabe people and highlights the depth and beauty of their storytelling tradition. Moving between horror, history, myth, and gritty realism, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eRed Ants\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is full of stories that you aren't soon to shake. \" \u003cstrong\u003e--Michael Welch, \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eChicago Review of Books\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Beguiling . . . Blaeser offers an intriguing window into Indigenous culture while showcasing her dry wit . . . Readers won't want to put this down.\" \u003cstrong\u003e-- \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly \u003c\/i\u003e(starred review)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"The spectacular prose debut by prize-winning poet Blaeser centers the stories of Anishinaabe people, who defy simple categorization, just like Blaeser's writing . . . Blaeser is an artist at the height of her craft, and her collection should be required reading.\"\u003cstrong\u003e -- \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e (starred review)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"The stories are largely quiet and meditative, with struggles and triumphs that are both deeply personal for the characters and also universal. Lovely prose and imagery are evident throughout the collection, and the themes that echo across stories give it the feeling of a cohesive whole while dipping in and out of various characters' lives.\" \u003cstrong\u003e--A.C. Wise\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Kimberly Blaeser's stunning debut story collection is filled with receding shorelines, revolutionaries, tricksters, whip-smart women, found family, and monsters that stalk the land. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eRed Ants \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003efeels like sitting at the feet of your favorite aunties and cousins deep into the night. The stories send pulses of fear and unease through you, break your heart, and leave you rolling with laughter. I love when my favorite poets write prose. Though \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eRed Ants\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e may be her first work of fiction, I'll be counting the days until Kimberly Blaeser's next one.\"\u003cstrong\u003e --Kelli Jo Ford, author of \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eCrooked Hallelujah\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Kim Blaeser's Anishnaabe characters in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eRed Ants\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e are deeply human, full of compassion and resilience, told through her gift for craft and precision of detail on the line level. Here Blaeser proves she is one of our most thoughtful writers working today. I absolutely devoured this collection of stories.\"\u003cstrong\u003e --Brandon Hobson, National Book Award finalist and author of \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Removed\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eRed Ants\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a gorgeous collection of contemporary Anishinaabe stories in the very best of our storytelling traditions. Generous, funny, and intimate, with Blaeser's signature stunning poetics, these stories feel like old friends exploring belonging, the places that make us, and the people and spirits who are our kin.\" \u003cstrong\u003e--Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, author of \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eTheory of Water\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Kimberly Blaeser's prose stands alone. Each one of the stories in this kick ass debut harnesses a kinetic voice, the energetic bodies behind them as real as if they were sitting next to you. This collection has it all: realism, horror, speculative futurisms, myths of the past made present. I laughed. I remembered. I wanted to fight. Long have I admired Blaeser's lyrical and incisive poetic voice, and now, her prose.\"\u003cstrong\u003e --Bojan Louis, author of \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eCurrents: Poems \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eSinking Bell: Stories\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eRed Ants\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a stunning collection of short fiction, with gorgeous prose and images bearing the fingerprints of a poet at the height of her gifts. Each story lands with impactful moments of wisdom, insight, even shock regarding the uncanny turns a life can take. A remarkable, imperative read that lingers in the imagination--these powerful stories will haunt me forever.\" \u003cstrong\u003e--Mona Susan Power, author of \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Council of Dolls\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Counterpoint LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67729807966518,"sku":"9781640098084","price":17.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/2301\/7526\/files\/imageloader_dd5aeb47-20bc-4918-b487-eec687dfbc92.jpg?v=1792010089","url":"https:\/\/www.summerbeambooks.com\/products\/red-ants","provider":"Summer Beam Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}