Book · 2016 · American literature
This Tender Land
- mentions
- 2
- person
- 1
- podcast
- 1
- episode
- 1
- recommendation
- 1
Absolutely, and I think that it’s interesting — I was just reading a book called This Tender Land about Native American schools, and there's one child in it who is constantly sent to solitary confinement.
The best things said about it
I was just reading a book called this tender land about Native American schools and there's one child in it who is constantly sent to solitary confinement this room and there is a rat there in the room that becomes like his buddy.
Why people recommend it
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger is a historical fiction novel set during the Great Depression that follows a group of orphans escaping a harrowing Native American boarding school. The book was discussed on the podcast No Stupid Questions during the episode titled 204. What Happens When You’re Cut Off From All Human Contact?, which aired on July 21, 2024. Co-host Angela Duckworth shared that she was currently reading the novel, noting its depiction of harsh institutional environments and focusing on a specific child character who is repeatedly subjected to solitary confinement. Guest Mike Miltimore expanded on this literary example during the conversation, pointing out how the isolated child manages to form a psychological connection with a rat that becomes his companion in the confinement room. The speakers utilized this fictional scenario to explore profound psychological themes regarding human resilience and the desperate biological need for connection when individuals are completely cut off from society. By drawing parallels between the character's coping mechanism and broader scientific discussions about isolation, the hosts demonstrated how literature can illuminate complex emotional truths about loneliness and survival. Through this engaging literary reference, Krueger's novel served as a poignant anchor for exploring the deep-seated instincts that drive humans to seek companionship in the most desolate circumstances.
Every mention
Mike Miltimore I was just reading a book called this tender land about Native American schools and there's one child in it… 1
“I was just reading a book called this tender land about Native American schools and there's one child in it who is constantly sent to solitary confinement this room and there is a rat there in the room that becomes like his buddy”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker1
“Absolutely, and I think that it’s interesting — I was just reading a book called This Tender Land about Native American schools, and there's one child in it who is constantly sent to solitary confinement.”
