by Laura Redniss
Oak Flat follows two families: the Nosies, an Apache family whose daughter is an activist for the preservation of Oak Flat, and the Gorhams, a mining family that spans across generations. While Redniss kept a largely neutral stance and presented both sides of the conflict, the book serves to highlight the continued mistreatment and systemic disadvantages Native Americans continue to suffer on their own lands for the sake of economic gain. The book itself provides the necessary cultural context to understand why Oak Flat is sacred and important to the Apache people, and why there is an ongoing struggle between the Apache Nation and the Resolution Copper Company for the stretch of land.
reviewed by Anais M.
