The Surrounded, D’Arcy McNickle’s groundbreaking 1936 novel chronicling the shifting relationships between Europeans and Native Americans on the Flathead Indian Reservation, has been named the 2009 One Book Montana selection.

The story of Archilde León, who has returned from the big city to his father’s ranch on the reservation, has long been considered one of the early masterpieces of fiction by or about Native Americans. The Surrounded will spur intergenerational and cross-cultural conversations across the state.

The One Book Montana program offers an invitation to all Montanans to read and discuss The Surrounded during the summer and fall. Humanities Montana will provide reading and discussion guides; suggestions for library, school and book group projects; events at the Montana Festival of the Book (October 22-24, 2009). Join our online discussion now.

Thanks to the support of the book’s publisher, University of New Mexico Press, a limited number of copies are available for short-term loans to book groups. Contact Humanities Montana Associate Director Kim Anderson at 406-243-6022 for further information.