Greg Sarris has released his third novel, The Last Human Bear, marking his return to fiction after nearly three decades. The book, published by Heyday Books, explores the life of a fictional Pomo woman trained as a human bear.
The novel launches this week in a period when Native American literature continues to gain attention. Sarris drew on oral traditions from his community in Sonoma County to shape the story of Mary Hatcher, who spans nearly a century of local history.
Sarris said the prelude introducing the character was written first and set the direction for the rest of the narrative. He based elements of the story on accounts he heard as a child about a woman reputed to hold special powers.
The author, who serves as chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, has also worked to restore his tribe’s federal recognition. He credited elders such as Mabel McKay for passing on knowledge of herbs, rituals and basket making that appear in the book.
Sarris is now developing a historical novel set during the Mexican occupation of Sonoma County and a commissioned play for the San Francisco Playhouse.