KIRKUS INDIE AWARD FINALIST 2026

Reviews

“. . . a powerfully evocative discourse on race, culture, and personal empowerment which weaves together a seemingly disparate set of values and observations, creating a narrative powerfully impactful in its tone and approach to life.”

—Midwest Book Review

“Deeply moving and eye-opening, this memoir confronts the centuries of systemic bigotry that have led to Indigenous erasure.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“At once luminous and searing, The Land of Everlasting Sky reminds us that our histories are all interwoven via the land that nurtures us, and the way forward as a nation lies in recognizing our shared culpability and our shared humanity”

—Susan J. Tweit, Story Circle Network

“I recommend this book to people who want to understand more about reservations, allotments and blood quantum. I know I didn’t learn about this in history class.”

“A Memoir that Humanizes the History of Land and Loss”
—Naomi Yaeger, May 21, 2026

"Swenson’s prose evokes the expanse of Lake of the Woods – clear, bright, breath-taking..."

"A Revealing Memoir of Lost Legacy on Lake of the Woods"
—Christopher Johnston, Changing Gears on Substack

"Written with great sense of place and also with deep respect for the subject of the book. Highly recommended."

“Three Stunning Books: Two memoirs and a novel well worth your attention”
—Laurie Hertzel on Substack, May 17, 2026

NEWS

“Q&A: Jill Swenson”

Elizabeth Rynecki, Authors Answer! #622, July 9, 2026

“Kirkus Reveals Finalists for the 2026 Indie Awards”

Michael Schaub, Kirkus Reviews, July 7, 2026

“Wham! Bam! Book! Slam! With Jill Swenson & guests Elizabeth Rynecki & Susan J Tweit”

Nan Tepper on Substack, July 6, 2026

“Author’s Memoir Explores History, Family Connections in Lake of the Woods Region”

Julie Bergman, Editor, Northern Light, June 16, 2026

“Project Kin, Speaker’s Corner”

Stories of Place with Jill Swenson and Katherine Brodt, June 11, 2026

“Jill D. Swenson and The Land of Everlasting Sky”

An interview with Deborah Copperrud on Read Minnesota Books, June 5, 2026

“The Land of Everlasting Sky”

St. Croix Splash Featured Event, June 4, 2026

“Q&A with Jill Swenson”

Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, June 3, 2026

“Documenting History of the Ordinary People”

LIVE on Substack with Teri Leigh of Fierce Love, May 26, 2026

“‘The Land of Everlasting Sky’ calls us to account for our past sins if we are to move forward”

Kelly Fenton, The Dairyland Patriot, May 15, 2026

“Author Completes Book at Write On, Door County”

Door County Pulse, May 14, 2026

“Memoirist explores troubled history of one Ojibwe family in 20th-century Minnesota”

Carol Lenz, The Dairyland Patriot, May 9, 2026