My Name Is Not Chief

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The book describes the life of Ben Blue, a Ho-Chunk Indian who represents an everyman figure for contemporary American Indians. The book begins with his early years spent in both a rural setting at the Wisconsin Dells before moving to an urban setting in Los Angeles. He is introduced to drugs and alcohol during his high school and early adult years, which leads to a downward spiral, resulting in a return to his family in Wisconsin. After his mother dies, he comes back to Los Angeles, where he encounters poverty even harsher than he experienced as a child. His life changes when he is able to make a serious commitment to sobriety, which leads to finding a good job, getting a college education, getting married, and having two children. Yet the difficulties of maintaining sobriety are ongoing, and his lapses teach him that his commitment must be renewed on a daily basis. The book concludes with his exploration of his identity as a Ho-Chunk and his work with teachers and communities to address stereotypical images of Indians in contemporary American society, which is the basis for his final declaration, "My name is not Chief."