The Bingo Palace can be read alone and appreciated without reference to the earlier novels of the tetralogy, and perhaps that might be a good way to begin discussion of the novel. One might imagine the novel as the lone surviving artifact of Chippewa culture, and then try to assess tribal organization and health. One might explore the position of women and men in the tribe, contrasting and comparing that position to sexual roles in the larger society. What seems important in the lives of these characters — what matters to them? The action seems to center on Lulu's plans, the love triangle of Lyman, Lipsha, and Shawnee Ray, and what it means, the deaths of Lipsha and Gerry, and the building of the casino. The significance of these actions needs to be discussed in order to understand the novel. Then, with the book in place...