In this book, a consummate storyteller unfolds his most personal and poignant story: his own. Bowman's Store traces the journey of writer Joseph "Sonny" Bruchac from a childhood filled with an abundance of both love and secrecy, to the dawning of his career as one of the best-known authors and storytellers of Native American history and lore. Compelling, lyrical, and deeply moving, Bruchac's memoir tells how he came to fully understand, and eventually claim, his Abenaki heritage, despite his grandparents' unspoken pact never to discuss Grandpa's Indian blood.Through experiences both painful and hilarious, Sonny finds himself drawn to all things Indian long before he learns of his grandfather's hidden Abenaki roots. Bowman's Store beautifully weaves themes from Bruchac's intimate knowledge of Native American cultures with vivid autobiographical scenes to create a touching story about self-discovery.