Cahokia Jazz (2024) by Francis Spufford

 Book Review

Cahokia Jazz (2024)

by Francis Spufford

   I was so excited when I read about this book for the first time: An alt history Native American 1920's detective noir written by English author of note Francis Spufford.  It is, one might say, up my alley, since the abandoned Native American city of Cahokia and possible connections to the Meso-American civilization of the Aztecs et al was a subject of interest to me long before I heard about Cahokia Jazz. When I read the Guardian review I had high hopes that this would be a smash hit, but thus far the American response has been tepid.  The New York Times review suggested that readers don't have time for the "world building" aspect of the book and I've noticed a tone in casual reviews on Amazon and Goodreads that American readers are inherently uncomfortable with the idea that there exists some version of reality where elements of the Native American community held their own against the colonial west. 

  I've noticed that attitude for years- since I clerked at California Indian Legal Services when I was in law school 25 years ago.  Suggest to a contemporary American- even those who consider themselves progressive on matters of social justice- that America should "give back" stolen land to Native American tribes and you will elicit wide eyed looks of amazement.   I found the world-building elements of Cahokia Jazz intoxicating, and I was frankly offended by the New York Times reviewer who suggested that the full backstory behind this alternate world was incoherent and impossible to explain.

   In fact, Spufford does a great job with brief interstitial historical documents that chart the path of the independent Catholic-Native American state of Cahokia from its conversion to Catholicism through its intervention in the American Civil War and ultimate accession to the Union.  Spufford provides an alternate map of the United States- one where the Mormons are still independent, the Navaho have their own state,   England held on to more of the Pacific Northwest, and Russia kept Alaska.  It's really not that complicated if you have a rudimentary understanding of ACTUAL US history.  If on the other hand, you don't know the ACTUAL story of US history Cahokia Jazz is likely to bewilder you as much as it did the New York Times reviewer. 

  Hopefully the story will get picked up by a premium TV streamer- easy to see a big budget version on Apple TV, HBO or Amazon.  It's also easy to see said version going very wrong, since period detective films/tv shows are tough to get right.