Messenger Bird

This affectionate and ultimately sad new novel by McCall ( Jack the Bear ) depicts an important period in modern Native American history--from spring 1971 to the end of 1972--through the eyes of a young white doctor. Narrator Jim joins the Public Health Service and is sent to work among the Mescalero Apaches in New Mexico, where he must cope with the indifference of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, suspicion on the part of those he is supposed to serve, inadequate facilities and high incidences of alcoholism and suicide. During his two-year stint, Jim witnesses the rise of the American Indian Movement (AIM), the drama of the Trail of Broken Treaties (a march to protest the federal government's relations with the Native American nations) and escalating violence between Indians and the feds--all grippingly evoked by McCall. The emotional core of the book, however, lies in the relationship that develops between the young doctor and his nurse, Annie Messenger Bird, who teaches him what it means to love, care and be compassionate. Their friendship turns to romantic love, but a stray bullet from a gunfight between AIM and the FBI kills her at age 36. A powerful storyteller, McCall is sympathetic to the Native Americans while never losing sight of the fact that his is an outsider's point of view. Humorous incidents relieve the pressure of an otherwise grim story. (Apr.)