The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse

Written by Louise Erdrich

Narrated by Anna Fields

A New York Times Notable Book

“Stunning. . . a moving meditation. . . infused with mystery and wonder.” —Atlanta Journal-Constitution

In a masterwork that both deepens and enlarges the world of her previous novels, acclaimed author Louise Erdrich captures the essence of a time and the spirit of a woman who felt compelled by her beliefs to serve her people as a priest. The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse deals with miracles, crises of faith, struggles with good and evil, temptation, and the corrosive and redemptive power of secrecy.

For more than a half century, Father Damien Modeste has served his beloved Native American tribe, the Ojibwe, on the remote reservation of Little No Horse. Now, nearing the end of his life, Father Damien dreads the discovery of his physical identity, for he is a woman who has lived as a man. To further complicate his quiet existence, a troubled colleague comes to the reservation to investigate the life of the perplexing, possibly false saint Sister Leopolda. Father Damien alone knows the strange truth of Leopolda's piety, but these facts are bound up in his own secret. He is faced with the most difficult decision: Should he tell all and risk everything . . . or manufacture a protective history for Leopolda, though he believes her wonder-working is motivated solely by evil?

The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse is a work of an avid heart, a writer's writer, and a storytelling genius.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Jan 4, 2005
• ISBN: 9780060797966

Louise Erdrich

Louise Erdrich, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, is the award-winning author of many novels as well as volumes of poetry, children’s books, and a memoir of early motherhood. Erdrich lives in Minnesota with her daughters and is the owner of Birchbark Books, a small independent bookstore. 

Reviews for The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse

[pajarita_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a beautiful ending for another complex story by Louise Erdrich!This is a book that twisted my opinions around its premises more times than once. At times preposterous, and at times profound--this tale binds the reader up into its characters' choices. Choices that we don't always agree with, but seem frequently to find ourselves complicit in. And although sometimes I felt that small plot twists were a bit pat, I found that their weave into the greater tapestry of Erdrich's telling were more forgivable once we understand where she has brought us.

[shannonkearns · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fantastically rich novel. Erdrich writes the story of a woman who, after a tragedy occurs, disguises herself as a male priest and goes to live among the Obijwe as a missionary. Erdrich weaves together the tales of the people on the reservation as well as the past and present of Agnes/Father Damien. The language of the novel is beautiful and the characters are rich and nuanced. There are a lot of time shifts in this book which can occasionally make it hard to follow. Events overlap and collapse in on themselves and you have to really pay attention. At times the book reads as a collection of shorter stories with an overarching theme. I loved the character of Father Damien; his interior life, the letters he writes to the Pope, the things he feels about falling into a calling that wasn't his own. The book has really interesting things to say about gender, about missionary work, and about the relations between First Nations people and white people. I really loved this book. I would highly recommend it to others.

[kinnicchick · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A complicated and fascinating tale. Takes place on an Ojibwa Reservation in North Dakota. The main story is about Father Damien, a priest who loves and lives among the people, serving them for over 50 years, all that time concealing his real physical identity - beneath his old fashioned cassock, is the body of a woman. And nearing the end of his life he worries that he will be found out. Now the church has sent another priest to interview Damien and investigate the stories of a local nun to learn if her life was worthy of Sainthood. The complex story contains many interwoven relationships with several generations involved and the mysteries surrounding Sister Leopolda, but what truly shines is the love of Father Damien for his people to the very end. Beautifully written.

[bibliophileofalls · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A bit on the long side, I was caught up in the story early on, got bogged down in the (too long) middle and very much glad I stuck with it as the end was very amusing and also meaningful. A lot about the "spirit world" of the American Indians and how it conflicts/parallels the Catholic religion as told by a priest.

[ageoflibrarius · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

so imaginative--can't wait to see what happens next. and the writing itself is wonderul

[lynnb_64 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Passion. This is a story about a young woman who becomes a nun, then becomes passionate about music and leaves the convent. She meets a farmer and lives a life of erotic love with him and devotional love to her music. And loses it all -- her music, her lover and part of her memory.She assumes the identity of Father Damien Modeste who is killed on his way to his posting at the Ojibwe reserve of Little No Horse. And spends the rest of her life devoted to the Ojibwe people and her duties as their priest. But all is not smooth sailing as passion for music and for fellow priest Gregory disturb her contentment.This is a wonderful story. Like other novels by Louise Erdrich, I loved the large cast of characters and her ability to make every one of them vivid and important. I loved the examination of human vs. divine passion, of what happiness really is, of whether certain gifts come from God or from the devil, and in the end, does it matter?

[zina_40 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Amazing story - have recommended it to everyone. Historical, gender issues, combines native american and catholic beliefs in an unforgettable tale.

[beamis12 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I just loved this book. Such a wonderful portrayal of Father Damien (actually a woman who finds her life as a priest through very strange circumstances) and the Ojibwa Indians on a Dakota reservation. The prose was beautiful and while the story went back and forth from past to present, Erdrich does such a fantastic job acquainting the reader with all the main characters and their stories this was not confusing to me. I felt like I was intimately acquainted with all of them, and loved reading about their lives. Some parts made me laugh and some parts made me sad, I had such compassion for most of these characters. Didn't want the book to end.

[brangwinn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh, what a story. A former nun lives her adult life as a priest on a reservation for more than fifty years. This story enriches the canvas of reservations on which Erdrich paints her stories in words. The characters and the deep emotions shown by the characters are worthy citizens of Erdrich’s world.

[Darcy Danielson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It took several car trips over several months to complete a full listen to this story. Because I am in full awe of both Louise Erdrich and of the late Anna Fields, I savored every morsel of this story. It's probably the most rich and fulfilling novel I've ever had the pleasure of hearing.

[ruthseeley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book made me laugh out loud more than once. It's probably my to-date-favourite Erdrich novel.

[katydid4it · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not quite as good as Erdrich's "The Master Butcher's Singing Club", but I liked it quite a bit. A bit magical realism, a bit historical fiction.

[drfuriosa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think this might be one of Erdrich's finest. It is about faith and doubt, story and lie, and the ways in which good and evil collide. Father Damien plays a pivotal role: but to say more would be to spoil the plot as it unfolds.

[alpin_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In 1912, Agnes DeWitt adopts the cassock and persona of a Catholic priest who drowns en route to his missionary post in remote North Dakota. For almost a century, Agnes binds her breasts and, as Father Damien, lives a “sincere lie,” ministering to the Ojibwe people she comes to see as her own. This novel, written in 2001, is the sixth in the series that began with “Love Medicine” in 1984 and features many of the same members of the Ojibwe clans in the earlier books as well as Louise Erdrich's elegant, lyrical prose and mix of realism, fable, and humor. The devotion and passion (both earthly and spiritual) of Agnes/Damien hold it all together, despite some sluggish patches in the Ojibwe stories, and make this an emotionally affecting novel.

[hopeevey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I need to re-read this book before I can talk intelligently about it. It's beautiful, engaging, the characters walk off the page and into your heart. It has the feel of magical realism, in as much as I understand the designation, without being overtly fantastical.

I'm not sure if there's more to this book than I understood on first read, or if it was needlessly obscure - hence my need to re-read it after a little while away from it.

[marianv_39 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A novel that begins with an unlikely premise -- an ex-nun, fleeing a flood comes upon the body of a drowned priest. The priest was on his way to serve at the Chippewa mission at Little No-Horse Reservation & the ex-nun decides to serve in his stead, taking on his complete identity including his gender. The story comes together perfectly. Louise Erdrich brings on her cast of Chippewas we have come to know from her previous novels & new characters are interwoven into the plot. A dispute concerning the proposed sainthood of an unstable nun whom the "priest" knows was not a worker of miracles adds tension to the narrative. Forbidden romance & the hardships of a primitive environment also complicate the story. But it is the people themselves that Ms. Erdrich portrays in all their humanity that makes this an unforgetable work of literature.

[samanthadeirdre · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Father Damien Modeste is the priest at the Ojibwe Indian reservation, Little No Horse. He is getting old, and despite his best efforts, his buried secrets have begun to worm their way to the surface. Father Damien is a woman who has been living for the last half century disguised as a man. Now, at the end of his life, he worries that all the good he has done as a priest will be undone when his secret is discovered. The characters in this novel are perfect – Erdrich writes them with deeply felt compassion and her sense of humor bubbles up every now and then, just at the right time.

[mldavis2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found this an enjoyable book, filled with interesting characters, some whimsy, some darkness, some magic and some love. The protagonist is a nun who steals the disguise of a priest and lives in his shoes as a mentor to a fictional indian tribe. The narrative runs along without much of a hitch, all the while keeping the reader engaged in the unfolding relations of its characters. The book's credentials as a National Book Award Finalist are well deserved. Recommended.

[stahl2ricco · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Father Damien’s big secret! BIG secret! And mostly, this is his story, as it intersects with so many others in the congregation and its surroundings. I wasn't a huge fan of his story, but I did like learning more about the other characters that I've grown so fond of in this series. Especially Nanapush!The story of Nanapush, his boat, and the moose! “In his moose-drawn boat, Nanapush toured every part of the reservation that he’d ever hunted, and saw everyone he’d ever known, and then went to places he hadn’t visited since childhood.” Hilarious! As was his death/deaths! Definitely my favorite character of the 'Love Medicine' series to date!Great ending! (and I laughed at the 'fax' in the End Notes as well!)

[kristelh_15 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Published in 2001, this is a story of a woman who decides to be a priest, Father Damien. She works with the Ojibway on a reservation somewhere in North Dakota/Minnesota. The story is both set in 1996 and in the memories of the priest. The characters are so fun and the story so full of humor and serious subjects. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The female who becomes Damien the priest does so because she believes she is doing good by being a priest to the people. There is also the theme of Catholic vs. Spirituality and the theme of lost and resilience.

[9sunny9 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nearly five stars, but somehow failed to reach the emotional or ideological/conceptual levels I associate with 5-star books, though I can't say I have any solid criteria on which to base my ratings. But filled with exceptionally beautiful and striking scenes, images, words, stories, and people, not to mention objects, times, settings, and thoughts. All that good stuff that makes a good book, even a great or wonderful one. Maybe it's that I took a while in reading it, got it in small chunks rather than in a few concentrated stretches. But combination and clash of cultures, times, religions, traditions, people, families, genders, past and present, memory and forgetting, myth and reality...wonderful juxtapositions, lovely language.

[ksmac · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Engrossing story of a woman posing as a Catholic priest on an impoverished reservation and her "reports" to the pope of events she believes are miracles

[gayla.bassham · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I can't believe I missed this when it first came out. It's a brilliant concept and right in my wheelhouse. I should have been all over it. (Of course, I had two children under the age of two when it was published, which might have played a part in my neglect.)

I feel a tiny bit guilty giving it four stars on the same day that I gave Ship of Magic five, but although the writing is spectacular and Father Damien is fully realized, I never felt a connection to the secondary characters. Still a great book that is well worth your time.

[lauralkeet · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Father Damien is an elderly priest who spent his career serving the native Ojibwe population in remote northern Minnesota. When a nun becomes a candidate for sainthood, another priest arrives to interview Father Damien, who harbors secrets from the confessional that cast an entirely new light on the nun’s candidacy. Sharing those secrets would require Father Damien to reveal a damaging personal secret that could negate his lifetime of good works.As he wrestles with this conundrum, Father Damien recounts the story of his priesthood and the Ojibwe community. This made for a rollicking good tale, with a myriad of colorful characters; the family tree on the inside cover is an essential reference. Louise Erdrich brings considerable humor to her story, but is also serious and poignant at just the right moments, and the ending wraps things up perfectly. This was my first novel by Louise Erdrich, and I expect I will read more of her work.

[maureencean · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I hope the folks who are kind enough to read my reviews do not mind that I don't summarize the plot - I am satisfied for the most part with what GR has to say and so many reviewers summarize it too - and I just don't have the time, so I just give you my reactions - thanks if you keep reading. This was a book club selection - I could not finish it in the time I allotted before the meeting. My bad, given that I am the leader of the club...but I was heartened when no one else had finished by the time of the meeting. That being said, I really did like this book, and the fact that her latest work earned a major book award just underscores the fact that I am just a regular reader, and not any sort of literary scholar. I enjoyed the spiritualism, and how it compared and contrasted with the Catholic faith, I found some aspects of the early part of the book to be just bizzarre - especially Agnes' bond to music, then replaced by sensuality - and then her journey to to the Ojibwe. It was in a sense mythological on its own. Part of my enjoyment I am sure was sourced from the fact that I adored mythology as teen, from anywhere on the planet, including Native American. I am pleased that it ended the way it did, with the focus of possible beatification shifting to the true hero/heroine.

[kambrogi_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story is as powerful and mesmerizing a tale as I have yet to read by this marvelous author. Here we have the story of an aging priest who reflects back on a life ministering to Ojibwe Indians on an isolated reservation. The story spans the better part of the 20th century, and is true to the times without being focused on history as much as character. The priest's astonishing secret of a double life, coupled with the fascinating characters who people his tale, and the haunting, lyrical style of Erdrich’s spot-on magical realism result in an outstanding work of literary fiction.

[junipersun · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Erdrich's writing has matured over the years. I wish I had saved all the quotable lines in this book. Agnes/Father Damien is much more introspective and thoughtful than I expect from a settler of that era and, in a way, not believable as a potentially real person. But the theme of the novel pulls you along.

[the_awesome_opossum · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Last Report of the Miracles at Little No Horse frames itself as an extended epistolary scrapbook of the chaplaincy of Father Damien Modeste to the Ojibwe people. He writes to the pope as a final confession at the end of his life, professing two things: one, that he is a woman who stole the identity of a dead priest; and two, the Ojibwe community has been nurtured and flourished under his care despite the fraud.Much of the novel feels nearly picaresque, as readers encounter Ojibwe characters' lives and backgrounds, but stick most emotionally closely to Father Damien. Yet Father Damien (nee Agnes, an identity she assumes only in the privacy of her own home and as necessary) sees him/herself as a transitional point between God and the people. The shape-shifting of gender identity reflects this: the work of a missionary is to constructively be who the people need.One of Father Damien's final assignments is to investigate the possibility of sainthood for a member of his community named Sister Leopolda, a pious and passionate Ojibwe nun of whom Damien is nevertheless skeptical. Yet, as he looks for proof of sainthood among her antisocial behavior, and struggles for a response to Rome's hope that her passionate and extravagant character was divinely-inspired, Damien must also confront his own deceptive self-portrayal. Which is the greater good, to offer a community honesty, or comfort?Parts of this book were slow, due to the aforementioned distance put between the reader and the Ojibwe characters, but Damien was a nuanced and thought-provoking character to sustain the narrative.