Alexie's novel Reservation Blues (1995) established his status as one of America's leading writers. In this work, Alexie uses the Faust legend to narrate the tale of an Indian blues band named Coyote Springs.

N. Scott Momaday's first novel, House Made of Dawn (1968), which won the Pulitzer Prize, paved the way for other Native-American authors like Alexie. The book follows the story of a Tano Indian named Abel, who returns to his New Mexico home after serving in World War II. Momaday depicts Abel's efforts to reconnect with his cultural heritage in a world often hostile to those traditions.

Megatrends 2000: Ten New Directions for the 1990s (1990), authored by John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene, offers a social forecast for the 1990s. The book outlines trends and their contexts, such as the rise of free-market socialism, global lifestyles, and cultural nationalism.

American Indian Myths and Legends (1985), edited by Alfonso Ortiz and Richard Erdoes, compiles 160 stories from 80 different tribal groups, providing a comprehensive survey of Native-American mythic traditions.

Manners & Customs of the Coeur d'Alene Indians (1975), written by Jerome Peltier, serves as a valuable introduction to the traditions of Alexie's tribe.