Apple: Skin to the Core
Apple is a unique read. Although Gansworth’s memoir is told through words and pictures, the prose, poetry and short chapters sing like a playlist. This is no coincidence, as the author uses the Beatles and their link to Apple Records as a tool to explore and engage the audience with the core themes of the novel, such as race, identity and the Indian experience. The Tuscarora identity is explored as both a wider cultural and personal identity, and Gansworth does so through a mix of photographs, paintings, poetry and prose, experimenting with form as he brings the reader on the journey.
This insight into another’s life and culture and their trepidations about these topics may be a challenging read for some, but Gansworth fills his memories with cultural touchstones to guide the reader – from comic books to TV shows and movies. As the text moves around the page, sometimes in non-traditional ways, there is a sense that Gansworth is showing us more than just his story. He is allowing the reader to explore his history and his cultural history alongside him from many perspectives.
Gansworth uses his memoir to pick up the pieces of his culture and identity and rebuild them before the reader’s eyes. A powerful read worth exploring, enhanced further by listening to the Beatles while doing so.
