Nothing More of This Land

Community, Power, and The Search for Indigenous Identity

By: Joseph Lee

Narrated by: Shaun Taylor-Corbett

Finalist for the 2026 PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction

A Time Must-Read Book of 2025, An NPR Books We Love Most pick, A Tribal College Best Native Studies Book of 2025, and a 2026 Great Reads from Great Places Pick

From award-winning journalist Joseph Lee, a sweeping, personal exploration of Indigenous identity and the challenges facing Indigenous people around the world.

Before Martha’s Vineyard became one of the most iconic vacation destinations in the country, it was home to the Wampanoag people. Today, as tourists flock to the idyllic beaches, the island has become increasingly unaffordable for tribal members, with nearly three-quarters now living off-island. Growing up Aquinnah Wampanoag, journalist Joseph Lee grappled with what this situation meant for his tribe, how the community can continue to grow, and more broadly, what it means to be Indigenous.

In Nothing More of This Land, Lee weaves his own story and that of his family into a panoramic narrative of Indigenous life around the world. He takes us from the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard to the icy Alaskan tundra, the smoky forests of Northern California to the halls of the United Nations, and beyond. Along the way he meets activists fighting to protect their land, families clashing with their own tribal leaders, and communities working to reclaim tradition.

Together, these stories reject stereotypes to show the diversity of Indigenous people today and chart a way past the stubborn legacy of colonialism.

Critic reviews

"Shaun Taylor–Corbett provides a layered delivery of this audiobook about the Wampanoag tribe of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. While the island may evoke images of the wealthy elite, the tribe, of which the author is a member, had a thriving culture there much earlier. Lee reflects on tourists’ fundamental lack of understanding of tribal history. Listeners will also find the deep discussions on the nature of sovereignty engaging. Lee asks how Indigenous people are impacted when it’s the federal government that defines tribal sovereignty. And how does a person with mixed Indigenous ancestry identify with their own tribe? Taylor–Corbett's voice captures the inquisitive tone of this work."