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cmbeegirl's review against another edition
5.0
this one took me by surprise. left me in tears. opened my eyes and mind to the plight of indigenous people. pushed me to learn more, make an effort to be a conscious citizen and know the true history of the genocide of the indigenous population in north america.
I hope to teach this book to my students.
I hope to teach this book to my students.
mariakureads's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Zitkala-Sa writes with such poignant honesty, poetically highlighting her heritage. It's both a memoir and yet poetry to read.
She talks about challenging moments, the clashes of culture, and the presence of change that highlight a moment in time that is rarely spoken about unless in historical terms, and even then, it's at a minimum.
Reading her work has me interested in learning more about her, her body of writing, and her position within and out of her tribe.
She talks about challenging moments, the clashes of culture, and the presence of change that highlight a moment in time that is rarely spoken about unless in historical terms, and even then, it's at a minimum.
Reading her work has me interested in learning more about her, her body of writing, and her position within and out of her tribe.
sbletham's review against another edition
4.0
An engaging and important autobiography, along with additional portraits of Native American life.
anna_wa's review against another edition
In class, we were only assigned to read the beginning of the book (the part that tells her life story). We weren't assigned the rest of the book. I might consider going back and reading the rest one day, but all the reviews I read said that the rest wasn't as good???
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Racial slurs
jaimygdala's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
happentobeshort's review against another edition
2.0
Picked this up on sale and on impulse at one of my favourite indie bookstores here in Singapore, The Moon.
I've read a few books by indigenous North American authors, but like many things I can stand to do more. This though I think, is the first non-fiction book I've read.
It was a really fascinating look into a period of time that I have very little knowledge about. Zitkála-Šá talks about how her life changed dramatically, losing connection with the only world she ever knew, to assimilate into a new one that didn't regard her as an equal. Although the book is short, it's an important peek into her childhood memories, both happy and sad, as well as getting to know about the beginnings of her activism and her writing career.
I would have liked to read a bit more about her childhood and how she became the woman that she is known for..! I also wasn't fond of the way the stories were organised and it felt a bit all over the place. I did enjoy it though and do not regret buying it.
I've read a few books by indigenous North American authors, but like many things I can stand to do more. This though I think, is the first non-fiction book I've read.
It was a really fascinating look into a period of time that I have very little knowledge about. Zitkála-Šá talks about how her life changed dramatically, losing connection with the only world she ever knew, to assimilate into a new one that didn't regard her as an equal. Although the book is short, it's an important peek into her childhood memories, both happy and sad, as well as getting to know about the beginnings of her activism and her writing career.
I would have liked to read a bit more about her childhood and how she became the woman that she is known for..! I also wasn't fond of the way the stories were organised and it felt a bit all over the place. I did enjoy it though and do not regret buying it.
curatoriallyyours's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I read this book as part of the '1921 in 2021' reading challenge and I'm so glad I did. This book is split into sections - an autobiographical account of the author's childhood, a series of allegorical stories, and an essay. The most compelling section is the first. Not knowing much about the author I guess I was expecting a sort of quiet recollection palatable to a white audience of the time. Not so! Zitkala-Sa does not hold back her opinions and paints a very clear picture of this transitional period of history and what it looked like for individual first nations people of different generations navigating that transition from the traditional way of life to survival under the so called 'protection', downright manipulation and sometimes the oppressive 'good intentions' of white people. The essay at the end is not as easy to read but it does show that even then the failure of government policies and practices of the time that pertained to first nations people. Over all, this was a compelling read and a meaty start to my 2021 reading challenges.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Genocide, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
charlyreads's review against another edition
3.0
“For the white man’s papers I had given up my faith in the Great Spirit. For these same papers I had forgotten the healing in trees and brooks. On account of my mother’s simple view of life and my lack of any, I gave her up, also. I made no friends among the race of people I loathed. Like a slender tree, I had been uprooted from my mother, nature, and God.”
This short book is combing Zitkála-Šá’s childhood memories, her short stories, and her poetry, painting the origin story of her activism, political, and writing career. The short stories felt somewhat disjointed and had a rather distant narration style. I was most drawn in by the memories about her childhood, where she leaves her family and reservation to attend a residential school run by Quaker missionaries. I would have been interested to learn more about her growing up and finding her purpose as she seems to be a remarkable woman.
This short book is combing Zitkála-Šá’s childhood memories, her short stories, and her poetry, painting the origin story of her activism, political, and writing career. The short stories felt somewhat disjointed and had a rather distant narration style. I was most drawn in by the memories about her childhood, where she leaves her family and reservation to attend a residential school run by Quaker missionaries. I would have been interested to learn more about her growing up and finding her purpose as she seems to be a remarkable woman.
speculativebecky's review against another edition
4.0
This collection was a challenging and powerfully educational read for me, learning from Zitkála-Šá about her disparate experiences growing up, her childhood cut short when she’s taken East from het family to a white Christian-run school. This is such a small volume, but it packs in so much, and I’m deeply appreciative of the opportunity to learn from Zitkála-Šá about history and identity in her own words. This sort of first person #ownvoices account is what I wish I’d been taught in American History in school. Recommended.