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remigves's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
missbookiverse's review
3.0
I always find it fascinating to read something that was written 100 years ago and to be immersed in the life the person led at that point in history. American Indian Stories is a collection of memories, short stories, and poems by Zitkála-Šá, a member of the Sioux tribe. I enjoyed the personal thoughts on her childhood and her time at missionary school the most. It must have been so hard to be torn between your family and culture on the one side and changing times and the constant pressure of the missionaries (that could also appear as exciting and appealing to a child) on the other. Overall, I wish there had been more context in this collection, the foreword didn’t really help me out much and I’ll have to do my own research on Zitkála-Šá’s turbulent life now.
linda_1410's review against another edition
informative
4.0
This a collection of Zitkála-Šá's memoirs, essays and short stories. She relates her early life living among her people, the Dakota, being forcefully taken from them to be indoctrinated by white Christians, and her eventual reunion with her people. The stories and essays address the various trials and issues that befell the Native Americans as white settlers expanded westward and squeeze them off their own land. They're familiar tales, sadly, including how the American government time and time again broke their treaties and how the Native Americans were left to starve on the reservations, as well as how being raised among a different culture, being made to turn against your own beliefs, impacted her and her people.
This is short, under four hours, but impactful.
This is short, under four hours, but impactful.
kkpritchard's review against another edition
3.0
Partial read for American Women Writers before 1924 with Dr. Ginsberg. Spring 2020.
erincataldi's review
3.0
This was the first time I had read anything by the famed indigenous author, Zitkala-Sa. This book contained a collection of her biographical snapshots and stories of youth, folk tales, essays, and poetry. They are eloquent, profound, and deeply moving. She had raw power with her words and when you read this book, the imagery it conveys about growing up at the turn of the century on a reservation and what it means to be indigenous is profound. Essential reading for Native American scholars.