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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Very interesting book. Covers some Navajo history (very tragic) and the Navajo involvement in the war. Interesting story
What an interesting and thrilling story! The only code that wasn't broken during WWII, the Navajo language. And just one of about a million stories for why we should respect and celebrate cultural differences!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
As the current US administration (as of April 2025) is pulling history that they don't agree with/like/are "DEI", I felt that it was important to learn about more US history. This memoir talked about the incredible contributions of the Navajo Code talkers in WWII, while showing the federally imposed restrictions and immense challenges the the Navajo people handled in the 1900s. The memoir also provided glimpse into Navajo language and culture that I really enjoyed. It also drove home some of the absolute horrors of war - I cried many times while reading this, just from the sheer loss of life, not to mention the other terrible things the soldiers dealt with in the pacific theatre of WWII. I am using this memoir as a jumping off point for deeper dives into WWII histories, and more memoirs and stories by Native Americans.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War
Moderate: Child abuse
reflective
medium-paced
I finished this bookâthen the current administration wiped the page from official government websites. So it sure was a timely read. It was a great opportunity to learn more about this moment in history, though I wish it had leaned more into narrative storytelling. Still, his journey is both eye-opening and inspiring.
Honor the almost unknown code talkers. Read the book.
informative
fast-paced
The US government has enacted generations of cruelty towards the Navajo Nation yet amazingly Chester still feels honored to have served his country multiple times. Not only is his unique contribution to WW2 invaluable, his perspective on 20th century indigenous reality is vital.
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced