Mankiller: A Chief and Her People (Audi O Literature Presents)

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Summary: MEET A PROUD AND HONORED PEOPLE.
Review: Chief Mankiller does a convincing job of leading her readers into the world of the Cherokee--both from a personal and historic point of view. I was especially moved by her account of being replaced from Oklahoma to Calilfornia as the federal goverment's attempt to mainstream her and her family. I recommend this book as well as one about a modern Cherokee who walked the 900 mile route of the Trail of Tears from Alabama to Oklahoma as a means to connect with his roots, soul and ancestors: WALKING THE TRAIL, by Jerry Ellis.

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Summary: Excellent account of the history of the Cherokees
Review: First of all, I would encourage anyone who is interested in the history and culture of the Cherokees to read this book. The average American is taught very little about the native peoples who inhabited this land before the white men took over. The first reviewer, gsibbery from Baton Rouge, LA, shows the mentality of most whites today. The native Americans have been trying to share their views and feelings for years but most people do not care to listen, and in general, do not care about the circumstances these people have had to endure. I commend Mrs. Wilma Mankiller for the effort and time she spent in writing this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it and have shared it with others. I think we all need to try to see things from another's perspective sometimes. It was a great book!!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent account of the history of the Cherokees
Review: First of all, I would encourage anyone who is interested in the history and culture of the Cherokees to read this book. The average American is taught very little about the native peoples who inhabited this land before the white men took over. The first reviewer, gsibbery from Baton Rouge, LA, shows the mentality of most whites today. The native Americans have been trying to share their views and feelings for years but most people do not care to listen, and in general, do not care about the circumstances these people have had to endure. I commend Mrs. Wilma Mankiller for the effort and time she spent in writing this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it and have shared it with others. I think we all need to try to see things from another's perspective sometimes. It was a great book!!

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Summary: Interesting
Review: I enjoyed reading about Wilma Mankiller and her activities to better the lot of her people. She is obviously a very strong woman with deeply-held beliefs and convictions which she does her best to apply in everyday life. Still, there was more than a hint of modern-day victim mentality, which considering the culture that she has come from is sort of insulting. The identification with the past generations of Indians does little to help her cause. Tradition and heritage may be important to some people, but it's hard not to scoff when you hear her say "I feel the pain of my ancestors". Maybe she does, in a small way, but it's also a clever political tactic that I don't altogether approve of. Native Americans need to learn to move forward instead of always moaning about how they were forced under by superior numbers. So much of this seems like whining that it can be a little hard to take in places, especially considering that Native American culture before the whites came was no less brutal than that of their oppressors. Still, this was an interesting sojourn into a little-known aspect of American politics and culture that few are aware of. All in all not a bad book, although it could be better.

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Summary: I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!!!
Review: I found it very hard to close this book! I was riveted to Chief Mankiller's every word and finished her book still wanting more. Her knowledge of Cherokee history and legend is vast and taught me many things I never knew. Also, her strength and enduring spirit is inspiring to me as a Cherokee. She succeeded, through her own life story, in instilling a new sense of pride in me that has made me become more involved in keeping native american culture alive and well. After reading her book I truly felt proud to be Cherokee. She should be an inspiration to us all. Highly recommended reading!

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Summary: Our Uncommon and Common Cherokee History by Mankiller
Review: I spent a whole weekend not just reading but absorbing this work of Wilma Mainkiller.On Sunday I could only describe feeling wonderfully enriched by the experience both personally, as a Euro- and Native American person and also as an American. All of us have been denied major parts of our comon American history with the repression of Native American History. The mid section of the book is purely historical, and so much of it was news to me! (I thought that I knew Native history and yet it would prove that I had alot to learn that weekend.) The interection of Cherokee and African American history is fascinating ! It is a reoccuring theme. What history books cover that? The focus is usually Euro-American to Native American, or Euro-American to African-American. At a personal level the experience was tremendous. Putting personal information together with her history, I learned that I have a matrilineal clan affliation (bird). I feel that as the result of her work I myself ,my family, and descendents have connected with something that would have otherwise been lost. Generations ago, two orphaned Cherokee boys were adopted by a white family in Georgia. One later went "white' the other "red". This is not just my personal background. This is a metaphor for so much of American history. Truely, Cherokee culture is the best kept secret in America today, as the author writes. It is our common cultural heritage, like jazz, like democracy. I relish reading other works by this author ! Doris Hale

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Summary: American Indian biography at its best
Review: Mankiller details her journey from an Oklahoma childhood to urban life in San Francisco. There she became involved at the local Indian center and at the Alcatraz Island occupation of 1969. She details her journey from urban Indian activist to leader of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. In returning to her homeland, she found herself and lovingly details the excitement of working with her Cherokee community. She also tells how through her involvement she gained the trust of tribespeople and became the first female chief of the Cherokee. An exciting story, well told.

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Summary: An enlightening version of Cherokee history and a woman.
Review: The author does an excellent job of reviewing Cherokee history and explaining how the Cherokee individual has assimilated into today's American culture. It was pointed out that education has always been highly valued in the Cherokee tradition and the tribe has remained alive and well because culture never dies when there is communication. The Cherokee people highly value the history of their matriarchs. Women were respected and valued in the tribe. That tradition has surfaced in this century with the leadership of Ms. Mankiller. On a personal note, it was enlightening that Wilma shared much of her personal life with us, the readers. She is blessed to have found a life-partner with Charlie. He comes from a good family. I used to watch the Soap boys play basketball in school. Thanks for a good book about a great people.