Sally Jenkins, bestselling co-author of It's Not About the Bike, revives a forgotten piece of history in The Real All Americans. ...
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Mar 27, 2009
David
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This is a book about "cowboys and Indians," from a very unique approach. It describes many of the 19th-century issues and battles that arose as the "white man" pushed the native Americans off their lands and onto reservations. I learned some things in this section that I was not aware of.
But all of that is presented as context for a fascinating experiment - the idea of off-reservation boarding schools to educate the Indians. Particularly, the "Carlisle Indian I More...
But all of that is presented as context for a fascinating experiment - the idea of off-reservation boarding schools to educate the Indians. Particularly, the "Carlisle Indian I More...
Jul 28, 2011
Bob
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Sally Jenkins has created a compelling history about the American Indian and how one man's belief and vision helped begin the change of attitude toward native Americans. Lt. Col. Richard Henry Pratt, a fierce abolitionist, believed the native Americans deserved a place in American society. Through his determined efforts and unquenchable spirit, he created the most famous of the American Indian schools, an institution called The Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
This well-written n More...
This well-written n More...
Oct 21, 2009
Steven
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This is a fascinating book, where different themes--some positive and some negative--are intertwined. It is the story of the founding of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and its fabled football team.
Symbolically, it is interesting that Sally Jenkins begins the book by speaking of the momentous football game scheduled in 1912 between the Carlisle football team (featuring the legendary Jim Thorpe) and Army. Given that it was only a short time previously that the lugubrious incide More...
Symbolically, it is interesting that Sally Jenkins begins the book by speaking of the momentous football game scheduled in 1912 between the Carlisle football team (featuring the legendary Jim Thorpe) and Army. Given that it was only a short time previously that the lugubrious incide More...
Dec 17, 2009
Frank
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An interesting history of the Carlisle Indian School.
The book tells the story from Richard Henry Pratt's experiences as a cavalryman fighting the Indians, through his establishment of the school and the school's entire history.
As a lover of history, I found the stories of how white americans treated their native counterparts both fascinating and repulsive. Pratt's idea that the only way native americans could survive was to become like white men shows the hubris of white americans More...
The book tells the story from Richard Henry Pratt's experiences as a cavalryman fighting the Indians, through his establishment of the school and the school's entire history.
As a lover of history, I found the stories of how white americans treated their native counterparts both fascinating and repulsive. Pratt's idea that the only way native americans could survive was to become like white men shows the hubris of white americans More...
May 28, 2011
Sueij
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Recommended by a friend who cares about justice and about sports, this book is another in my "I'll read anything about anything as long as it's well written" series. It's the story of the Carlisle Indian School, a government-run cultural brainwashing program in the days when "the West was won" and Indians were being forced onto reservations. It's also about the invention, creation, and innovation that was football.
And who'd'a thunk it? It made me care! This was we More...
And who'd'a thunk it? It made me care! This was we More...
Jul 25, 2011
Karen
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Overall a very easy and an enjoyable read, though it certainly bears marks as having been written by a non-historian with a popular audience in mind. The author generally does a good job at placing the Native American team at Carlisle in the context of the Boarding School programs; however, although she does mention the hardships experienced by students who participated (either by choice or force) in the boarding school program, she certainly does not dwell on them and comes off as a bit glib in
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Aug 30, 2011
Vince
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This review originally appeared in the PICKSIX.BIZ
http://www.picksix.biz/picksix080124.htm...
For those of us born in the Super Bowl era (which would be most of the P-6's readership), it's difficult to imagine professional football experiencing birthing pangs, but there was a time when football was not only unpopular, but controversial, a time when annual deaths at the collegiate level alone (when there weren't half as many teams or players as there are today) measured in the doz More...
http://www.picksix.biz/picksix080124.htm...
For those of us born in the Super Bowl era (which would be most of the P-6's readership), it's difficult to imagine professional football experiencing birthing pangs, but there was a time when football was not only unpopular, but controversial, a time when annual deaths at the collegiate level alone (when there weren't half as many teams or players as there are today) measured in the doz More...
Sep 09, 2008
Siobhan
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I'm not much for sports, but I heard about this book on NPR and had been looking for it ever since. Sally Jenkins is someone I read occasionally in the Washington Post, but not very often since I don't read the sports pages (see first sentence).
At any rate, I really enjoyed this book. It's about the football team at the Carlisle school, which was started in 1879 to educate Indian children and bring them into the white world. Eventually, they established a football team, which was co More...
At any rate, I really enjoyed this book. It's about the football team at the Carlisle school, which was started in 1879 to educate Indian children and bring them into the white world. Eventually, they established a football team, which was co More...
Apr 18, 2011
Doug
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This was fun history and fun football. Ms. Jenkins gave lots of good insight into the early days of football, into the founding and running of the Carlisle School for Native Americans, and into the school's unique and fascinating place in the history of football. Peopled with well-known personalities such as Jim Thorpe and Pop Warner, this book tells a rich and important chapter in the story of our country in the last part of the 19th century and first part of the 20th.
Jul 30, 2011
Nick
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I found this hard to put down.
The tales of native american footballers in the early part of the last century who took on the top colleges of the day and contributed to the evolution of the game - men whose fathers had fought against the US army in the Indian Wars.
I just wish I knew more about american football to appreciate the history more
The tales of native american footballers in the early part of the last century who took on the top colleges of the day and contributed to the evolution of the game - men whose fathers had fought against the US army in the Indian Wars.
I just wish I knew more about american football to appreciate the history more
Dec 17, 2009
Gregg
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The first half of this book provides a window into the lives of Native Americans at the close of the 18800's that is as inspiring as it is horrific. The things this country put Indians through and the rationale for the behavior echoes pretty loudly in some of what is happening now in other places in the world. Then the second half takes you on a ride that shows not only the world of football as it began to take hold on the American sports scene (and some of what went on back then would make Tedy
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Aug 23, 2010
Douglas
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A classic example of the sports book that is not at all of sports book. This tells one of the most remarkable stories I have ever read... and I have no idea why it took so long for someone to tell it. And it is told masterfully.
Jan 06, 2009
Ron
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Finally a book I could finish. This was a decent account of the history of Carlisle Indian College, in particular the Football teams at the college. I found the information about Captain Pratt, the first superintendant of the college, the most vivid parts of the story. The story of the football players, except for Jim Thorpe, seemed too brief, but that is probably due to the limited amount of information available about most of the players. The description of the football seasons could have
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Jul 30, 2008
Mary Harriet
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I really liked this book because of the story it told of the education experience of the Indians. Any person interested in the history of education will find this book interesting. The football and sports was good, but the real story, which has not been told in a compelling manner to a mass audience, is how truly horrible the United States Government was to Native Americans.
Yes, this book does give a reminder of the Jim Thorpe story and how he had to give back his Olympic medals, More...
Yes, this book does give a reminder of the Jim Thorpe story and how he had to give back his Olympic medals, More...
Dec 12, 2010
Jim
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This isn't just about football- this is a history lesson of the authentic journey of the Native American into contemporary American culture.
Amazing- reads like a novel!!!
Amazing- reads like a novel!!!
May 21, 2009
Christopher
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If you like football, and history, this is the book for you. Fascinating, uplifting, depressing, but ultimately an insightful account of the development of a sport and a country.
Mar 27, 2011
Jim
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Great book, intriguing story, very much a history rather than sports book. Understand a lot more about this historical event. recommend this highly
Feb 14, 2010
Curtis
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Wonderful history of Carlisle Indian School and how their football team, literally, changed the rules of American Football.
Aug 14, 2009
Keiron
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Very interesting book. A departure from her usual Lance books. More intelligently written than her Washington Post columns.
Oct 27, 2007
Dan
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excellent read about the history of the Carlisle Indian Institute- its successes on the gridiron and in the education of the Native Americans- Jim Thorpe, Pop Warner and Henry Pratt, the idealistic 10th Cavalry who founded the institute are naturally featured. The controversial policies that led to its establishment are also covered, as well as a variety of events from the Wounded Knee Massacre to the 1912 Olympics are covered. Other personalities such as Teddy Roosevelt, Walter Camp, American H
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Jan 15, 2008
Ray
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Interesting story about the origins of college football, through the eyes of the Native Americans brought to the Carlisle School to learn the ways of the white man. Especially of interest is to realize that while the Native Americans of Carlisle were fighting the cadets of West Point on the gridiron in football, it was their fathers who fought in a very different way in the Indian wars of the Plains. The football stories also point out just how unregulated, and just how brutal the game was dur
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Mar 17, 2010
Anne
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My husband got this one for Christmas from my dad. Having finished the book my dad got ME and unable to go to the library right now, I started in on this. To my surprise, it is so far engrossing, well-written, and we've hardly heard about sports yet, 1/5 of the way in. ;)
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It turned out to be a great read all the way through, and provided a lot of insight into many things other than sports-- which is great, since I could care les More...
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It turned out to be a great read all the way through, and provided a lot of insight into many things other than sports-- which is great, since I could care les More...
May 17, 2009
Jamie
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Okay-- this turned out to be a really good book for me! I learned a lot about our country, about my own great-grandmother's history because she attended the same school this was about. And, I know more about football-- I could go on Jeopardy, (okay, maybe not.) But I would highly suggest this well written sports history book for anyone looking for a change of pace, especially those who like history. Fascinating!
Oct 13, 2008
Cheryl
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While it goes down as a sports book, this book really taught me quite a bit about Native American history and the ways in which they were schooled and turned from "savages" into "civilized" by the white armies. If you like stories about underdogs and want to learn a bit about "Indian" schools, it will be quite informative. It's not exactly thrilling, but interesting none the less.
Sep 15, 2011
Clark
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Very interesting subject, and she obviously did a lot of research. I enjoyed the story of these turn of the century football players. It's interesting to me how we as a society seem to focus more on the civil rights issues of the 1950-1970s, when in reality we should have learned much more from the westward migration than we did. This book helps to highlight that neglect.
Feb 03, 2008
Wilson
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After the US spent a lot of time killing Indians, the Indians got really good at football, invented the forward pass, and devastated Ivy League schools in the early 20th century. Unfortunately, the football games didn't get anyone their land back, bring back any buffalo, etc.
Oct 01, 2007
Laurie
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Full of late 19th/early 20th century Native American history and the early years of American football. Interesting, but not necessarily topics I'm most interested in (it was a gift for my husband and I hadn't been to the library in awhile so I picked it up).
Sep 06, 2007
Pete
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This book was my favorite book of the year. After reading this, I wished that I had studied Native American Studies in college rather than just history. Very impressed with the writing and the research that made this book an interesting and informative book.
