Apache Agent: The Story of John P. Clum

Book Description

"He held up his right hand to show how his third finger was bent back from being struck by a bullet. Then he thumped his palm against his chest, his shoulder, his thigh, touching places where bullets and knives had pierced his flesh...where scars showed how hard it was to kill Geronimo..." After years of standing against the U.S. government, the great warrior and spiritual leader Geronimo's life is coming to an end, as his grandson visits him where he is imprisoned, in Fort Sill, OK in 1908.

Customer Reviews:

A Gentle Read.......2007-09-21

Okay, call me easy to please. I loved this book. I love historical fiction anyway. I loved the chapter headings which were excerpts from historical documents. I loved the point of view --grandchildren tend to love their grandparents unconditionally. The feeling of the great respect that the author has for Geronimo comes through loud and clear. How can reading about a people being forced into exile be boring? It was heartbreaking. For me, there was a sense of relief once Geronimo was reunited with some of his wives and children. The telling of this story taught me a few of the more obscure facts of the "Indian Wars" such as the fact that Chiricahua Apaches "prisoners of war" were encouraged to join the Army but upon their honorable discharges, they weren't allowed back into the prisoner of war camps (relocation centers such as Mount Vernon, Alabama) because as former soldiers, they were no longer prisoners of war and then unable rejoin their families. The book was a tender view of a man the world likes to see in anything but a tender way.

Five Stars.

Waiting For A Memory..........2006-08-01

Geronimo was a legendary figure in American culture, and during the last half of his lifetime, a tourist attraction wherever he went. And while Joseph Bruchac's novel GERONIMO describes this vividly, he also paints a portrait of a real man. Told through the eyes of "Little Foot" or "Willie" this fictional grandchild of Geronimo is responsible for passing on his legacy through the stories he shares.

"Remember That is what I now do. I tell the story as best I can. With each line of my tale I will place a kernel of corn on the ground. Then, when I am done, that corn will be there for you to pick up. Eat it and this story may stay with you as it has stayed with me. Do not fall asleep, or the story may be broken, as were our lives. Listen" (5).

While it doesn't follow strictly chronological guidelines, the main story takes place between 1883 and 1908. The heart of the story is the imprisonment of the Apache Indians--yes, I know there is a more descriptive, more accurate name, and their exile from their land in Arizona. They were deported by train, under guard, to camps and forts in Alabamba and Florida. The train carrying Geronimo became a tourist attraction at every stop along the way, and a money-making venture.

"'They are waiting for a memory,' Wratten said to me as we passed slowly by yet another great crowd of waving, shouting people. 'They want to be able to tell their children they saw Geronimo.'" (78)

The memories they make for themselves in their new homes were anything but pleasant. Full of hard work, sadness, depression, and disease--their camps were prone to malaria--they were often separated from their families...wives from husbands, and children from parents. Many children were sent to a school in Pennsylvania where many became sick with tuberculosis and died.

Woven into the stories of hardships and broken promises, are stories of the past both pleasant and bittersweet. Their days of peace and contentment, and their days of battle fighting the Mexicans and Americans.

Beautifully written, I hope this book finds its audience because it is a truly memorable book.

They call you again and again.......2006-03-15

By and large, you shouldn't start a review of a book by saying that you, the reviewer, are an idiot. Just the same, I am an idiot. Why am I an idiot? Because I'm fairly certain that I've been walking around as a full-fledged children's librarian, all my credentials in place, while thinking that Joseph Bruchac was Michael Dorris. This is a pretty good litmus test of idiocy. Just now, JUST now, I went to Amazon.com to confirm that Bruchac had written, "Sees Behind Trees". Imagine my shock when I discovered that for years now I've been giving credit to the wrong danged guy. Now I did read and enjoy Bruchac's, "A Boy Called Slow" years and years ago, but that does little to offset my embarrassment. In any case, I've read a Bruchac book now and I've come away with it with mixed feelings. Telling the tale of the great Geronimo's life through the eyes of a fictional grandson, Bruchac has meticulously researched and lovingly drawn a portrait of this impressive figure. His book is full of factual information and heartbreaking detail and life. Unfortunately, the first half makes for a very dry read. If kids can get through it and proceed on to the second, they'll find themselves more than adequately rewarded by the tale's end. A great but mixed read.

Little Foot was adopted as a kind of grandson to the great warrior Geronimo when his parents were killed in a Mexican raid many years ago. Over time he has stood by his Apache people, finally standing down to the American army when Geronimo surrenders with the feeling that they should fight no more. En masse the Apaches are taken from their homes in Arizona and sent by train to Florida as prisoners of war. Through Little Foot's eyes we see the history and betrayal of the Apache people. Their inordinate trust in a white government bent on their destruction. How they watched as their children were sent far far away to the infamous Carlisle Indian School (and subsequently killed by the school's diseases). Finally, we view Geronimo's life in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and his constant yearning to return home. Jumping backwards and forwards in time, readers get a well-rounded view of Geronimo's life and a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding the lies people told (and still tell) about him.

The book is an excellent antidote to such ill-prepared Native American titles as, "My Heart Is On the Ground" and its ilk. With Bruchac you are in safe hands. Well-researched and fairly bursting with an overabundance of factual information, the story is fiction but it reads like fact. The author knows enough to write some humor, even in the bleakest of moments, into the tale. Better still, you really do come to care for Geronimo and Little Foot. Even the magical realism, which is a bit off-putting in such a realistic novel, is handled with grace. Now there are problems with this book, but they aren't simple mistakes. I dare say Bruchac never puts a word out of place or a sentence out of alignment. What he says is always the best way OF saying something. Unfortunately, I didn't think it all needed to be said. Put in plain English, the book bored me sometimes. We're watching a story that begins when Geronimo and his people step onto a train that is taking them far far from their home. It ends when his grandson returns to his tribe and Geronimo at long last. In between, however, Bruchac has a hard time with continuity. That's facetious of me to say. Of course he knows exactly what he's doing. It just doesn't happen to work. What the book does, right from the beginning, is engage in constant shifts between the present, the past, and the future (if you deem the train time "the present"). Not only is this confusing but it draws out a story that could be more fascinating than it's presented. The train details are great. The stories of Geronimo's life are great. But when you get to page 174 and the characters are STILL on the train, you begin to worry that the action will remain permanently bogged down. It doesn't, of course. Halfway through the book it picks up and makes for a great read. It's just that first half that's the difficult slog.

Also, it's very difficult to care for a book when after every happy moment you have to deal with a chapter that closes with a variation on, "What they did ended up sending us all on this endless train journey toward the dawn, a journey that would have no destination for many of us other than disease, despair, and death". Even when it looks like things are perking up or that the Apache might have a little happiness in store, that hope is swiftly crushed with lines like, "I did not know how wrong I was". Obviously this isn't a happy-go-lucky tale and Bruchac DOES balance his woe with as much cheer as he can honestly muster. Though some Indians were sent to Florida in trains without even so much as bathroom facilities (a fact Little Foot is careful to mention), Bruchac mentions this and then gives his own characters slightly better fare. There are funny stories here and amusing anecdotes and jokes. I just wish a little more care could have been taken with the countless bleak chapter closing sentences.

But in the end the book rises above such flaws. I would certainly not hand it to any reluctant readers and you should not purchase this title under the mistaken apprehension that it's a non-fiction biography. Bruchac notes right there on the cover that it's a novel. It's often painful, often heartbreaking, and always interesting. It takes an especially skilled author to bring together a story based on real life that has as great a sense of closure as "Geronimo". Bruchac is so skilled. And then some.

Down And Out Down Under (Geronimo Stilton)

Average customer rating:

Down And Out Down Under (Geronimo Stilton)
Geronimo Stilton
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0439841208

Book Description

G'day, mate! I was searching for ideas for my new book, and my friend Petunia Pretty Paws knew just where to find them -- in Australia. Holey cheese, it sounded like a fabumouse adventure! But between surfing with sharks, being chased by poisonous snakes, and getting lost in the outback, I was beginning to wonder if this trip down under was really a good idea. Kangaroos and koalas and crocs -- oh, my! Would I ever see New Mouse City again?

Geronimo Stilton The Mummy With No Name (Geronimo Stilton)

Average customer rating:

Okay
Geronimo Stilton #26
Geronimo Stilton = Great Books
A fantastic find!
Geronimo!

Geronimo Stilton The Mummy With No Name (Geronimo Stilton)
Geronimo Stilton
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0439841178

Book Description

Halloween and Egypt and mummies . . . oh, my! I admit it, I am a 'fraidy mouse. Halloween scares me out of my fur! But this Halloween, I was heading off on an adventure in one of my very favorite places: Egypt. I couldn't wait to see the sights and soak up some sun far away from New Mouse City. What I didn't realize was that Halloween is popular in Egypt, too -- with the mummies, that is! Oh, what's a 'fraidy mouse to do?

Customer Reviews:

Okay.......2007-03-10

This book is okay. I love this series but do not like this book that much.
If u are a big fan u would like this book.

Geronimo Stilton #26.......2007-02-10

I love reading Geronimo Stilton books.My favorite one that I have read so far is The Mummy With No Name. In the book, Geronimo goes to Egypt. He goes with Benjamin and his friend,Bugsy. In Egypt, they go to a museum and Geronimo sees a mummy! The mummy says,"I am the mummy with no name." Geronimo tells Benjamin and Bugsy. Then, they meet a man named Professor Cyril. He helps solve the mystery of the mummy with no name. Next, they get trapped in a Tomb! When they get out, they find out what the mummy with no name's treasure is. Those are a few things that happen in Geronimo Stilton The Mummy With No Name. I hope you like this book if you read it.

Geronimo Stilton = Great Books.......2007-01-16

Great read for 8-10 year olds. Fun fonts make for fun reading. My kids love them. Book arrived on time.

A fantastic find!.......2006-10-31

We spotted The Mummy With No Name and picked it up on a whim. My son loves books, but usually will only sit through a pretty short one. We read about 50 pages together before stopping and the next day he brought it to me to finish the other 50. When we finished he told me that all he wants from Santa this year is more Geronimo books!

Geronimo!.......2006-06-27

These books are very short, but very interesting. I have a 10 year old son who's an advanced reader, yet he's tender enough to get all wrapped up in the Geronimo Stilton books. He loves them, they're a great buy.

Field Trip To Niagara Falls (Geronimo Stilton)

Average customer rating:

Geronimo Stilton #24

Field Trip To Niagara Falls (Geronimo Stilton)
Geronimo Stilton
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 043969146X

Book Description

Holey cheese, what an adventure! I was off to Niagara Falls with my nephew Benjamin's class. It was a beautiful place -- truly one of the most amazing sights I'd ever seen. But unfortunately, I was surrounded by mischievous young mouselets who were determined send me over the Falls in a barrel! Oh, would I ever make it back to Mouse Island alive?

Customer Reviews:

Geronimo Stilton #24.......2007-02-10

Geronimo Stilton Field Trip to Niagra Falls is a great book to read. In the book, Geronimo goes on a field trip with Benjamin's class to Niagra Falls. There, set up camp so Thea does all the work! Next, they go on a boat in the water to see the beautiful Water Falls. Punk Rat misses the boat and he tries to jump on but he misses it and lands in the water. Geronimo jumps into the water and saves Punk Rat. Then, Miss Angel Paws and Gentle Mouse fall in love. I hope you like the book Geronimo Stilton Field Trip To Niagra Falls.

Average customer rating:

Geronimo Stilton #28

Wedding Crasher (Geronimo Stilton)
Geronimo Stilton
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0439841194

Book Description

Oh, how I hate traveling! So when I got an invitation to visit a long-lost relative who lives far, far away, I wasn't squeaking with joy. But Thea, Trap, and Benjamin thought it sounded fabumouse. They dragged me along to the crazy castle on Penny-Pincher Peak. Rat-munching rattlesnakes! I never should have agreed to go with them. . . .

Customer Reviews:

Geronimo Stilton #28.......2007-02-10

Geronimo Stilton Wedding Crasher is a great book to read. It was so good, I read it all in one night! In the story, Geronimo gets a letter to go to a wedding at Geronimo's uncle Samuel S. Stingysnout's castle becuse Samuel's son is getting married. At the castle, they all get on an intertube in the water. When Geronimo sits down, he starts itching so he takes off his shorts! Everyone stares at him. Then, he has to go to the bathroom really badly so he runs into the yard doing a weird dance. Everyone looks at him once again! Next, Geronimo gets a box of chocolate and smashes it with his feet then gives it to Trap. Everyone looks at him for the last time. At dinner, Trap takes Geronimo's dinner so Geronimo does not get to eat. The next night, Geronimo sees uncle Samuel counting gold! He instanly tells the others. When they go outside to get some fresh air, they see the bride. She tells them she thinks she's ugly so Thea does a remakeover on her. I hope you enjoy Geronimo Stilton Wedding Crasher.

The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid (Geronimo Stilton, No. 2)

Average customer rating:

Cute Books; Funky Fonts
Rodent hero goes Egyptian!
Very Nice
Geronimo Stilton's greatest adventure yet!
A Great Chapter Book

The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid (Geronimo Stilton, No. 2)
Geronimo Stilton
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0439559642

Book Description

Who Is Geronimo Stilton?That's me! I run a newspaper, but my true passion is writing tales of adventure. Here on Mouse Island, my books are all best-sellers! What's that? You've never read one? Well, my books are full of fun. They are whisker-licking good stories, and that's a promise!The Mystery of the Great Cheese PyramidI'm off to Egypt! I climbed onboard a crabby old camel that would take me across the desert to the Great Cheese Pyramid. There, among mummies and hieroglyphics, I would learn the secret of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient Mouse World....

Customer Reviews:

Cute Books; Funky Fonts.......2006-08-28

Geronimo Stilton books are cute. The stories are well written, although sometimes they seem to go off track. However, my son LOVES the series and anything to get him to read is good enough for me :-) The fonts are the only thing that drives me a little crazy but again, my 8 year old actually finds the fonts entertaining. Go figure!

Rodent hero goes Egyptian!.......2005-07-29

I have always liked the mouse so I started creating polymer clay models of it(and the entire office of the Rodent Gazzette).
The Egyptian costume is such a great idea to play around with!!!

The series is addictive, anyone will get hooked to find out what's next in the mouse if they start reading ANY chapter of the full series.

BTW, as the different language versions (I've read Chinese and English so far and compared the versions with the Spanish, French and Italian original) have different number for different "episodes", you don't really have to start from #01.

Very Nice.......2005-01-16

It was a dream come true for Geronimo- He was off to Egypt to interview a famous archaeologist. He climbed onboard a crabby old camel that would take him across the desert to Cheese Pyramid. There, Among mummies, hieroglyphs, He would learn the secret of the Seven Wonders Of The Ancient Mouse World.....

Geronimo Stilton's greatest adventure yet!.......2004-05-24

I thought this was a GREAT book! This my favorite Geronimo Stilton book so far! My favorite character (besides Geronimo Stilton) was Professor Spitfur. Geronimo's grandfather sends him to Egypt to do an interview. The most exciting part of the book is that Geronimo gets to go to Egypt. The description of the airplane ride is very funny. The scariest part is when the Professor gets knocked out and Geronimo is left in the dark!

I like the way the book is printed with the words being different colors and styles. It has lots of pictures and maps too. It makes it easier for me to read it. I am going to read all fifty titles as they are translated from Italian to English!

A Great Chapter Book.......2004-03-13

The humor is great for children and adults alike.
The colorful illustrations also make this a super choice for beginning chapter book readers.

Christmas Toy Factory (Geronimo Stilton)

Average customer rating:

This is a really funny book
Great Book
Another fun book from the series

Christmas Toy Factory (Geronimo Stilton)
Geronimo Stilton
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0439841186

Book Description

Ho, ho, ho! I love Christmas in New Mouse City. But this year, Grandfather William wanted me to research a new story. He asked me to dress up like Santa Claus and let lots of little mouselets sit on my lap. Cheese niblets! If only I had my own team of reindeer and could fly far, far away. . . .

Customer Reviews:

This is a really funny book.......2007-02-28

This book is part of the Geronimo Stilton series. Geronimo Stilton is a famous mouse that runs a newspaper called The Rodent's Gazett, the most popular paper in New Mouse City were Geronimo lives. This story takes place during Christmas and Geronimo is about to do his Christmas stuff when Grandpa Williams who founded the paper comes in and tells Geronimo that if he does not do his work then he will be kicked out of the boss chair. So Geronimo works and misses his favorite nephew Benjamin's play and Benjamin is sad and runs home when Geronimo comes to say sorry. He also says his workers can't have a party and turns down all his friends because he has too much work. The on Christmas Eve during the time Santa should be delivering presents, Geronimo has a dream and end up at the North Pole. When Geronimo sees Santa, Santa has thee measles and can't deliver the presents so he ask Geronimo to do it. Does Geronimo deliver the preasents and dose he learn the true meaning of Christmas? I think this is a good book about Christmas and it will make you laugh.

Great Book.......2007-01-10

All of the Geronimo Stilton books are entertaining. The pictures are on most pages and the characters are interesting. I bought this for my 7 year old daughter who raced through the book in two days. She loved the Christmas theme. The whole series is great!

Another fun book from the series.......2006-11-06

Geronimo Stilton, publisher of the Rodents' Gazette, is taking the fun out of Christmas. He thinks that if he doesn't work hard enough, he will loose his job. Then Santa Clau becomes sick and he has to take Santa's job. What will happen to Christmas? This book is okay, but others in the series are far better.

Mouse Island Marathon (Geronimo Stilton)

Average customer rating:

Funniest Geronimo Stilton book ever!

Mouse Island Marathon (Geronimo Stilton)
Geronimo Stilton
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0439841216

Book Description

I admit it. I'm not much of a muscle mouse. So when I accidentally got signed up for the Mouse Island Marathon, I was so shocked that I lost my squeak! Me, run a marathon? But my friends and family were determined to help me cross that finish line. Holey cheese, I was never going to make it!

Customer Reviews:

Funniest Geronimo Stilton book ever!.......2007-08-09

The story was sooo funny that I almost broke my funnybone! It all starts when Champ signs up Geronimo Stilton for the marathon and wakes him up every morning to practice. He even dumped a vase of cold water on him! Geronimo also got hit in the ball at soccer 25 times! During the marathon, Geronimo ran the marathon, nabbed a theif, got chased by flies and mosquitos, saved a rodent from an earthquake, helped find a rodent's watch, saved a drowning rodent, and win the marathon all in one day! At the end of the story, Champ signs up Geronimo for another marathon at the Rattytrap Jungle! The book also have some excersise tips to become a sportsmouse.

Once They Moved Like The Wind : Cochise, Geronimo, And The Apache Wars

Average customer rating:

Details on specific events and personalities given misleading interpretations.
Wonderful
Objective, Insightful and Entertaining Book from Cochise to Geronimo
once they moved like the wind
Phenomenal Read

Once They Moved Like The Wind : Cochise, Geronimo, And The Apache Wars
David Roberts
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0671885561

Book Description

Using first-person accounts in historical archives, David Roberts presents many sides of the Indian rebellion that began in the mid-1800s. Here is the epic and tragic story of Indian heroes--men and women--fighting for their land, their lives, and their freedom. 16 pages of photographs.

Customer Reviews:

Details on specific events and personalities given misleading interpretations........2007-06-25

Books such as this one are all guilty of the same thing, and in terms of educating the reader on the subject they deal with, this thing is significant. What I mean is, the author gives the reader HIS interpretations, conclusions, fantasies, etc. as if they are historic fact.

People like David Roberts, Dan L. Thrapp, Ed Sweeney, and others who write about AmerIndians of yesteryear take long-known details concerning the activities of various individual Indians, and in some cases, their bands in general, and use these details as a kind of framework upon which to hang their own notions, whims, and many imaginary attributes they personally WISH these Indians had. As a result, the reader is provided with a completely misleading perspective on the subject matter being dealt with.

In contrast to the highly biased and totally erroneous work of Roberts, Thrapp, and Sweeney, I offer T.R. Fehrenbach's Comanches (Pimlico Wild West). This book is a classic example of what a work on past history and a specific people should be, because Fehrenbach does not attempt to sway the reader with information that has literally been pulled out of thin air, or out of his imagination. He does not focus on individual Indians in a manner where he writes about them as if he knew them, their intentions, their thoughts and feelings, person-to-person...as though he was present during their lifetimes. Instead, Fahrenbach offers the reader a clear, logically-presented set of known facts which provide truthful details about the people he is focused on.

Now, on the other hand, Roberts, Thrapp, and Sweeney go a different route - which is to embark on STORY TELLING generated from their imaginations and wishful thinking. Be aware that the formula which Roberts, Thrapp, Sweeney, and others follow is to assemble any and all sorts of tidbits of information from any and all SECOND HAND sources ( Indian informants speaking to anthropologists; statements made or written by various officials and Army officers; Government Indian Agents; etc. ) and then to ASSUME these tidbits to be utterly reliable, and after that, to piece them together in order to offer the reader THEIR ( Roberts', Thrapp's, Sweeney's ) interpretation of events and personalities of long passed history.

Consider the absurdity of this for a moment. How can any of these tidbits be verified in terms of authenticity or accuracy any way or sense? People can ( and do ) say anything for many reasons. Can Roberts, Thrapp, or Sweeney somehow know the motivations of the people who offered the various descriptions of these Indians, or provided descriptions about their activities? Can these authors accurately peg the thinking of the sources of all this SECOND HAND information in even the remotest way? Yet in books like this one, this sort of erroneous information forms the base upon which the author wants the reader to understand history!

It is one thing to write about some period in history and a specific people connected to it according to what is fact, but the content of this book of Roberts' ( or the books by Thrapp and Sweeney ) have an enormous amount of material that is simply the author's personal interpretation of SECOND HAND information that is impossible to corroborate. Equally absurd is the fact that the author is living NOW, not in the days of the people he is writing about, therefore he cannot possible make even a remotely accurate guess or interpretation of the thoughts, feelings, intelligence, hopes/fears, or anything else connected to these long deceased Indians.

Here is one perfect example of what I mean:
On page 185, Roberts utilizes material from Thrapp's "Victorio and the Mimbres Apaches". He terms Thrapp "Victorio's Biographer".

"From his breakout in 1879 until now Victorio had never been trapped, never been clearly defeated. But from this time forward his star was in decline. Although he would win his other engagements, until the final one, they would more and more resemble rear-guard actions of a force growing gradually weaker. Victorio was discovering what Cochise had learned before him; you could whip the soldiers time and again, but they were too many and so well supplied and reinforced the they would wear you out."

It is rather incredible to ponder the absolutely false elements contained in this one quote used by Roberts from Thrapp's book. First, how does Thrapp know what Victorio "discovered"? Or if this Indian actually discovered anything at all at anytime in his career? How does Thrapp know what this Indian's motivations were for taking the actions he did? Or what Cochise "discovered" at anytime either? Thrapp is offering as FACT his own conclusions, not facts! He cannot prove anything about Victorio's "discoveries" or thoughts or anything else. There is nothing hard and fast to validate anything Thrapp had DECIDED is true about this Indian or his life. Therefore, Thrapp is involved in mere STORY TELLING.

This is what I mean by "writing in" what the AUTHOR FEELS is appropriate, not what is verifiable or historically accurate. Also, there is blatantly false and very biased statements in this quote concerning supposed "victories" by Victorio over the US Army ( which never happened - and this IS verifiable! ). Also there is a certain "slant" a certain "flavor" offered to the reader in order to sway him/her into percieving Victorio in a specifically desired way - a way that Thrapp desires and is fond of, not a way that is historically accurate by any means.
This book of Roberts is filled with conclusions based on unverifiable, second-hand information from sources possibly having any and all kinds of motivations behind their statements. But the reader takes it all in as FACT, not the fantasy which it actually is.

Contrast this to Fehrenbach, who writes about the Comanche in a manner that offers the reader only what is truly known about them. Fehrenbach does not focus on specific individuals at any point in Comanche history because to do so would be utterly illogical. To offer the reader any sort of personality profile of long-dead individual Indians based on highly suspect and completely unverifiable information from sources which had little to no direct connection with them is not writing about history, it is offering speculation - telling a STORY! Instead, Fehrenbach tells the reader that the Comanche did "A" and this led to "B" and "C" as a result. This is clear, historically accurate writing, not STORY TELLING. He does not seek to glorify specific chiefs or attribute any sort of qualities to their personalities, nor does he try to make the reader believe that he can see inside their minds and hearts and has pulled all sorts of feelings and motives out for the reader to see. No STORY, only HISTORY in Fehrenbach's book!

But the reader of this review must also be aware that Roberts ( as well as Sweeney and Thrapp ) seek to minimize anything which castes their Apache Indian subjects in a light that is less than is favorable to the fantasy which these authors wish to construct about them. For example; in this book, Roberts mentions that "the Chiricahua fought the Comanche to the east" and leaves the reader with this more than bland piece of information, offering no further details. Yes, it is true, these Apaches did fight the Comanche in the east, but there's a lot more to it than that!
The Apaches originally occupied the central and southern plains from the Dismal River of what became Nebraska all the way south into northern Mexico and west to the mountains of what became western New Mexico. The Comanche eventually appeared and anihilated the Apaches root and branch, exterminating entire tribal groups and destroying others to such a point that they were mere fragments of what they once were and forced to flee the plains and hide in the mountains to the west. The Chiricahuas - all their bands - were not "tribes" or "tribal groups" at all, but merely fragments - bands which contained the survivors of the Comanche slaughter. These "fragment bands" are what most people think of as Apache "Tribes" in the days of Mangas Coloradas, Cochise, Victorio, Juh, Delgadito, etc. And, by not relating this information on the Comanche slaughter of Apaches to the reader, it is possible for Roberts, Thrapp, and Sweeney to offer the erroneous concept holding that the Apaches lived in the dessert mountains FOR AGES, and were valliantly defending their homeland against European invaders.
This is false. The truth is, the Apaches were in the mountains because the Comanches chased them there, and they stayed hidden and dared not venture east out onto the game-rich plains because the Comanche and Kiowa killed them on sight! So, the Apaches participated in raids on small settlements in order to obtain supplies and foodstuffs. They didn't want to live where they were, they had no choice! They weren't "defending" any homelands at all, they were holed up, hiding from Comanche and Kiowa enemies and raiding European settlements on both sides of the border while they were at it.

This is just one of the many inaccurate slants offered by authors like Roberts, Thrapp, and Sweeney. The list is too long to properly deal with in a review like this, but if you want to know what an accurate book on the history of an Indian tribe is, read Comanches (Pimlico Wild West) which will not only provide you with a very interesting look into the history of the Comanches, but also into the history of the Apaches! Read it and then read this one by Roberts, or any of the books by Thrapp or Sweeney, and you'll immediately see what I mean here by one being a true history book and the others being mere STORY BOOKS based on second-hand tidbits, slanted conclusions lacking proper detail, etc.

Wonderful.......2007-01-28

I can't say enough how much I enjoyed this look at the final days of the Apache. I grew up in southern Arizona and am familiar with many of the places the book details. It brough the environment to life in a way I never had dreamed imaginable. A must read for anyone who loves the southwest.

Objective, Insightful and Entertaining Book from Cochise to Geronimo .......2007-01-21

This is a fascinating and well written account of the Apache and their war against whites and Mexico from the 1860's to their total loss of freedom that ends with Geronimo and his final band's surrender and incarceration. Roberts writes in a very readable and flowing style providing insights and first hand quotes from both sides of the conflicts. He also gives you both sides of any controversy, particularly letting the reader know the veracity of individuals with conflicting statements, which is very refreshing. Roberts is able to clearly differentiate between the different tribes that were identified generically as Apache and he presents a fascinating history involving the many chiefs that led their people during the conflict. The author covers extraordinary well the different chiefs and their roles, such as the great Cochise (Chokonen), Mangas Colorado (Chihenne), Victoria (Chihenne), Juh (Nednhi), Nana (Chihenne) and of course the infamous warrior Geronimo (Bedonkohe). The biographies and retelling of events are so descriptive and thorough that you get a genuine feel for the main characters, the conditions of the mountains and deserts and the people, white, Mexican and Indian. The first chapter starts with Lt. Bascom's ill-fated effort to retrieve a child by holding hostages from the wrong tribe, Cochise's, which sets up a violent war against the whites and a distrust that lasts for decades. That, among several failures such as consolidating reservations and the killing of a medicine man (similar to the killing of Sitting Bull just a few years later), substantiates the Apache distrust of whites. The brutality between parties is evenly told by Roberts as women and children suffer during American and Mexican attacks on Apache villages while the violence towards whites, particularly Mexicans who the Apache loathe, is hard to fathom particularly towards the isolated ranchers and their young children. And the killing and torture is in extreme brutal fashion fueling hatred and fear among the Arizona population. One Apache explains the violence as emanating from a deep hated associated with the violent deaths of their own people by their enemies. Perhaps the best example of this is by when a chief eats lunch with his best white friend and then calmly executes him after dinner demonstrating his severance from trusting whites. Besides the Apache, Roberts covers the agents from the successful but slighted Jeffords to the young egocentric Clum called "strutting turkey" by the Apache to the various Generals that tried their hand in subduing the "renegade Apache", Stoneman, Howard, Crook and Miles. The eccentric Crook is most successful utilizing Apache scouts to go deep into the mountains of the difficult and isolated Sierre Madre to track Geronimo but he is finally undermined publicly by Geronimo's frequent escapes and changes of heart. Thankfully, Roberts recognizes the role of Lt. Gatewood who finally brings Geronimo's band in as the self centered General Miles provides Gatewood no record of accomplishment. At the end, Roberts provides details on the Chirichua's long imprisonment and isolation and Geronimo's post capture history, he with withstood numerous bullets living to an amazing 85. This is the best book on the Apache fight for independence, it is an exciting book to read and one of my all time favorites.

once they moved like the wind.......2007-01-10

very much to the point , well written , loved it.........thank you very much

Phenomenal Read.......2003-12-29

This book affected me deeply. David Roberts wrote one incredible work here.

He was extremley precise and his description of the Apache way of life was excellent. A very good read.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books