Customer Reviews

Boarding School Seasons: American Indian Families, 1900-1940 (North American Indian Prose Award)

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I picked up this book for my college class on the study of Native Americans from Civil War to present. Even though this is an educational biography on boarding school life, it is actually quite intriguing. Brenda Child completely covers the topic with very interesting material. I won't say that Boarding School Seasons is one of my favorites, but if you are interested in the topic of Indian boarding schools, then you will actually be suprised at how easy it is for this book to keep your attention. If you are viewing this book for a college course, then your class shouldn't be too hard. This is one of the few college required texts that I actually managed to enjoy

This short, easy to read book presents a basic overview of boarding school issues which occurred throughout the U.S. during the boarding school era. Brenda Child's book concentrates on the Red Lake Ojibwes who attended boarding school at Flandreau specifically. The book also uses personal stories of students and their families in vignettes preserved through letters sent to and from Flandreau. I found this book well-written, readable, and recommended as an overview of the boarding school era.

Interesting research including the voices of the students and their parents. I especially enjoyed reading their letters. The pain of parents separated from their children was palpable. It was, however, somewhat repetitive.