First Person, First Peoples: Native American College Graduates Tell Their Life Stories [Paperback]

Colleen Larimore (Editor), Andrew Garrod (Editor), Louise Erdrich (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1997

Native American students entering college often experience a dramatic confrontation of cultures. As one of the writers in this remarkable collective memoir remarks, "When I was a child, I was taught certain things: don't stand up to your elders; don't question authority; life is precious; the earth is precious; take it slowly; enjoy it. And then you go to college and you learn all these other things that never fit." Making things fit, finding that elusive balance between tribal values and the demands of campus life is a recurring theme in this landmark collection of personal essays. Navajo or Choctaw, Tlingit or Sioux, each of the essayists (all graduates of Dartmouth College) gives a heartfelt account of struggle and adjustment. The result is a compelling portrait of the anguish Native American students feel justifying the existence of their own cultures not only to other students but also throughout the predominantly white institutions they have joined. Among the contributors are a tribal court judge and a professional baseball player, the first Navajo woman surgeon, and the former executive director of a Native American preparatory school. Their memories and insights are unparalleled.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Thirteen Native Americans representing a variety of tribal affiliations but all graduates of Dartmouth describe their experiences in and out of college, focusing on how they coped with sometimes-conflicting cultural demands and how they carried on their heritage. Some came from poor homes where alcoholism was common; others had highly educated parents who gave them encouragement and support. For most, however, success did not come easily. The decision to draw on the experiences of Dartmouth graduates only may at first seem self-congratulatory, since all the editors as well as the contributors have the Dartmouth Native American Program in common. Yet the essays are fresh and engaging and of high literary and journalistic quality. A unique perspective on a much-neglected aspect of college life; highly recommended.?Arla M. Lindgren, St. John's Univ., Jamaica, N.Y.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

Foreword by Louise Erdrich. Andrew Garrod, on the faculty of Dartmouth College since 1985, has edited and authored several books and articles, mostly in the field of education. Colleen Larimore, a graduate of Dartmouth and Harvard University, was formerly Director of Dartmouth's Native American Program.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Cornell University Press (May 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801484146
• ISBN-13: 978-0801484148
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #458,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great snapshot of a unique Native American experience, September 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: First Person, First Peoples: Native American College Graduates Tell Their Life Stories (Paperback)

Garrod & Larimore's First Person, First Peoples is a fine collection of personal accounts of leaving home. The stories are at once unique and universal. They are expressive of an experience to which Native Americans can truly relate, and yet, set on the campus of one of America's most selective colleges, the stories are from a elite few who may be speaking of an experience that is virtually impossible to share. This is valuable as an oral history, and perhaps more importantly, as a voice of the Native American which remains too infrequently captured. Still, we must find those voices which are seldom heard, rather than continuing the habit of letting the elite culture speak for us all.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stellar, a first class work on Native education, May 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: First Person, First Peoples: Native American College Graduates Tell Their Life Stories (Paperback)

This was a truly wonderful and accessible book about Native American educational achievment. The story of Dartmouth College and its relationship to Native American education is captivating. The honesty of the students is at time heartbreaking and yet is continually inspiring.

5.0 out of 5 stars a great view, May 12, 2009

By 

Jillian F. Carstensen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Person, First Peoples: Native American College Graduates Tell Their Life Stories (Paperback)

There is not much literature that exists about Native American students in Higher Education. I have used this book in three of my Master's projects. This book has ignited my passion to serve this identity. While this is only a few voices it helps us get a view into their college experiences.