Mary Jemison: White Woman of the Seneca (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Mary Jemison: White Woman Of The Seneca tells the dramatic life story of a famous Indian Captive who chose to accept the Seneca people as her own, becoming the wife of a warrior chief during the savage Indian-white wars of the eighteenth century. Drawing on painstaking research and a keen sense of time and place, Grayna Gangi's novel presents a compelling and accurate picture of the Seneca way of life and of the people who earned Mary's lifelong loyalty, despite the Seneca raid that resulted in the slaughter of her white family. Captured as a fifteen-year-old girl, this daughter of Irish parents bore eight half-Seneca children and became a beloved and honored member of her adopted community. Gangi conveys a feeling for the "Seneca way" - the integrity, simplicity, and the community ties that, together with her own courage, sustained Mary through wrenching personal tragedies in the aftermath of a war the Seneca could not win. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Clear Light Books (March 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940666588
• ISBN-13: 978-0940666580
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,221,129 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Agree with Author, This book is MUCH more than a children's, July 17, 1998

By A Customer

Underrated and profound! Much more than a children's book. The story, the spirituality, and the simplicity/truth of style make this book a compelling read for anyone from age 9-100.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mary Jemison: Our Local Ledgend Comes to Life, March 6, 2002

By	Emily Lynn Howe (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews

This interpretation of the life of Mary Jemison as written by
Ranya M. Gangi is wonderful. It is one of the few versions that is actually approved by the Seneca Nation, and also features an epilogue by Pete Jemison, who I met along with Wanda Jemison as a small child. This story of Mary Jemison is focused on the harsh reality that occured when she was captured in Pennsylvania and given as a gift to the Seneca's to replace a fallen brother. Gangi's interpretation of this story teaches us many unknown facts about Jemison as well as the Seneca Indians, which people may be unaware of. After reading this touching story, I went to Letchworth State Park where Ms. Jemison is buried to pay my respect to this local heroine. This book is the best version of Jemison's life that I have read, and I strongly reccomend it for all ages.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should Have Been A Bestseller, October 19, 2006

By	Ruth M. (Buffalo, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mary Jemison: White Woman of the Seneca (Hardcover)

Mary Jemison was a Scot-Irish girl captured by the Shawnee and French during the French and Indian war. Subsequently "gifted" to two Seneca sisters, she was raised with their culture, values, and spirituality. Seaver's book does not do this woman or her story justice and Lois Lenski is not "in tune" with the heritage. Rayna Gangi is a versatile author, and has the insight, spirituality, and cultural heritage to make this truly fascinating story come alive. Mary is strong, vulnerable, wise and trusting. She loses two sons to white devices, and chooses to stay a Seneca. Letchworth State Park has her statue, Gangi has her real story. This book is the ONLY one on Mary Jemison sanctioned by the Seneca Nation as being the truth. Highly recommended for all ages.