Geronimo: His Own Story: The Autobiography of a Great Patriot Warrior

By Geronimo, S.M. Barrett, S. M. (Stephen Melvil) Geronimo) Barrett

Book Overview

"I am thankful that the President of the United States has given me permission to tell my story. I hope that he and those in authority under him will read my story and judge whether my people have been rightly treated."--Geronimo

This book contains one of the most extraordinary and invaluable documents in the annals of Native American history--the authentic testament of a remarkable "war shaman" who for several years held off both Mexico and the United States in fierce defense of Apache lands.

During 1905 and 1906, Geronimo, the legendary Apache warrior and honorary war chief, dictated his story through a native interpreter to S.M. Barrett, then superintendent of schools in Lawton, Oklahoma. As Geronimo was by then a prisoner of war, Barrett had made appeals all the way up the chain of command to President Teddy Roosevelt for permission to record the words of the "Indian outlaw." Geronimo came to each interview knowing exactly what he wanted to cover, beginning with his telling of the Apache creation story. When, at the end of the first session, Barrett posed a question, the only answer he received was a pronouncement--"Write what I have spoken."

Now Geronimo's narrative, with S.M. Barrett's original commentary, has been set in historical perspective by Frederick Turner's new introduction on the latest scholarship about the period. These elements combine in Geronimo: His Own Story to provide unique insights into the beliefs, customs, and way of life of a remarkable man and his people.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452011558
• ISBN13: 9780452011557
• Release Date: March 1996
• Publisher: Plume Books
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

Geronimo

You will want to read this book at least twice. It may be a hard read for some that don't enjoy reading native american dialogue in the white man's tongue. If this doesn't bring some shame to any whites that read this true account from Geronimo, you're heartless!

Worth reading if..................

If you understand that Geronimo ( correctly pronounced "Herr-ON-EE-Mo") was a prisoner of war who expected to be shot or hung at any time while he was dictating this autobiography, it is well worth reading. To get the REAL STORY behind Geronimo's motivations for providing Barrett with what he did, read the excellent book "Indeh, An Apache Odyssey" by Eve Ball. Indeh, along with his autobiography, allows Geronimo to become a real person in many respects - especially in terms of being qualified as a highly intelligent, astute, exceptionally "powerful" individual and probably the most outstanding warrior/leader the Apaches ever had bar none. This said, I urge the reader to reject any and all works done by Politically Correct Story Telling cranks such as Dan L. Thrapp, Edwin Sweeney, and ilk. Read this autobiography of Geronimo's along with Ball's "Indeh" and THEN read my reviews of Thrapp's preposterous drivel and nonsense and Sweeney's garbage on various Apache leaders. You'll then have a real idea of the difference between historically valuable information and mere fantasy-filled, sky-pie jibberish churned out by love-sick buffoons who neither lived at the time of the people they write about or have any intention of offering their readers ACCURATE information on anything. These days there is far too much insane and inacurate literature available on the American Indian of yesteryear, but this book and Ball's "Indeh" certainly deserve to be considered as far above and beyond the fiction-as-fact PC rubbish which comprises a trecherous information swamp that anyone interested in Frontier history must wade through to get to the truth and facts. If you want some truth about Apaches from Apaches, avoid books by Thrapp, Sweeney, Roberts, and ilk like the plague. Purchase this book and Ball's "Indeh". You won't be sorry you did.

Very interesting

A very interesting little book. Geronimo is given the ability to voice his version of events in his life. And as they are told in a very direct and unembellished manner, one tends to be inclined to view him as a very reliable source for those events. The person who interviewe him and is responsible for transcribing those into a book provides interesting commentary, and occasional little factual footnotes to the text, but otherwise rarely interferes with Geronimo telling his own story. Well worth reading, it isn't very long and not too hard to follow.

A warrior's words

"Geronimo: His Own Story" has been revised and edited, with an introduction and notes, by Frederick Turner. This book is the autobiography of the legendary Apache warrior, as told to S. M. Barrett. The copyright page notes that the main text was originally published as "Geronimo's Story of His Life" in 1906. The revised edition includes the 1906 preface by Barrett; a 33 page introduction by Turner; a "Note on the Text," which describes the genesis of the book; a map, "Apache Country, 1865-1886"; a bibliography; and a generous collection of photographs showing both Geronimo at various stages in his life, and other people of his times. Barrett's introduction tells how the text was delivered orally by Geronimo, and how translator Asa Daklugie helped Barrett turn it into book form. Indeed, in his introduction Turner notes that Geronimo's story is "a preliterate and essentially a prewhite narrative." Altogether the text and supplemental features are about 200 pages long. Geronimo's fascinating story begins with an Apache creation myth. He discusses his early life, his family, his battles against the Mexicans, his conflict with United States forces, and his life as a prisoner-of-war under U.S. military control. I was especially interested by his descriptions of the military tactics he used. Geronimo also discusses Apache life: religion, hunting, cultural taboos, etc. The book includes some really remarkable accounts, such as Geronimo's visit to the St. Louis World's Fair. The text is quite poignant when Geronimo reflects upon his hope for the survival of his people and their culture. I would recommend this book to all who are interested in Native American studies, 19th century American history, military autobiography, and the relationship between oral and written literature. But above all, this book is an encounter with an extraordinary human being whose voice remains passionate and compelling after all these decades.

An Excellent Firsthand Account of Apache Life

No greater story can be told about Geromino than one told by the man himself. Not only do we gain insight to this famous figure in history, but we also get an in-depth account of Apache life and philosophy. There are many books that describe the Apache lifestyle, but it is rare to come across a first person account. Learn about Geronimo's ancestry, how he got his name, and the many wars he waged on the Mexicans. Read about life on the reservation and if the U.S. government upheld their end of the bargain. I definitely recommend this book to any lover of Native American history