Zitkala-SaMy Life: Impressions of an Indian Childhood; The School Days of an Indian Girl; Why I am a Pagan

This book collects three of Žitkála-Sá’s four influential essays published in the Atlantic Monthly. It includes “Impressions of an Indian Childhood” (1900), “The School Days of an Indian Girl” (1900), and “An Indian Girl: Why I Am a Pagan” (1902), but it leaves out “An Indian Teacher Among Indians” (1900). Hannah Wilson, who collected these articles, did not provide any introductory material other than a sentence on the back cover.It can be hard to find these stories on the internet, so this collection is valuable, though incomplete. It’s an inexpensive 41-page pamphlet, not really a book, seemingly printed at one of Amazon’s on-demand printshops. Wilson has reproduced them without obvious error. The essays provide a good introduction to Zitkala-Sa’s work, but not enough for people unfamiliar with the work of this remarkable woman. It would have been nice if Wilson had had greater ambitions for this short collection.

I am disappointed I was not introduced to this author as a Literature Major, but instead stumbled upon her. This work should be included in American History and Literature classes, as it is well-written and highly important. Here she describes the sorrow in being caught between two cultures after being shipped to the white missionary school, by her own choice. She beautifully describes the Native way of life of her childhood, how those ways changed through European-American influence, and what it was like to cross over into the white-American culture of her time.

Excellent primary document. Her story provides a first hand account of some of the difficulties and losses growing up as a Native American under the subjugation of the United States. I am heart broken.

An interesting perspective of a Native American girl growing up during the 19th century and her time spent around her Mother and tribal elders of the DaKota Sioux.

A good read of a girl to woman reclaiming herself from other's idea of what she should be. Being told to be 'other' than what she was born to be and growing up believing she needed to be what she was told to be. Then finding herself and following her spirit, writing to tell her story and thoughts, sharing this with us. Wonderful.

You get a good account of Native life and culture from this book.

Great book. About 40 pages long.

Excellent text for a Native American studies course. Quick read, yet very impactful. Had my students read this!