Apache Voices: Their Stories of Survival as Told to Eve Ball

The critique that oral history is not always accurate, because it relies on the imperfect memories of people, and because bias is inevitable, is repeated several times in the book...including in quotes of Eve Ball herself.Don’t read this book expecting a cleansed version of history. Read it with the perspective of a person who sat in a room with the children and grandchildren of well known Apache, and hear their side of the stories.

This is a really special book. You will hardly ever get a chance to read ideas and opinions of the actual people involved in these types of events. I have friends whose these people are the ancestors of. I am proud and honored to give copies of this book to them.

A very indepth point of view and objective look at Apache history from the people who actually participated or were directly involved in so many events of the late nineteenth century. Ms. Ball really gave Apache people a voice and it's so amazing that they as a people are still here and thriving to this day. Enjoyed the book immensely especially the end portions on the essentials of what onstituted Apache life ways.

If you are interested in Apache history told from an Apache perspective, this is a wonderful collection of stories and photos. Nearly all of Native American history is told by white people from their perspective. Eve Ball, though a white woman, recorded these stories in the first person voices of Apache's she knew and it seemed without romanticizing or passing judgement. I found every chronical compelling and enlightening especially because the history is not so distant living here in the West where the ancestors of the Mescalero Apache and other bands remain.

Native American topics grab my attention, and this is no exception. This book is written from the 'Indian' point of view. Who better to know about these things than the people who live [lived] it?

The book confirmed what was told to me through many stories by my mother. It is truly a book based on history of a people who has struggled to survive.

Eve Ball did such a great service, recording Apache/Indeh culture, as she did. You can almost see the people she interviewed, speaking, as you read the pages. I found this book riveting, from beginning to end.

Good book, good reference.