The Real All Americans by Sally Jenkins (2007, Hardcover)

I bought this book over a year ago. I thought the story would be about a football game. It is so much more than that. This book is so finely written and researched it should have been nominated for a Pulitzer. Sally Jenkins not only touches upon how the Carlisle team was that formed at the Carlise Academy in Harrisburgh, PA., but also gives an excellent account af how our US Governemnt single handedly stole America from the Native Americans who treasured the land so much. The description of the "Massacre at Wounded Knee" and the sacrafice(s) of the Tribal leaders sending their children away to learn the "ways of the white man" (by the way I am white) will tug at your heart. Thank goodness we had a human being (white man) such as Captain/General Pratt who recognized the need to start the Carlisle Academy and then had the foresight to develop the football team. Pratt is a true American hero and was single handidly disgraced and disrespected by our Governemnt and Theodore Roosevelt (who I have lost a lot of respect for after reading this book). Teddy was a great leader and a true American but this book will show he certainly was not perfect and had an ego a mile wide! I love the USA but our government owes so much to The Real Americans (the Native Americans who are slowly fading from our land). Read this book and have your children read this book.