I learned a lot, but what a self-centered woman. ( )

Sobering take of the continued domination and "enslavement" of the American Indian population. The US Government is not helping them and is keeping them under a boot because of Tribal Leadership. ( )

Naomi Schaefer Riley is a Harvard graduate in English and Government and a regular columnist for the New York Post where her writings focus on higher education, religion, philanthropy, and culture. Her newest book looks at the problems facing American Indians and the reform necessary to stop the decline of their culture. The title of the book immediately puts the reader into blaming mode, making it appear that government failures are the reason behind the increased crime, poverty, and alcoholism found in many of the tribes. But, can the government really be at fault? Schaefer Riley describes the fallout of too much government control, too much dependence on tribal annuities, and failures in the education systems in her thorough research of American and Canadian Indian tribes and reservations.

Living near a reservation and seeing first hand the level of poverty and splintering families, I found myself nodding along to many of the author's points. Many tribes have become so dependent on the government and tribal handouts from casinos and programs that there is no desire to be educated or to work. Those that want to escape the stronghold of the tribe can't because they are limited by tribal rules regarding loans and property ownership. The government bureaucracy is such that the help provided has become a hindrance, yet the political structure is so deep that changing the system would be nearly impossible.

Schaefer Riley has interviewed tribal leaders in Montana, New York, and South Dakota with some finding ways to get around the laws and others feeling defeated and have given up. I found the most frustrating part of her research to be their educational system. To me, everything depends on education and without it, no one can succeed. My nephew is a high school English teacher on a Minnesota reservation and has talked frequently about the difficulties teaching his students. Many have to walk miles to get to school and in the winter, under feet of snow, students just won't show up for days, even weeks. Attendance is spotty due to severe poverty and violence in the home. School may be the only place they can get a meal that day and truly feel safe, yet the obstacles to getting there are too many. How can you make reading and writing important when their parents' only importance is focused on their next drink or how soon the next annuity check is coming?

Reform is needed in many areas including the allowance of land ownership, education, and effective law enforcement. Some reservations, like ones in Northern New York, have found ways to succeed by circumnavigating the government and creating their own businesses and schools. Finding ways for the rest of the reservations across the country to follow suit will be difficult, but necessary to save the future generations of American Indians from the prevalence of suicide, poverty, crime, and drugs. The personal stories shared in this book are quite depressing and frustrating. It's hard for the reader to determine who to express anger to, the Bureau of Indian Affairs with its billion dollar budget and thousands of employees or the local leaders who are turning a blind eye to the needy families right in front of them. I hoping this book makes it way into the right hands to start the conversations that need to be had. ( )

I have no knowledge of what life is really like living on the reservation. I only know what I have read in history books and what my mom has told me about her experiences growing up around some Indians.

I like reading about true stories or people. Therefore I was interested in reading this book. While I did find it to be an interesting read at times it did read a little stiff for me with not a lot of moment. I don't disagree on what our National has done to the American Indians is terrible but reading this book, it did seem that how they live now is not all the product of the past. It seemed that some of it has to do with how the American Indians choose to life their lives that has caused the outcome of some to live in deplorable conditions. This book is a table read. One that can be brought up as a conversation piece. Because there is so much to take in and the fact that I did not always find myself engaged, I had to take a break from this book and come back to it. Although, I am glad I checked this book out. ( )