The first recorded Europeans to cross the Mississippi River reached the western shore on June 18, 1541. Hernando De Soto and his army of three-hundred-fifty conquistadors spent the next year and half conquering the nations in the fertile flood plains of eastern Arkansas. Three surviving 16th century journals, written during the expedition, detailed a complex array of twelve different nations. … nations. Each had separate beliefs, languages and interconnected villages with capital towns, comparably in size to European cities at the time. Through these densely populated sites, the Spanish carried a host of deadly old-world diseases, a powerful new religion and war.
One-hundred cold winters have passed since that first encounter. Manaha, Mother-of-None, steps before the village fire. Rejecting taboos long held by her small tribe of survivors, the old woman demands that the children be allowed to hear stories and the truth about their abandoned homeland, decimated by the time the conquistadors departed.
Before Manaha can finish one story, the fire is doused, and her young listeners frightened into the shadows. Tribal elders threaten and friends shun Manaha, but she refuses to stop telling. The only hope for the unique history and stories, the last remaining essence of a forgotten-people to survive lies with one unlikely Storykeeper.
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wonderful book to give insight in the 1500s and the Spanish influence on bringing religion to the new world. I don’t agree with their method but it was informative!
I loved this book. Unfortunately, the many changes between times and character perspectives made it difficult to follow. It is worthwhile reading.
At times difficult to follow. The characters are original and realistic.
Historical fiction based on Hernando de Soto in 1541 and the native Americans of the southeast.
I loved this book; I wished it was longer. There are not many books about Indians that show them in their personal everyday lives. The Spain’s cruel conquest death, disease, and destruction all for the search of gold. DeSoto decimated a robust native civilization in the name of Catholicism.
Sometimes confusing but good in the long run.
Interesting story from the time of the conquistadors and Hernando de Soto told from the perspective of native people who were impacted by the “search for gold.”
I loved the book and the beautiful pictures painted of a time gone by and a people so wronged!
Storykeeper is a historic tale about Native Americans and the arrival of Hernando de Soto in what is now Arkansas. From the opening dream, the author drew me into the story of Manaha, “Mother-of-None.” In her dream, Manaha is ordered to “Give your stories to the ones who have not heard. Become the storyteller your people need.”
This book was so disjointed! It bounced from present to past from the perspective of two different people. It was difficult to keep the story line in a line! This just wasn’t my cup of tea!
Disappointed. Jumped around too much for me. I was very interested in the idea of the narrative and the historical background. I may try again when I have time to study the text more leisurely.
History as it is understood to have happened with the original explorers and the Indian Nations.
Unique story about the different cultures of indigenous people.
No stars. Boring
Gave a glimpse into the lives of native Americans for a period of history about which I knew little and for my the area of the United States where I live.
I could not get through this book. I don’t often quit on books, but I did on this one.
A wonderful rendering of the human condition… the challenge of exploration and finding new horizons set against the trauma and tragedy inflicted on the peoples of a new world – some intentional, some not. Told through the eyes of a man, then a woman whose mission is to keep and protect their history through word of mouth storytelling, I found it …
Just okay. Dragged out and finally stopped reading.
Poetic story telling at it’s best. Language and values refreshing and inspirational. Made my long ago visits and love for the Ozarks well-founded.
Storykeeper is an historic novel harking back to the Columbian period in American history virtually unknown to the vast majority of today’s readers. It represents the impact of Spanish conquest on native American communities and individuals in what has become Arkansas and U.S. land thereabouts. I had not known before reading this novel that the …