My Life as an Indian

By: James Willard Schultz

Narrated by: Brian V. Hunt

Beautiful, tender, haunting, and full of excitement, this is the memoir of famed author, explorer, Glacier Park guide, trader, and historian of the Blackfoot Indians, James Willard Schultz. With the Blackfoot woman, whom he deeply loved, from 1880 to 1903, Schultz lived the life of a Blackfoot Indian with Nat-ah-ki and her people. During this time, he began writing for magazines, at times running a trading post, and working as a guide in the West.

He met historian, writer, and naturalist George Bird Grinnell, who encouraged him to write this heartfelt and important memoir. As an ethnography of a people and a time it is invaluable.

Though he would marry again, Schultz eventually went back to live near the Native peoples he'd come to love and is buried in the traditional ground of Nat-ah-ki's people. You won't read another memoir like it.

Every memoir of the American West provides us with another view of the migration that changed the country forever.

Public Domain (P)2017 Big Byte Books

Amazing

Loved this look into the life of probably someone not too uncommon of the time.

Great book

Very interesting and well written and I enjoyed the narration. I would recommend this book

High school requirement

It took a few chapters to get into the rhythm of the narrator’s voice. It seemed too detached and impassioned. As the story progressed, the voice delivering the story made sense. Somehow, this story needs to get into the school curriculum. Parts of it can start in the elementary school and finish in high school. I will be recommending this book to everyone wondering “why weren’t we taught this at school?” I especially love the chapters that quotes popular writings of the times and then dismantles them piece by piece. This is what history is about. It is built from real stories or real people. This is why rewriting and whitewashing history never holds up to the test of times.

Not action packed.

Gets more into the family life side of things. Tells their story towards the end of Indian territory.

one of the best I've listened to

I can not believe that I have not heard of this story before, it is amazing to have this historical perspective preserved by a great book

Sometimes a story captivates you

This is an amazing story. I assume 90% of it is true and unembellished and that self-aggrandizement is minimal. The author admits he is not proud of all of his actions so I am sure there is some editing on his part that omits some things. That being said it’s now one of my favorites of all time.

Along with 9 Years Among the Indians and Empire of the Summer Moon and 6 years as a Texas Ranger it stands out as a classic of the American frontier. Like “9 years” it completes a narrative with pathos and emotional intelligence. But unlike the former, it completes the narrative of a full life time.

The author is talented and at various points poetic and touching without being maudlin. He escorts you into the Montana and NW Canadian wilderness through the plains and mountains. He lets you ride, hunt, and fight with him. He lets you experience his fears and sadness as much as his bravery.

It’s a wonderful story.

However, If you listen to it speed up narration to 1.1 or 1.2 speed. I think there is a flaw in the recording or it was recorded before audiobooks were digital. It’s a little slow. Once sped up a little the narrator sounds a lot better.

Compassionate Story

Such a very wonderful story! Such a perfect orator. I was surprised and disappointed to have it end!! Excellent, excellent book!!! Thank you so much!!!

inspiring and worthwhile

A very believable and relatable account of a white man trading in Western life for that if a first nation people.

The Great read

it really great adventure and love story. It is a long story but worth the read

Great Narrator, Great Story

Brian V Hunt should have narrated all of Schultzes books, the others were ruined by terrible readers.