What do you think?
Rate this book
Geronimo : His Own Story
INTRODUCTORY
I first met Geronimo in the summer of 1904, when I acted for him as interpreter of English into Spanish, and vice versa, in selling a war bonnet. After that he always had a pleasant word for me when we met, but never entered into a general conversation with me until he learned that I had once been wounded by a Mexican. As soon as he was told of this, he came to see me and expressed freely his opinion of the average Mexican, and his aversion to all Mexicans in general.
I invited him to visit me again, which he did, and upon his invitation, I visited him at his tepee in the Fort Sill Military reservation.
In the summer of 1905 Dr. J. M. Greenwood, superintendent of schools at Kansas City, Missouri, visited me, and I took him to see the chief. Geronimo was quite formal and reserved until Dr. Greenwood said, "I am a friend of General Howard, whom I have heard speak of you." "Come," said Geronimo, and led the way to a shade, had seats brought for us, put on his war bonnet, and served watermelon à l'Apache (cut in big chunks), while he talked freely and cheerfully. When we left he gave us a pressing invitation to visit him again.
In a few days the old chief came to see me and asked about "my father." I said "you mean the old gentleman from Kansas City—he has returned to his home." "He is you father?" said Geronimo. "No," I said, "my father died twenty-five years ago, Dr. Greenwood is only my friend." After a moment's silence the old Indian spoke again, this time in a tone of voice intended to carry conviction, or at least to allow no further discussion. "Your natural father is dead, this man has been your friend and adviser from youth. By adoption he is your father. Tell him he is welcome to come to my home at any time." It was of no use to explain any more, for the old man had determined not to understand my relation to Dr. Greenwood except in accordance with Indian customs, and I let the matter drop.
In the latter part of that summer I asked the old chief to allow me to publish some of the things he had told me, but he objected, saying, however, that if I would pay him, and if the officers in charge did not object, he would tell me the whole story of his life. I immediately called at the fort (Fort Sill) and asked the officer in charge, Lieutenant Purington, for permission to write the life of Geronimo. I was promptly informed that the privilege would not be granted. Lieutenant Purington explained to me the many depredations committed by Geronimo and his warriors, and the enormous cost of subduing the Apaches, adding that the old Apache deserved to be hanged rather than spoiled by so much attention from civilians. A suggestion from me that our government had paid many soldiers and officers to go to Arizona and kill Geronimo and the Apaches, and that they did not seem to know how to do it, did not prove very gratifying to the pride of the regular army officer, and I decided to seek elsewhere for permission. Accordingly I wrote to President Roosevelt that here was an old Indian who had been held a prisoner of war for twenty years and had never been given a chance to tell his side of the story, and asked that Geronimo be granted permission to tell for publication, in his own way, the story of his life, and that he be guaranteed that the publication of his story would not affect unfavorably the Apache prisoners of war. By return mail I received word that the authority had been granted. In a few days I received word from Fort Sill that the President had ordered the officer in charge to grant permission as requested. An interview was requested that I might receive the instructions of the War Department. When I went to Fort Sill the officer in command handed me the following brief, which constituted my instructions:
I first met Geronimo in the summer of 1904, when I acted for him as interpreter of English into Spanish, and vice versa, in selling a war bonnet. After that he always had a pleasant word for me when we met, but never entered into a general conversation with me until he learned that I had once been wounded by a Mexican. As soon as he was told of this, he came to see me and expressed freely his opinion of the average Mexican, and his aversion to all Mexicans in general.
I invited him to visit me again, which he did, and upon his invitation, I visited him at his tepee in the Fort Sill Military reservation.
In the summer of 1905 Dr. J. M. Greenwood, superintendent of schools at Kansas City, Missouri, visited me, and I took him to see the chief. Geronimo was quite formal and reserved until Dr. Greenwood said, "I am a friend of General Howard, whom I have heard speak of you." "Come," said Geronimo, and led the way to a shade, had seats brought for us, put on his war bonnet, and served watermelon à l'Apache (cut in big chunks), while he talked freely and cheerfully. When we left he gave us a pressing invitation to visit him again.
In a few days the old chief came to see me and asked about "my father." I said "you mean the old gentleman from Kansas City—he has returned to his home." "He is you father?" said Geronimo. "No," I said, "my father died twenty-five years ago, Dr. Greenwood is only my friend." After a moment's silence the old Indian spoke again, this time in a tone of voice intended to carry conviction, or at least to allow no further discussion. "Your natural father is dead, this man has been your friend and adviser from youth. By adoption he is your father. Tell him he is welcome to come to my home at any time." It was of no use to explain any more, for the old man had determined not to understand my relation to Dr. Greenwood except in accordance with Indian customs, and I let the matter drop.
In the latter part of that summer I asked the old chief to allow me to publish some of the things he had told me, but he objected, saying, however, that if I would pay him, and if the officers in charge did not object, he would tell me the whole story of his life. I immediately called at the fort (Fort Sill) and asked the officer in charge, Lieutenant Purington, for permission to write the life of Geronimo. I was promptly informed that the privilege would not be granted. Lieutenant Purington explained to me the many depredations committed by Geronimo and his warriors, and the enormous cost of subduing the Apaches, adding that the old Apache deserved to be hanged rather than spoiled by so much attention from civilians. A suggestion from me that our government had paid many soldiers and officers to go to Arizona and kill Geronimo and the Apaches, and that they did not seem to know how to do it, did not prove very gratifying to the pride of the regular army officer, and I decided to seek elsewhere for permission. Accordingly I wrote to President Roosevelt that here was an old Indian who had been held a prisoner of war for twenty years and had never been given a chance to tell his side of the story, and asked that Geronimo be granted permission to tell for publication, in his own way, the story of his life, and that he be guaranteed that the publication of his story would not affect unfavorably the Apache prisoners of war. By return mail I received word that the authority had been granted. In a few days I received word from Fort Sill that the President had ordered the officer in charge to grant permission as requested. An interview was requested that I might receive the instructions of the War Department. When I went to Fort Sill the officer in command handed me the following brief, which constituted my instructions:
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1906
978 people are currently reading
2694 people want to read
About the author
S.M. Barrett
16 books2 followersColonel Stephen Melvil Barrett, commandant of the Oklahoma Military Academy at Claremore and an author of note, is one of the most prominent men in northeastern Oklahoma.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 356 reviews
March 10, 2021
I know relatively little about the Native Americans of the southwestern United States, but this autobiography that Apache leader Geronimo dictated late in his life provided a good start.
In plain language, he describes the Apache origin story, family life, tribal organization, agriculture, hunting, and war, before recounting his early life as part of a large family. When he was 29 and on a trading trip into Sonora, his mother, wife, and three children were killed by Mexican troops, igniting a hatred for Mexicans that would drive him to lead raids there for decades. Later, he, the Apache, and allied tribes warred with U.S. troops, as well, until his final surrender in 1886.
Instead of being united with his family on a comfortable ranch in Florida, as he'd been led to believe would happen by Gen. Nelson A. Miles, he was sent to Texas for trial, then to Florida for two years hard labor sawing logs. He spent the rest of his life as a prisoner of war, first in Alabama, and, finally, at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. During this time, he adopted Christianity and attended the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis; his account of his experience there, including an airplane ride, is surreal.
Geronimo lived a remarkable, full life, but one shadowed by a sense of the injustices done to him and the Apache through broken promises and treaties.
In plain language, he describes the Apache origin story, family life, tribal organization, agriculture, hunting, and war, before recounting his early life as part of a large family. When he was 29 and on a trading trip into Sonora, his mother, wife, and three children were killed by Mexican troops, igniting a hatred for Mexicans that would drive him to lead raids there for decades. Later, he, the Apache, and allied tribes warred with U.S. troops, as well, until his final surrender in 1886.
Instead of being united with his family on a comfortable ranch in Florida, as he'd been led to believe would happen by Gen. Nelson A. Miles, he was sent to Texas for trial, then to Florida for two years hard labor sawing logs. He spent the rest of his life as a prisoner of war, first in Alabama, and, finally, at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. During this time, he adopted Christianity and attended the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis; his account of his experience there, including an airplane ride, is surreal.
Geronimo lived a remarkable, full life, but one shadowed by a sense of the injustices done to him and the Apache through broken promises and treaties.
December 23, 2015
This edition of Geronimo's life story has a fascinating introduction by Frederick Turner that provides background not only for Geronimo's life, but for the shameful attitudes held by the white man towards the Apache and other Native Americans.
Geronimo was only convinced to share his life story after hearing that then-President Theodore Roosevelt approved of S. M. Barrett's idea. Barrett had met Geronimo and become friends with him during the warrior's captivity at Fort Sill Oklahoma, where he spent his final years. Barrett had wanted to publish the stories Geronimo had told him in private, but Geronimo refused permission. So Barrett wrote a letter to Roosevelt saying that the war chief had never had the opportunity to tell his own story and he asked Roosevelt for permission to publish. And when he explained to Geronimo that the President wished to hear about his life, Geronimo agreed at last. So in a way this book came into being because of yet another deception on the part of a white man in Geronimo's life. How ironic.
Geronimo begins with an outline of the Apache creation stories, then tells of his childhood, his marriage, and how he became a warrior. We learn about trips into Old Mexico, not always raiding, sometimes the people went to trade. During one trading journey, the men had gone into town to do business and while they were away Mexican troops slaughtered most of the Apache who had remained in camp, including Geronimo's mother, wife, and three children. From that day on Geronimo had an intense hatred for the Mexican people, and they all suffered his thirst for revenge. The Americans of the era were not much better towards the Apache, and he learned not to trust them. He never gave up trying to live as an Apache should. So was he a barbarian or a patriot?
I cannot review this book objectively. I have lived in the area Geronimo was most familiar with; I have felt the echo of Apache spirits in their desert homelands. My sympathies are completely with Geronimo, from beginning to end. He had reasons for everything he did, even his decision to tell his story was ultimately an appeal for himself and his people to be allowed to return home. The final sentence of the book:
If this cannot be done during my lifetime ~~ if I must die in bondage ~~ I hope that the remnant of the Apache tribe may, when I am gone, be granted the one privilege which they request ~~ to return to Arizona.
Geronimo was only convinced to share his life story after hearing that then-President Theodore Roosevelt approved of S. M. Barrett's idea. Barrett had met Geronimo and become friends with him during the warrior's captivity at Fort Sill Oklahoma, where he spent his final years. Barrett had wanted to publish the stories Geronimo had told him in private, but Geronimo refused permission. So Barrett wrote a letter to Roosevelt saying that the war chief had never had the opportunity to tell his own story and he asked Roosevelt for permission to publish. And when he explained to Geronimo that the President wished to hear about his life, Geronimo agreed at last. So in a way this book came into being because of yet another deception on the part of a white man in Geronimo's life. How ironic.
Geronimo begins with an outline of the Apache creation stories, then tells of his childhood, his marriage, and how he became a warrior. We learn about trips into Old Mexico, not always raiding, sometimes the people went to trade. During one trading journey, the men had gone into town to do business and while they were away Mexican troops slaughtered most of the Apache who had remained in camp, including Geronimo's mother, wife, and three children. From that day on Geronimo had an intense hatred for the Mexican people, and they all suffered his thirst for revenge. The Americans of the era were not much better towards the Apache, and he learned not to trust them. He never gave up trying to live as an Apache should. So was he a barbarian or a patriot?
I cannot review this book objectively. I have lived in the area Geronimo was most familiar with; I have felt the echo of Apache spirits in their desert homelands. My sympathies are completely with Geronimo, from beginning to end. He had reasons for everything he did, even his decision to tell his story was ultimately an appeal for himself and his people to be allowed to return home. The final sentence of the book:
If this cannot be done during my lifetime ~~ if I must die in bondage ~~ I hope that the remnant of the Apache tribe may, when I am gone, be granted the one privilege which they request ~~ to return to Arizona.
April 23, 2021
A brief account told by Geronimo
This is a very brief and somewhat self-serving account of Geronimo's life as told to S. M. Barrett, Superintendent of Education, Lawton, Oklahoma, in 1905. It is told from the Apache point of view after Geronimo had been a POW for about twenty years and had learned much about the white man's laws and society. He had also become a self-proclaimed Christian and a member of the Dutch Reformed Church.
There is some explanation of Apache, a warrior culture, attitudes towards war and what was considered murder by Mexicans and Americans. There is no mention of rape, torture or other activities which helped make the Apache so feared by Mexicans, Americans and many other Indian tribes. In this account Geronimo seems to offer justifications for all of the Apache attacks. In truth, it seems that when he and others were bored with reservation life, or when the whim struck them, or when they suffered some insult, real or imagined, they went to war.
Geronimo is often referred to as a chief but apparently he was not. Instead he was recognized as a warrior and leader so others followed him to war. Usually his followers numbered less then fifty and often twenty or fewer.
From 1876 to 1886, often considered the second period of the Geronimo war, he "surrendered" three times and accepted life on the Apache reservations in Arizona. It is not clear to me if he actually considered himself surrendered or if he deliberately looked for some excuse to begin raiding again. The Apache found reservation life confining and they resented restrictions on their customary way of life including warfare and raiding. Reading this account, which includes footnotes and some of the American military and government view of things, it is apparent that neither side understood the other nor really cared to do so.
This free Kindle edition contains the titles of illustrations but no illustrations.
This is a very brief and somewhat self-serving account of Geronimo's life as told to S. M. Barrett, Superintendent of Education, Lawton, Oklahoma, in 1905. It is told from the Apache point of view after Geronimo had been a POW for about twenty years and had learned much about the white man's laws and society. He had also become a self-proclaimed Christian and a member of the Dutch Reformed Church.
There is some explanation of Apache, a warrior culture, attitudes towards war and what was considered murder by Mexicans and Americans. There is no mention of rape, torture or other activities which helped make the Apache so feared by Mexicans, Americans and many other Indian tribes. In this account Geronimo seems to offer justifications for all of the Apache attacks. In truth, it seems that when he and others were bored with reservation life, or when the whim struck them, or when they suffered some insult, real or imagined, they went to war.
Geronimo is often referred to as a chief but apparently he was not. Instead he was recognized as a warrior and leader so others followed him to war. Usually his followers numbered less then fifty and often twenty or fewer.
From 1876 to 1886, often considered the second period of the Geronimo war, he "surrendered" three times and accepted life on the Apache reservations in Arizona. It is not clear to me if he actually considered himself surrendered or if he deliberately looked for some excuse to begin raiding again. The Apache found reservation life confining and they resented restrictions on their customary way of life including warfare and raiding. Reading this account, which includes footnotes and some of the American military and government view of things, it is apparent that neither side understood the other nor really cared to do so.
This free Kindle edition contains the titles of illustrations but no illustrations.
September 15, 2025
The memoir of the Apache war leader and medicine man Geronimo, especially his 35 year military campaign against the governments of both Mexico and the United States.
The book was organized and edited by the educator S M Barret, who had to get authorization from President Theodore Roosevelt for its publication. It's definitely told from Geronimo's point of view and like most memoirs airs the author's grievances and settles scores.
It starts from the beginning, with the Apache creation myth and spiritual beliefs that shaped Geronimo and continues with the incursions by European settlers that led to conflict and the deaths of some of his family members that drove him to war.
It appears to be a fairly honest account. Geronimo admits he ambushed, raided and killed civilians along with fighting soldiers, as that was the nature of that form of guerrilla war.
He has a number of complaints about his treatment following his final surrender, arguing the Americans violated the treaty many times. He was mainly angered by the continued imprisonment, for years, of himself and his last followers. Of course prior to that, he'd repeatedly gone off the reservation and onto the warpath (3x) so the Army may have had cause for keeping him locked up.
Towards the end of his life Geronimo appeared to finally make peace with the United States. He converted to Christianity. The US government put him on display at wild west shows. He rode in Theodore Roosevelt's second inaugural parade. And bizarrely, he was a featured attraction at the St. Louis World's fair where he sold photos and autographs; ( he kept 10 cents while the government got 15 cents per photo) saw a glassblower; rode on a Ferris Wheel and generally had a good time.
The final chapter is a plea to allow himself and his people to return to their ancestral lands where, he promised, they would be upstanding law abiding citizens. It never happened. He remained a prisoner of war in Oklahoma until he died, in 1909. I'm guessing that even after almost 25 years feelings in Arizona over Geronimo's return would still be running high.
The book is a clever testament by a shrewd leader; there's a little remorse (not much) and a lively and spirited defense of himself and his people. As he was dying Geronimo reportedly said he should have never surrendered and should have fought on until he was the last Apache. I believe it.
The book was organized and edited by the educator S M Barret, who had to get authorization from President Theodore Roosevelt for its publication. It's definitely told from Geronimo's point of view and like most memoirs airs the author's grievances and settles scores.
It starts from the beginning, with the Apache creation myth and spiritual beliefs that shaped Geronimo and continues with the incursions by European settlers that led to conflict and the deaths of some of his family members that drove him to war.
It appears to be a fairly honest account. Geronimo admits he ambushed, raided and killed civilians along with fighting soldiers, as that was the nature of that form of guerrilla war.
He has a number of complaints about his treatment following his final surrender, arguing the Americans violated the treaty many times. He was mainly angered by the continued imprisonment, for years, of himself and his last followers. Of course prior to that, he'd repeatedly gone off the reservation and onto the warpath (3x) so the Army may have had cause for keeping him locked up.
Towards the end of his life Geronimo appeared to finally make peace with the United States. He converted to Christianity. The US government put him on display at wild west shows. He rode in Theodore Roosevelt's second inaugural parade. And bizarrely, he was a featured attraction at the St. Louis World's fair where he sold photos and autographs; ( he kept 10 cents while the government got 15 cents per photo) saw a glassblower; rode on a Ferris Wheel and generally had a good time.
The final chapter is a plea to allow himself and his people to return to their ancestral lands where, he promised, they would be upstanding law abiding citizens. It never happened. He remained a prisoner of war in Oklahoma until he died, in 1909. I'm guessing that even after almost 25 years feelings in Arizona over Geronimo's return would still be running high.
The book is a clever testament by a shrewd leader; there's a little remorse (not much) and a lively and spirited defense of himself and his people. As he was dying Geronimo reportedly said he should have never surrendered and should have fought on until he was the last Apache. I believe it.
January 31, 2024
Geronimo tells us the story of his life and the history of his people. One of the most heartbreaking books I have ever read. The way the US government lied to him; really makes you wonder why there has not been more of a movement to reclaim land that was blatantly stolen before the ink could even dry on the treaty signed. The way he died is beyond belief.
February 15, 2020
An extraordinary and heartbreaking book, well worth the read
May 22, 2019
Nonfiction books about the way the native Americans were steam rolled to make way for the European immigrants always breaks my heart. It is so sad. It hurts my heart. Geronimo's history is one of the most well known stories. I liked that this was Geronimo's own story told my him. There was a frankness to this that I appreciated. His word was his word. The fact that he expected that same honor from the US government, was probably a rude awakening.
June 22, 2021
The chapter on Apache myths was a nice bonus. Photographs of Native Americans in the book who are not Apaches was a little weird. No reason was given on how Geronimo got his Indian name or why people called on Saint Jerome when he attacked.
August 21, 2020
I picked this story up because of its connection to southern AZ. I’m always interested in the history of my home state. It’s an interesting mix of cultural details, autobiography, military documents, and battle details. That is partly the author’s attempt to provide a balanced narrative, and partly the requirements imposed upon him by the government in their permission to publish.
I preferred the bits about his personal life or life in the tribe, but most of the book is taken up with details of the raids he leads and the battles they fought. There are also several gruesome descriptions of animal attacks. So it’s not for the faint of heart.
No one in this story comes out as an innocent hero. It’s one long chronicle of atrocity and revenge. But that’s history. We better know what happened so we can know how we got here and what not to do again. So I would recommend it.
I preferred the bits about his personal life or life in the tribe, but most of the book is taken up with details of the raids he leads and the battles they fought. There are also several gruesome descriptions of animal attacks. So it’s not for the faint of heart.
No one in this story comes out as an innocent hero. It’s one long chronicle of atrocity and revenge. But that’s history. We better know what happened so we can know how we got here and what not to do again. So I would recommend it.
May 28, 2017
Διαβάζοντας το συγκλονίζεσαι και μαθαίνεις.
December 29, 2017
There is so much going on in Geronimo's story, including his telling it to his second cousin who then interpreted it to Barrett, the photograph of the three of them with Geronimo in a headdress and Barrett intently writing everything down, and Geronimo's dedication to Teddy Roosevelt.
I was moved by Frederick W. Turner's introduction to the 1970 edition. "Out of the eyes of that incorruptible Chiricahua leader glares a challenge to our cherished notions of ourselves, of Western Civilization, and of the relentless energy which for centuries has nerved it, " he writes. "Geronimo and his people were unwilling sacrifices to Progress, but we are, too. The men and women strapped to business machines and those in assembly lines are equally victims with Geronimo, Black Kettle, and the Cherokee. And those of us who think we have escaped such dehumanizing routines are no less victims in virtually every aspect of our daily lives, in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the waters we drink and play in. All of us, red and white, have been sacrificed to being steadily devoured by those huge metallic jaws that not so long ago ground up the Indian exceedingly small" (p. 41). Turner does not neglect to acknowledge which race was ground up exceedingly small, which race did the grinding, and how they did it.
I was moved by Frederick W. Turner's introduction to the 1970 edition. "Out of the eyes of that incorruptible Chiricahua leader glares a challenge to our cherished notions of ourselves, of Western Civilization, and of the relentless energy which for centuries has nerved it, " he writes. "Geronimo and his people were unwilling sacrifices to Progress, but we are, too. The men and women strapped to business machines and those in assembly lines are equally victims with Geronimo, Black Kettle, and the Cherokee. And those of us who think we have escaped such dehumanizing routines are no less victims in virtually every aspect of our daily lives, in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the waters we drink and play in. All of us, red and white, have been sacrificed to being steadily devoured by those huge metallic jaws that not so long ago ground up the Indian exceedingly small" (p. 41). Turner does not neglect to acknowledge which race was ground up exceedingly small, which race did the grinding, and how they did it.
August 27, 2015
Excellent insight into the life and times of Geronimo, the Apache chieftan. The introduction is written in 1906, seven years after Geronimo's death. The book largely consists of Geronimo's own words as he narrated his life story to the author. The author adds historical context as well as some editorial commentary. Significant is the relation of injustices done to Native Americans at the hands of both the United States and Mexican governments. Much of Geronimo's notoriety stems from his seeking redress for the wrongs done him and his people after being betrayed time and again by representatives of government.
December 17, 2022
Fairly short autobiography as told to SM Barrett.
This was pretty good, but in a very clipped, very crude language. So it’s not like a well written story, but almost like listening to Geronimo’s own description.
The stories of the Apache culture, marriage/courting, life in the tribe was all interesting. Geronimo comes off seeming way more reasonable and trying to find solutions but was consistently lied to, double-crossed and his people mistreated by the army, reservation managers, and politicians.
Glad I read this, but I wouldn’t call it enjoyable.
This was pretty good, but in a very clipped, very crude language. So it’s not like a well written story, but almost like listening to Geronimo’s own description.
The stories of the Apache culture, marriage/courting, life in the tribe was all interesting. Geronimo comes off seeming way more reasonable and trying to find solutions but was consistently lied to, double-crossed and his people mistreated by the army, reservation managers, and politicians.
Glad I read this, but I wouldn’t call it enjoyable.
March 1, 2018
A surprising account whose highlight is Geronimo's early childhood -- told with such enchantment, you're transported to an idyllic ancient age when our ancestors roamed the pristine earth, just and true... sigh.
Rated 3 stars because the narrative's bulk is repetitive and boring : shoot-Mexicans-and-steal-supplies stuff. I realize he was a warrior, but details about his multiple wives would've made the book fascinating :)
Gleaned facts:
-----------
** Geronimo was a POW for 20 years
** He dedicates the book to Teddy Roosevelt, who he felt "was wise and would listen"
** His name means “he who yawns”
** His biographer relates that each day Geronimo came for an interview, he knew exactly what he was going to say. He was utterly clear and concise. “Write what I have spoken.”
** Incredible integrity. "When he fulfills his word, nothing will prevent him from keeping his promise."
** In a tribute to his people, he starts with the Apache origin story. There were 2 tribes on earth: birds and beasts. When birds wanted light, and beasts did not, war erupted and the birds won. There is a monotheistic-like Creator, named Yusin.
** The Apache consisted of 6 tribes. They neighbored and traded with the Navajo, who were not of the same bloodline.
** Apaches considered fish unfit to eat.
** He never wanted to be a warrior, doing so only after Mexicans slew his 1st wife and 3 kids. “I had no purpose left… I spoke to no one, and no one spoke to me. I had lost all.”
The most telling quote : "We are vanishing from the earth, but I cannot think we are useless.”
.
Rated 3 stars because the narrative's bulk is repetitive and boring : shoot-Mexicans-and-steal-supplies stuff. I realize he was a warrior, but details about his multiple wives would've made the book fascinating :)
Gleaned facts:
-----------
** Geronimo was a POW for 20 years
** He dedicates the book to Teddy Roosevelt, who he felt "was wise and would listen"
** His name means “he who yawns”
** His biographer relates that each day Geronimo came for an interview, he knew exactly what he was going to say. He was utterly clear and concise. “Write what I have spoken.”
** Incredible integrity. "When he fulfills his word, nothing will prevent him from keeping his promise."
** In a tribute to his people, he starts with the Apache origin story. There were 2 tribes on earth: birds and beasts. When birds wanted light, and beasts did not, war erupted and the birds won. There is a monotheistic-like Creator, named Yusin.
** The Apache consisted of 6 tribes. They neighbored and traded with the Navajo, who were not of the same bloodline.
** Apaches considered fish unfit to eat.
** He never wanted to be a warrior, doing so only after Mexicans slew his 1st wife and 3 kids. “I had no purpose left… I spoke to no one, and no one spoke to me. I had lost all.”
The most telling quote : "We are vanishing from the earth, but I cannot think we are useless.”
.
June 7, 2016
I would not read this as an autobiography but as a statement and witness of events from a prisoner to his capturer. Reading this feels like we get to sit next to this old man, his wrinkled face still emanates great power and his presence inspires respect to those near him. We can almost hear him speak right next to us with a gruff voice in a language we don't understand and the interpreter is sitting there right next to us, almost just as spellbound as we are.
This is a historical document about cyclical violence and destruction so present in the Apache life. The almost constant battles with the Mexicans and about the arrival and many betrayals of the white man and his soldiers.
We hear little parts about the daily life of the Apache Indian; his trading, wandering, rituals into adulthood, and a little about the way marriage works - and sometimes doesn't work.
Like so many other autobiographies this made me hungry for more. I wonder what more he would have liked to have said. I wonder what was misinterpreted, badly translated, and what was censored by those in power of his life.
I'm definitely going to read more about the Native American history in he near future.
This is a historical document about cyclical violence and destruction so present in the Apache life. The almost constant battles with the Mexicans and about the arrival and many betrayals of the white man and his soldiers.
We hear little parts about the daily life of the Apache Indian; his trading, wandering, rituals into adulthood, and a little about the way marriage works - and sometimes doesn't work.
Like so many other autobiographies this made me hungry for more. I wonder what more he would have liked to have said. I wonder what was misinterpreted, badly translated, and what was censored by those in power of his life.
I'm definitely going to read more about the Native American history in he near future.
November 15, 2022
Džeronimo na manje od sto strana prepričava svoj osamdesetogodišnji život, šta tu može da se spakuje osim pukog nabrajanja važnih događaja (uglavnom borbi), nema tu neke dubine, nekog mesa.
Moram da priznam da sam fasciniran koliko ga je pamćenje služilo u tim poznim godinama, kad je bio u stanju da nabroji ne samo tačnu godinu svakog i najmanjeg sukoba sa Meksikancima ili Amerikancima, nego i koliko je u svakoj borbi tačno mrtvih i ranjenih bilo među njegovima, koliko među protivnicima, pa čak i koliko su konja ili grla stoke oteli, ili im je oteto, u svakom od njih.
Uglavnom, lepo je što ovakvo jedno svedočanstvo postoji, može motivisati one koji ne znaju mnogo o istoriji Indijanaca, među kojima sam i sâm, da čitaju više o njoj.
Završio bih stihovima stare narodne pesme, koja kaže:
"Irokezi i kinezi, komančerosi,
I čiroki, svi apači, meskalerosi,
Nisu znali da je naša skvo u nevolji,
Samo nana sve je znala o toj ljubavi."
Moram da priznam da sam fasciniran koliko ga je pamćenje služilo u tim poznim godinama, kad je bio u stanju da nabroji ne samo tačnu godinu svakog i najmanjeg sukoba sa Meksikancima ili Amerikancima, nego i koliko je u svakoj borbi tačno mrtvih i ranjenih bilo među njegovima, koliko među protivnicima, pa čak i koliko su konja ili grla stoke oteli, ili im je oteto, u svakom od njih.
Uglavnom, lepo je što ovakvo jedno svedočanstvo postoji, može motivisati one koji ne znaju mnogo o istoriji Indijanaca, među kojima sam i sâm, da čitaju više o njoj.
Završio bih stihovima stare narodne pesme, koja kaže:
"Irokezi i kinezi, komančerosi,
I čiroki, svi apači, meskalerosi,
Nisu znali da je naša skvo u nevolji,
Samo nana sve je znala o toj ljubavi."
June 7, 2014
Imagine you could sit an old Geronimo down and just let him talk and tell you all about his life, in his own words. Well, someone did just that, and wrote it down, with just the occasional editorial footnote for clarification and to claim no responsibility for any shit talking Geronimo did along the way. I recently spent a lot of time in Arizona, which I'm not crazy about but too the opportunity to see some of it's museums and natural beauty (e.g. Grand Canyon, Superstition Mountain). Couldn't leave without picking up this book to learn more.
November 28, 2018
Everyone should read this book. What a treasure! An account of Geronimo's life in his own words.
September 7, 2009
Excellent commentary on the occupation and cyclical violence thus engendered.
The entirety of the 1906 edition can be downloded at:
http://www.ibiblio.org/ebooks/Geronim...
From S. M. Barrett's Introduction:
On June 2d, 1906, I transmitted the complete manuscript to the War Department. The following quotation is from the letter of transmission:
“In accordance with endorsement number eight of the ‘Brief’ submitted to me by the commanding officer of Fort Sill, which endorsement constituted the instructions of the Department, I submit herewith manuscript of the Autobiography of Geronimo.
“The manuscript has been submitted to the President, and at his suggestion I have disclaimed any responsibility for the criticisms (made by Geronimo)of individuals mentioned.”
Six weeks after the manuscript was forwarded, Thomas C. Barry, Brigadier General, Assistant to the Chief of Staff, sent to the President the following:
“MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
“Subject: Manuscript of the Autobiography of Geronimo. The paper herewith, which was referred to this office on July 6th, with instructions to report as to whether there is anything objectionable in it, is returned.
“The manuscript is an interesting autobiography of a notable Indian, made by himself. There are a number of passages which, from the departmental point of view, are decidedly objectionable. These are found on pages 73, 74, 90, 91, and 97, and are indicated by marginal lines in red. The entire manuscript appears in a way important as showing the Indian side of a prolonged controversy, but it is believed that the document, either in whole or in part, should not receive the approval of the War Department.”
The memorandum is published that the objections of the War Department may be made known to the public.
The objection is raised to the mention on pages seventy-three and seventy-four of the manuscript of an attack upon Indians in a tent at Apache Pass or Bowie, by U. S. soldiers. The statement of Geronimo is, however, substantially confirmed by L. C. Hughes, editor of The Star, Tucson, Arizona.
On pages ninety and ninety-one of the manuscript, Geronimo criticised General Crook. This criticism is simply Geronimo’s private opinion of General Crook. We deem it a personal matter and leave it without comment, as it in no way concerns the history of the Apaches.
On page ninety-seven of the manuscript Geronimo accuses General Miles of bad faith. Of course, General Miles made the treaty with the Apaches, but we know very well that he is not responsible for the way the Government subsequently treated the prisoners of war. However, Geronimo cannot understand this and fixes upon General Miles the blame for what he calls unjust treatment.
One could not expect the Department of War to approve adverse criticisms of its own acts, but it is especially gratifying that such a liberal view has been taken of these criticisms, and also that such a frank statement of the merits of the Autobiography is submitted in the memorandum. Of course neither the President nor the War Department is in any way responsible for what Geronimo says; he has simply been granted the opportunity to state his own case as he sees it.
The fact that Geronimo has told the story in his own way is doubtless the only excuse necessary to offer for the many unconventional features of this work.
October 23, 2008
I wrote a short piece on Geronimo on my Blog The Evitable, (http://theevitable.blogspot.com)which was based on a close reading of a couple of chapters and a skim of some of the rest, but I'm now reading it through, having bought a copy second hand at a church book sale last week along with a biography of Tecumseh I plan to read soon as well.
I read about him first because a columnist in a Toronto paper, in passing, referred to him as a 'futile intifadist' who was implacable in refusing to accomodate himself to the legitimate government of the day--which begs a huge number of questions, not least how an occupying power became simply by self-assertion the legitimate government of his day, over territory that had been Apache. Geronimo's first encounter with the whites (as he calls them to distinguish them from the Mexicans, with whom the Apaches had an ongoing war, raiding back and forth) was a friendly one. His tribe (at that time the chief was Mangus-Colorado) treated and traded with them before they moved west--from the sound of it I'd say they were surveyors. It baffles me how his defensive wars thereafter can be described as implacable opposition, or why he should have trusted an army which had offered to treat, in succession, with Cochise and Mangus Colorado, in order to get them in position to be easily captured and killed along with their retinues. How you accomodate a legitimate government as treacherous as that is anybody's guess, but even at that Geronimo live on terms of peace with at least one commander, General Howard, for the simple reason that he didn't break his word. Everyone else he dealt with, right up to his final surrender and ignominious imprisonment, did.
I read about him first because a columnist in a Toronto paper, in passing, referred to him as a 'futile intifadist' who was implacable in refusing to accomodate himself to the legitimate government of the day--which begs a huge number of questions, not least how an occupying power became simply by self-assertion the legitimate government of his day, over territory that had been Apache. Geronimo's first encounter with the whites (as he calls them to distinguish them from the Mexicans, with whom the Apaches had an ongoing war, raiding back and forth) was a friendly one. His tribe (at that time the chief was Mangus-Colorado) treated and traded with them before they moved west--from the sound of it I'd say they were surveyors. It baffles me how his defensive wars thereafter can be described as implacable opposition, or why he should have trusted an army which had offered to treat, in succession, with Cochise and Mangus Colorado, in order to get them in position to be easily captured and killed along with their retinues. How you accomodate a legitimate government as treacherous as that is anybody's guess, but even at that Geronimo live on terms of peace with at least one commander, General Howard, for the simple reason that he didn't break his word. Everyone else he dealt with, right up to his final surrender and ignominious imprisonment, did.
November 10, 2016
I didn't know much about Geronimo going into this, and I found it to be a very fascinating record of an era gone by. Throughout the book there are moments of commentary and notes from the US captors and facilitators of the project. It is really unlike any other book I've read, and while there is certainly an autobiographical element to it I see it more as a bearing witness of an age and time that will never exist again.
We need more literature like this. While I know Geronimo wasn't perfect, it was wonderful to get a sense of his upbringing, culture, and life before and after the coming of the white man. His heart wrenching tale is a great example of the stories we might hear if we take the time and energy to seek them out and give them space. I recommend this book not because it stands as a glorious literary accomplishment, but because it opens a window of a people and perspective that is so often left neglected and untold.
We need more literature like this. While I know Geronimo wasn't perfect, it was wonderful to get a sense of his upbringing, culture, and life before and after the coming of the white man. His heart wrenching tale is a great example of the stories we might hear if we take the time and energy to seek them out and give them space. I recommend this book not because it stands as a glorious literary accomplishment, but because it opens a window of a people and perspective that is so often left neglected and untold.
Read
March 2, 2020باستثناء الفصلين الأخيرين تقريبًا، وبعض الفقرات هنا وهناك، الكتاب عبارة عن : قتلنا، وقتلناهم وقاتلنا، وتقاتلنا وهربوا وهربنا.
الكتاب هو سيرة ذاتية رواها المُحارب جيرونيمو من قبيلة الأباتشي من سكان أمريكيا الأصليين، وصراعه مع المكسيك والولايات المتحدة من أجل حقوق الهنود الحمر.
جيرونيمو اختار بنفسه ما يرويه للكاتب، لذا كان ما فيها متفرقًا، وأكثر ما فيه لا يعكس حياة الأباتشي وإنما قصص البطولة والحرب التي عاشها جيرونيمو، وحتى هذه الأخيرة وصفها مختصر لا يبتعد كثيرًا عمّا ذكرت في الأعلى، مكان المواجهة، عدد المتواجهين من مات ومن نجى، رغبت لو كان في الكتاب تفصيل أكبر على حياة الأباتشي، أو على الأقل أشياء أبسط من حياة جيرونيمو، لكن الواضح أنه لم يرى نفعًا في أن يرويها لنا.
قرأته وخلصت بالقليل عن الأباتشي، وذلك ليس سيئًا.
الكتاب هو سيرة ذاتية رواها المُحارب جيرونيمو من قبيلة الأباتشي من سكان أمريكيا الأصليين، وصراعه مع المكسيك والولايات المتحدة من أجل حقوق الهنود الحمر.
جيرونيمو اختار بنفسه ما يرويه للكاتب، لذا كان ما فيها متفرقًا، وأكثر ما فيه لا يعكس حياة الأباتشي وإنما قصص البطولة والحرب التي عاشها جيرونيمو، وحتى هذه الأخيرة وصفها مختصر لا يبتعد كثيرًا عمّا ذكرت في الأعلى، مكان المواجهة، عدد المتواجهين من مات ومن نجى، رغبت لو كان في الكتاب تفصيل أكبر على حياة الأباتشي، أو على الأقل أشياء أبسط من حياة جيرونيمو، لكن الواضح أنه لم يرى نفعًا في أن يرويها لنا.
قرأته وخلصت بالقليل عن الأباتشي، وذلك ليس سيئًا.
July 26, 2025
I'm so grateful this was written and allowed to be shared.
I learned so much!
About Geronimo's life, and also what living in an Apache tribe was like. Some of their customs, legends, and beliefs.
Read the preface, dedication, and introduction. They're worth it! They explain how the transcriber and Geronimo met, became friends, and the journey to get the autobiography written and allowed to be published.
I wonder what happened to him, and the Apaches, after the close of this book?
I learned so much!
About Geronimo's life, and also what living in an Apache tribe was like. Some of their customs, legends, and beliefs.
Read the preface, dedication, and introduction. They're worth it! They explain how the transcriber and Geronimo met, became friends, and the journey to get the autobiography written and allowed to be published.
I wonder what happened to him, and the Apaches, after the close of this book?
June 24, 2021
A quick read but fascinating. My first read about anything Native American related. I loved reading about the Apache way of life and hearing stories told in Geronimo's own words (more or less so). Sad we couldn't have had more peace with the Native Americans and done more to preserve their heritage. Surely this continent was big enough for us all.
September 5, 2022
An indispensable and invaluable document for anyone with an interest in the Native American experience. These are, after all, the thoughts of perhaps the most famous American Indian in history. It’s a slim volume, which can be read in a single day. And although one may wish for more, I for one was captivated.
October 16, 2015
Originally written in 1906, this autobiography of Geronimo tells his side of his life's story. It contains many insights into the life and customs of the Apache of the late nineteenth century.
August 13, 2017
Original source history, both sides. Intensely fascinating (even if the final surrender was detailed in such an anticlimactic manner).
Read
January 3, 2026There I am in the gym, benching 305 lbs, sweat beading on my brow, finishing my trillionth rep. I set the bar down, high five my trainer, and stand up to take a break. While on my break, I read the most gigachad book I know of. No, it’s NOT Marcus Aurelius… I’m reading Geronimo’s Story of His Life. The only book that says revenge is best served hot and furious. One of the classic stories of men in America that hated being told what to do.
"...when all were counted, I found that my aged mother, my young wife, and my three small children were among the slain... I stood until all had passed, hardly knowing what I would do--I had no weapon, nor did I hardly wish to fight, neither did I contemplate recovering the bodies of my loved ones, for that was forbidden. I did not pray, nor did I resolve to do anything in particular, for I had no
purpose left."
Geronimo was an angry man.
“Officers, yonder in those ditches is the red devil Geronimo and his hated band. This must be his last day. Ride on him from both sides of the ditches; kill men, women, and children; take no prisoners; dead Indians are what we want. Do not spare your own men; exterminate this band at any cost; I will post the wounded to shoot all deserters; go back to your companies and advance.’
GERONIMO: Just as the command to go forward was given I took deliberate aim at the general, and he fell.”
There's a reason they make you read authoritative, anthological 3rd-person textbooks in school instead of 1st-person accounts like this. It's because these accounts are highly specific and often deeply tragic. Geronimo was a fairly typical Apache man, so he chose revenge when his family was slaughtered, and he chose to defend when his home kept being invaded by Mexicans and Americans. He and the Mexican troops seemed to be stuck in a cycle of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” He runs from the Mexicans, fights the Mexicans, watches Cochise die, runs from the Mexicans again, robs the Americans a million times, gets lied to and cheated by the Americans (unsurprising), is confined to a reservation when he was promised home, goes to a state fair, rides in an airplane, and tells his life story to some random clerk who writes it and is only permitted to publish it with the express permission of the president. He becomes a Christian, grandfather, farmer, peaceful leader, and throughout it all he remains an Apache man who longs for his home.
Geronimo was a bitter, hardened man. I probably would be too if I scalped my enemies for nickels. He never got what was promised to him. All he ever got was a chance to tell HIS story of his life. Not the version told by the generals and the captains and the press. His perspective, his hungers, and his heart.
"...when all were counted, I found that my aged mother, my young wife, and my three small children were among the slain... I stood until all had passed, hardly knowing what I would do--I had no weapon, nor did I hardly wish to fight, neither did I contemplate recovering the bodies of my loved ones, for that was forbidden. I did not pray, nor did I resolve to do anything in particular, for I had no
purpose left."
Geronimo was an angry man.
“Officers, yonder in those ditches is the red devil Geronimo and his hated band. This must be his last day. Ride on him from both sides of the ditches; kill men, women, and children; take no prisoners; dead Indians are what we want. Do not spare your own men; exterminate this band at any cost; I will post the wounded to shoot all deserters; go back to your companies and advance.’
GERONIMO: Just as the command to go forward was given I took deliberate aim at the general, and he fell.”
There's a reason they make you read authoritative, anthological 3rd-person textbooks in school instead of 1st-person accounts like this. It's because these accounts are highly specific and often deeply tragic. Geronimo was a fairly typical Apache man, so he chose revenge when his family was slaughtered, and he chose to defend when his home kept being invaded by Mexicans and Americans. He and the Mexican troops seemed to be stuck in a cycle of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” He runs from the Mexicans, fights the Mexicans, watches Cochise die, runs from the Mexicans again, robs the Americans a million times, gets lied to and cheated by the Americans (unsurprising), is confined to a reservation when he was promised home, goes to a state fair, rides in an airplane, and tells his life story to some random clerk who writes it and is only permitted to publish it with the express permission of the president. He becomes a Christian, grandfather, farmer, peaceful leader, and throughout it all he remains an Apache man who longs for his home.
Geronimo was a bitter, hardened man. I probably would be too if I scalped my enemies for nickels. He never got what was promised to him. All he ever got was a chance to tell HIS story of his life. Not the version told by the generals and the captains and the press. His perspective, his hungers, and his heart.
April 29, 2021
This was an easy read, and was fairly short. Geronimo is one of those figures very famous these days but most people aren't exactly sure why.
An Apache, Geronimo was a brave whose family was wiped out by a raid of possibly renegade Mexican soldiers who attacked his tribe while all the braves were off signing a treaty with a nearby town. He blamed all Mexicans for this (just like white people blamed all Apaches for the actions of one group) and went on a long series of raids over the years with varying success but great skill to get his vengeance for what he considered a betrayal and the destruction of all he loved.
This book covers his life from his perspective, and in some places its kind of sad because of how he does not quite understand what is going on, and amazing because he's so perceptive and wise. In the end, Geronimo ended up a legendary figure as a light skirmisher and cavalry fighter, but died in captivity with his entire tribe.
His final plea for his people is sad and hopeful, and the footnotes help put things in perspective that Geronimo did not himself quite understand.
An Apache, Geronimo was a brave whose family was wiped out by a raid of possibly renegade Mexican soldiers who attacked his tribe while all the braves were off signing a treaty with a nearby town. He blamed all Mexicans for this (just like white people blamed all Apaches for the actions of one group) and went on a long series of raids over the years with varying success but great skill to get his vengeance for what he considered a betrayal and the destruction of all he loved.
This book covers his life from his perspective, and in some places its kind of sad because of how he does not quite understand what is going on, and amazing because he's so perceptive and wise. In the end, Geronimo ended up a legendary figure as a light skirmisher and cavalry fighter, but died in captivity with his entire tribe.
His final plea for his people is sad and hopeful, and the footnotes help put things in perspective that Geronimo did not himself quite understand.
November 4, 2024
It was ok
Displaying 1 - 30 of 356 reviews