Anumpa Warrior: Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I

by Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer

DISCOVER THE EPIC STORY OF THE ORIGINAL WWI CODE TALKERS…The day I betrayed Isaac, I vowed never again to speak my native language in front of white men.

When America enters the Great War in 1917, Bertram Robert (B.B.) Dunn and his Choctaw buddies from Armstrong Academy join the army to protect their homes, their families, and their country. Hoping to find redemption for a horrible lie that betrayed his best friend, B.B. heads into the trenches of France—but what he discovers is a duty only his native tongue can fulfill.

Stationed in worn-torn Europe since 1914, war correspondent Matthew Teller, B.B.’s uncle, is ready to quit until an encounter with a fellow Choctaw sets him on a path to write the untold story of American Indian doughboys. But entrenched stereotypes and prejudices tear at his burning desire to spread truth.

With the Allies building toward the greatest offensive drive of the war, the American Expeditionary Forces face a superior enemy who intercepts their messages and knows their every move. Can the solution come from a people their own government stripped of culture and language?

Experience the powerful tale of these courageous first American people through Anumpa Warrior. Based on true events, this faith-filled historical fiction takes you on a journey of our shared world history—and of hope for all people.

“Anumpa Warrior (Language Warrior) is the first novel on the Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I. Combining extensive historical research on the code talkers, insights into Choctaw culture, solid character development, and stimulating narrative, Choctaw author Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer has written a gem.” —Dr. William C. Meadows, Missouri State University, Code Talker scholar

“As the granddaughter of a WWI Choctaw Code Talker, I was spellbound, speechless, and teary-eyed.” —Beth (Frazier) Lawless, granddaughter of Tobias Frazier

“Sarah’s eloquent style and words give the story so much life and spirit. I say châpeau, hats off to you!” —Jeffrey Aarnio, former superintendent, American Battle Monuments Commission

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, World War I

335 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2018

About the author

SARAH ELISABETH SAWYER is a story archaeologist. She digs up shards of past lives, hopes, and truths, and pieces them together for readers today. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian honored her as a literary artist through their Artist Leadership Program for her work in preserving Choctaw Trail of Tears stories. She is the creator of the Fiction Writing: American Indians digital course.

A tribal member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, she writes historical fiction from her hometown in Texas, partnering with her mother, Lynda Kay Sawyer, in continued research for future works. Learn more at SarahElisabethWrites.com, ChoctawSpirit.com, and Facebook.com/SarahElisabethSawyer.

Reviews

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anumpa Warrior: Choctaw Talkers Of WWI by Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer is a marvellous epic Christian historical read preserving the memory of the role of the Choctaw Indians in WWI. I knew nothing about these brave men but have been educated upon reading this book.
The reader is given some background into the treatment of the Choctaws in America. Horrifically they could be punished for speaking their own language and were seen as inferior to white Americans. Ironically it would be their native tongue that would play a crucial role in WWI.
The Choctaw people were not savages, although the Germans believed them capable of barbaric acts and were scared of them. The Choctaws knew God, thanks to missionaries. "I didn't have the answers for all the tragedies in this corrupted world, but I knew the eternal answer." When life is tough we must focus on the world to come. The Choctaws knew to put their trust in God. "He was all around me, in life and death... I made the decision to put my trust in Him."
War ages people. "I was like a child with memories of an old man." Things are seen in war that cannot be unseen. WWI was horrific. Men died horribly. If they were lucky to survive the war, they returned with scars that were not always visible.
There was a camaraderie among the men. Maybe even more so among the Choctaws, united by a common language and heritage.
This was a fabulous epic read. As a historian with a passion for WWI, I had no idea of the role played by the Choctaws. I had not even heard of them. I have now, thanks to Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer's research and marvellously woven tale. My thirst for knowledge, education and a jolly good story have all been satisfied within the pages of Anumpa Warrior.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

[Assia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I have definitely started 2019 with an amazing book! (Full review will be posted in the few days coming). This book deserves a 5 stars. A MUST READ!
REVIEW (LONG!):
Anumpa Warrior is the book I’ve been waiting for. I’m currently working on my master’s thesis which is on the exact same topic as the book: Choctaw Code Talkers of WWI. While doing research I found very little information available online for a broader audience and Anumpa Warrior perfectly fills that void – making the history, the role of these Choctaw code talkers accessible to everyone in an epic novel!
Although I knew who these Choctaw code talkers were, what they had done during WWI, it did not take anything away from the suspense or the plot. The only thing I knew when I opened the book was that it a was a fiction about the Choctaw code talkers, I had read the blurb that mentioned Bertram Robert Dunn and Isaac who are both fictional characters. And that was about it. As I was reading, I kept seeing familiar names: James Edwards, Mitchell Bobb, Solomon Louis and although I knew who they were I still checked my research notes. I was absolutely delighted to see that the author wasn’t just telling a fictional story with Choctaw characters but was doing more than that by having the real Choctaw code talkers present all throughout the novel. It went beyond that, the fact that she included real anecdotes was even more interesting, it makes it very hard to draw a line between story and history, fictional facts and real facts, they’re perfectly interwoven to make this novel.
The novel had very accurate elements, and depictions of Native Americans’ situation at war and at home. The trauma behind the use of their native language and the consequences it had on them as to their identity. Are their Americans? Or just Choctaw? Or Both? And how to balance these two identities. When to be Choctaw? When to be American? A lot of Native Americans volunteered (both men and women participated in the war effort, in different ways) although they were not citizens! The novel clearly highlighted the reasons why Native Americans (here Choctaw) volunteered and registered, and it also depicted the White perspective on them, what White Americans thought of them but not only. The novel also included the European perspective, especially the German one which is very important.
Anumpa Warrior made all of the academic information about Native Americans’ participation to WWI accessible through a well-woven plot. A lot can be learned from it without having to navigate academical books.
I wish there was a chapter or two (or three lol) about the lives of these Choctaw code talkers back home and how they dealt with the secrecy of their job. BUT maybe Sarah Elizabeth Sawyer is writing a sequel to this novel! I would love for that to happen so I’m crossing my fingers!
I loved this book, and I would love for you (whoever you are) to pick it up, there is so much to learn and know, and these brave men need more visibility! So spread the word around you!

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anumpa Warrior by Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer tells the true story of the Choctaw Code Talkers of WWI. This novel is an inspirational story of larger than life men who's heroic deeds save thousands of lives and brought WWI to an end much faster than expected. It's a piece of history that has been ignored for much too long. I found this statistic astounding, 20% of the male Native American population volunteered to fight for the U.S. government in WWI and Native Americans were not eligible for U.S. citizenship at the time.

Although historical fiction this book is historically accurate and the reader meets the real "code talkers" while reading. I found their stories extremely moving. Treated poorly by the government which stole their land and then did everything possible to beat their identity, history, beliefs and language out of them they still lined up to enlist to fight "for their country."

The storyline is well developed and follows these men from childhood in "Indian Schools" through basic traing and into the horror that was WWI trench warfare. The novel brings you into the battles and trenches right along side these heros. You learn first hand based on historical fact why General Pershing and the French Commanders grew to respect and then depend on the "American Indian" troops.

This book is real history so character development is accurate and well fleshed out. As a reader I found myself wishing I could meet these men to thank them for their sacrifice. After being beaten for talking in their native language in the end that language saved thousands of lives of combatants on both sides, Allied Countries and German.

I recommend this book. This is an important book that sheds light on history that should be honored legend but is pretty much forgotten. This isn't an American story it is a story people living in every allied country should read because they sacrificed for all of us. It's a story of how First American's saved the world by their contributions in what was called The Great War and The War To End All Wars.

[Margo Lee Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer’s Anumpa Warrior is a fast-paced yet highly detailed look at U. S. participation in World War I, as seen through the eyes of a young Choctaw enlistee from Oklahoma, named Bertram Robert Dunn, or “B. B.” It is a war story, but it is also a story of coming of age, a story about finding one’s self. As the United States entered the war, B. B. and his boarding school friends, always caught between the Choctaw world and the white world, forbidden to speak the Choctaw language, simply wanted to prove their loyalty as Americans. They wanted to demonstrate that even though the greater society saw them as second-class citizens, they would stand with their countrymen and prove their loyalty.
Sawyer’s storytelling skills are effortless as she moves scenes along. As active as her scenes are, her characters are also introspective. They seek meaning in their lives and reflect on the things that happen to them. In fact, B. B. spends much of his time trying to determine what he will do with his life when he returns. Of course, there was no shortage of well-meaning suggestions. By war’s end, he would gain some clarity. Sawyers’ descriptions of the battle scenes were vivid, and I found myself experiencing heightened anxiety waiting to find out if all would come through unscathed. Sadly, not all did. One surprising jolt for me was when I was reading that B. B. and the others would experience their first battle the next day and the date mentioned was exactly that date one hundred years later. I caught my breath momentarily at this realization. The ability to bring these scenes alive is a testament to the immense research that Sawyer did at the National Archives, at historical societies, with descendants, and on the actual battlefields of France. It paid off.
I highly recommend this compelling, but hitherto little-known story. Sawyer has greatly honored the memory of the Choctaw Codetalkers.

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a tale of the horrors of the trenches in World War I and the role of the American Indian doughboys in thi s, once America joined the war late in 1917. The mina character is BB, Betram Robert Dunn, a Choctaw native Indian, who we first meet at about age nine whilst at the Armstrong Academy. A school and boarding house for native students, where speaking in their native tongue was eaten out of them. BB’s best friend is Isaac, but this friendship stops dead when BB tells a lie to save himself from punishment and from shame being placed on his family. Isaac runs away and he doesn’t see him until he is in France for the war.

BB’s uncle, Matthew Teller, has been a war correspondent for numerous campaigns and reported on all sorts of conflicts. He started WWI in the German trenches with a photographer colleague. He gets to see the war from both sides and speaking French and German, as well as English and his native tongue, gives him a unique view on the world. After over three years of war and ending up in France, he hears that his nephew BB is being shipped out shortly. His own daughter turned away from the native life and moved to the city, but when war was declared, she joined up with the Red Cross and has been working in the first aid tents near the front. Matthew is estranged from her after she moved away.

Matthew has had enough and was ready to return home until he takes up a new story about a particular Native American Choctaw soldier. It revitalises his wish to write and he starts writing about the role of the native Indian doughboys in the war. He wants to ensure the truth is told, but the story he writes and what the papers in America write are like chalk and cheese. When BB gets to the front for the first time, the French didn’t even know they were arriving and had no billets ready for them, but surprisingly, the Germans did! BB and his company, made up of almost all Native American Indians from Oklahoma, are disappointed to be combined with a regiment from Texas and lose their unique identity.

The Choctaw soldier that Matthew has been following, states he signed up to show everyone he was a true American and with the hope that everyone back home would see him as that also. They have mostly been brought up in boarding schools like Armstrong Academy, where their native identity, language and customs were not allowed to be used or seen and some even had families back home who wouldn’t even speak their native tongue. They wanted their children to be able to mix in the white man’s world! Living in a country that wanted them to ignore their own culture and even informing them to educate their fellow Indians on living the expected ‘white’ life, stripped of language and cultural customs.

The timing of America’s inclusion in WWI is much later than I realised and the arrival of BB and the others is close to the end of the war. The Germans are known to be able to capture a lot of the allies’ communications and know what they have planned. Thankfully, the Germans are finally on the back foot and the allies are gearing up to a massive offensive. With them seemingly knowing everything the allies are doing, The Choctaw suddenly find themselves finally being used for their unique language, as Code Talkers, passing communications in secret, that the Germans had no chance of understanding.

It can almost be compared to the advantage the Germans ad in WWII with the enigma machine, until its code was broken. The Choctaw language was something no-one outside the Oklahoma region would be able to understand and gave the confidence of communications being kept safe from the enemy and any important information on troop movements not being intercepted like they were. An important role using their unique language for the white man’s benefit and their own. No longer pushed to hide their culture and language, but having a major role to play and be treated as true Americans, with level pegging with their fellow soldiers.

An important role that not much is known about. I remember a film about Code Talkers, but I’m sure it was based in WWII. The absolute crushing of the Native American culture and use of their own language seemed to be very overpowering, but accepted by the native students as part of living in the white mans’ world. A sad state of affairs, repeated everywhere where people of different cultures collide and one overpowers the other. Being punished for speaking your native language is comparable to being attacked for your religion in our modern world. We are a world of individuals that don’t like what is different to our own lives and this is a terrible insight into what happens when one culture overpowers another.

The history of the Choctaw people and the many roles some of them were part of, shows their perseverance and strength of character. They came from a down trodden position in society, but all signed up to defend their country and ended up using their native skills to play an important role in the final months of WWI. I loved the fact the Germans were scared of the Native Americans, having seen tales from the movies and believing fully in their savage role in war. The simple war cry and appearance of one such soldier led to a group of German soldiers surrendering, when the soldier didn’t even have a bullet left in his gun! Great to see such a history finally being told and making others aware of what can be done with a skill most refused to allow to be used in normal everyday life! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Texas]

Anumpa Warrior: Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I - This is the first book I read by this author and I like it. While the code talkers of WWI were new to me, the rest of the history of that part of France was correct. I had read a lot about the Choctaw people, and other Native Americans, as a child, teen and adult but never came across anything about their military service as code talkers.

I married a Choctaw but he did not know about the Trail of Tears. His family never talked about their heritage, their customs or spoke their language. Although he, his father and his grandfather went to the yearly meet in OK until the mid-Sixties.

Anumpa Warrior is a must read whether from a historical point of view or as a novel. The lives of these Americans and what they still faced in the early 1900s is interesting, intriguing and heartwrenching. To experience their lives from childhood through WWI is educational to those who do not know American or Native American history. The writing style does not harp on about the injustices but presents the historical events in an easy to understand storytelling style. No whiners in this story.

The story is well thought out and carries the reader along through history at a steady pace. It is difficult to put this book down. The characters are real. Their dialogues are real. Their emotions are real. The horrors from many different sources are experienced by the reader as if there in time.

I cannot say enough about how well done, how accurate and how much this is an important read. It is easy to turn this into a book report but it would be so unfair to the interested readers. Step back in time and read about how many overcame the times they lived in and became the people for all Americans to be proud to have as fellow Americans. These people helped make our country great even after the horrors their Nations endured from the arrival of the Europeans to the Americas. I found this book on Booksprout. 5*

[Kelly Tyree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Anumpa Warrior for so many reasons. It is a book that sheds light on the impact the American Indian had on WWI. I had no idea and was so happy to learn that they played an integral part in our success. I also loved the book because of the characters and how they find their direction through their experiences in the war. You get to be on the front lines with the characters. You get to be down in the trenches with them and feel how they felt when they were under fire, when their fellow soldiers were hit by enemy fire. But you also get to see the war end and those that lacked direction find their purpose. You get to see the great faith the Indians had in the Lord and how they sang about Him in the trenches. I also loved how the Indians signed up to fight in the war to prove not that they were warriors, but that they were Americans.

Anumpa Warrior is a book I highly recommend. It is well written and keeps you right there with the characters from page one right up to the end.

[Lee Dawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anumpa Warrior: Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I by Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer is historical fiction at its best. The story follows a young boy and his uncle as they navigate being both Choctaw and American in the era surrounding World War I. One is running away, and the other is following. Both believing they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing. Through the pages their internal struggle unfolds and as they grow, your understanding of what it means to be Choctaw grows. The author weaves historical fact into the story and leaves you a list of resources at the end so you can follow up and learn more about the code talkers. Trust me, once you close this book, you’ll want to know more! You might even want to learn the language!

[Edward Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a long time student of military history with particular interest in the Great War, I found this book intriguing and very informative. A lot has been written as said about the Marine Navajo Code Talkers of WW II, but the Choctaw Code Talkers in The Great War. The book reads more like a nonfiction history rather than a historical novel.
This novel describes in detail the contribution of the Choctaw dough boys, showing their ingenuity, skill, and patriotism. The book illustrates the extensive research and shows the author’s ability as a trained historian. It is a must read for anyone interested in military history and The United States participation in the Great War. It deserves more than 5 stars.

[Heather W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anumpa Warrior (Language Warrior) is the first novel on the Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I and is a fascinating historical read.

This spellbinding book weaves the factual history of the Choctaw tribe and the importance of the Choctaw Code Talkers with a fictional story about a soldier going to war and his trials throughout WWI. The author, who is herself Choctaw, has written a story that is a page-turner and a must-read for all fans of history. This intriguing book should be on the reading lists in high schools so that future generations may learn about the past, written in a style that would keep them enthralled from start to finish.

I am looking forward to reading more books by this amazing storyteller.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.

[Dennis Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

After attending a presentation by the author, I knew I had to read this book. I have several members of my family who are Choctaw, so the historical perspective was very interesting to me. Sarah spent months (and likely years) meticulously researching and working to make sure the facts of the story were accurate to portray the history of the Choctaw Code Talkers. I'm not a heavy fiction reader, but this story captured my attention throughout. Midway I wondered how several of the plotlines would turn out. The characters are true to life and the stories reminded me of some older stories my late grandfather-in-law told about his time overseas during war. This is my first read for Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer and I can definitely say that I look forward to some of her other books.

[Elsa Hoffmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most enthralling and beautiful and compassionate book about war I have ever read.

I had no idea that Native American Indian tribes fought during WW1. This is an eye opener and please read it. I just hope somebody spots the potential and makes a movie out of this - it would be the right thing to do so the whole world can know what those boys died for.

They fought for their country which was, and still is, and always will be, America. No one forced them, many could not even speak or read English. They were the Indians. Unwanted, treated badly for years - and still they fought. Unbelievable. Beautifully written.

[Bhriv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anupa Warrior: Choctaw Code Talkers of World War 1, written by Sarah Elizabeth Sawyer, is an enjoyable and informative read.
I've always enjoyed Native American fiction and found this to be a great read. Sawyer did her homework before writing and you can tell by the depth of the read that this topic is near to her heart. I loved how she used the back of the book to inform the reader of the historical facts.
The characters are brought to life with vivid descriptions. The reader is sure to feel a part of the story as they turn the pages to see where the story will lead them.
I was given an ARC of this book by the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent story. Well written. In the back of the book it tells were the author got most of her information. True history and some added to round it out. Different people came from all over the world to make a new life in America. They all have made a mark in making it a great Nation. The American Indian has always been here and the Whit man tried to take away there ways and language. I wounder how they felt after the World Wars when different Indian Languages made such a difference from losing to wining. They were known as Wind Talkers in WW11. I received a complimentary review copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Robbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer's books, but this one quickly became my favorite. She did an enormous amount of research in preparation for the book, including a trip to France to visit several places mentioned in the book. Her research and this book have been instrumental in bringing awareness and knowledge of the significance of the Oklahoma Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I. A great book for anyone who loves forgotten history, the untold story of the WWI Choctaw Code Talkers, along with the story of the Choctaw people of Oklahoma, their culture and their bravery.

[DennisBrigett Huebshman]

Absolutely amazing!

My grandfather, Ernst Gustav Hubschmann was a soldier for the Kaiser in WW1. Miss Sarah tells the story of her people in a very marvelous way. We've heard about the Navajo code talkers of WW2, but the Chactaw talkers of WW1 were 1st. As a nation, America owes a huge debt to all native Americans for their amazing service for a country that has given them fits.
Thank you, Miss Sarah, for this wonderful work you have given regarding the Blessed Chactaw people, and their contributions to this country!

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating view of the Choctaw peoples' role in winning WWI, this book has many delightful stories about the individual lives of the soldiers. I truly enjoyed it! My only criticism is that it was a little too long- the book dragged in places.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gail Tavis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

I had never read a book about WW1, or Choctaw Code Talkers, this book helped me understand what went on so long ago. I really got an education on Native Americans and just one of the many things they have contributed to this nation. Sarah has a wonderful way of writing and I really look forward to reading more of her books.

[Laura Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a well written book. It just flowed beautiful. Plus, it was clean even when explaining a battle. I didn't know there were code talkers in WWI, I only knew they had been a part of WWII. Such an interesting piece of history. It is sad to see how Native Americans have been treated down through history. But this story shares an amazing time when the European countries treated them with respect.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book. My husband and I read it aloud together. We really appreciated the creative way this author incorporated her extensive factual research into a great story utilizing both actual and fictional characters. My husband is Choctaw so we especially liked a story about them and their code talking during WWI.

[Kimberlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the best book written by Chahta writer Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer.... so much detail has been put into this book about the WWI Choctaw Code Talkers. I love learning about our Chahta elders and see the effects of the Chahta anumpa during WWI.

[Mallory Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read by Sarah, especially the Choctaw Tribune series. I appreciate her research and attention to detail. I’ve learned a lot about Choctaw culture and history while being entertained by great storytelling.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I knew some of the things about this era but not to this extent! I would recommend everyone to read this book!

I do hope that they make this into a movie.

[MaryEllen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.
Very well done, realistic, characters and situations.
You can readily feel and envision the characters go through.
Parts were really hard, for personal reasons, to read.

[Jennifer Kueter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A excellent story about a part of history so few know about!

[Suzanne Atwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Knowledge of

It was exciting to learn of code talkers in World War I even before the Navajo code talkers of WWII. Thank you for this sharing.

[John Mahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely hard to put this one down. Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer, through hard work and detailed research, coupled with her extensive knowledge of the history of the Choctaw Nation and her innate ability to put words to paper has mixed a great deal of fact with a bit of fiction to tell a tale that will bring tears to your eyes and a smile to your face. With family roots in the Choctaw tribal region of Oklahoma, I was born in McAlester and spent a bit of time in the Wilburton area off and on while growing up as part of a military family. During those years I also spent several months living in the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache region around Lawton, returning there after high school to attend college where I studied Military History, and worked for a time at Fort Sill. During that time, my best friend was a full blood Comanche who ultimately proved to be a fearless warrior during his service in Vietnam. I continued those studies and lived for a short while in the central and north central parts of the state. I then spent 24 years in the U.S. Army which included several more months of training at Fort Sill. I finally learned about the contributions of the American Indian to the success of our efforts in World War I from this novel. Even though I had been raised in the military, studied about war in school and in the military, and served in Vietnam, I did not get a feel for what it was like to be a soldier mobilized from the citizenry who finds himself at the front on the battlefield within a relatively short period of time. Though my active service ended in 1989 and Sarah's book was not published until 2018, I feel I would have been a better soldier and a more capable leader had I known then what I believe I have gained in knowledge and understanding from reading this story. I recommend it to everyone.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Must Read book! It is very well written and hooks you on the first page. If you like historical fiction, you will love this book. It is well researched and would be a wonderful addition to a school library. The author brought the book to life with her words and keeps you turning the pages. I highly recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Annie J (The History Solarium Book Club) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exploring Native Life: A Recommended Read for Young Adults

I would definitely recommend this book for a young adult reader or student who is interested in war history. It is an important story worth telling. I selected it to because it was about the Choctaw Code Talkers of WWI but it was so much more. The actual parts about Code Talking was only ~50/330 pages which was a little disappointing. But, I was happily engaged with the other aspects of native life in the early 20th century.

[Melinda Busch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer’s books in the past, greatly appreciating her eye for detail, her exquisite use of language, and her commitment to historical accuracy in her writing, so when I heard about Anumpa Warrior, I knew I had to read it.

Most attention given in books and movies to the Code Talkers goes to the Navajo Windtalkers of World War 2, but the Navajo weren’t the first Native Americans to use their language as a code to help American forces to victory in war. That designation goes to the Choctaw doughboys of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War 1, and Anumpa Warrior is the first novel to tell their story. The vital work these young men did played a significant role in bringing an end to the war and achieving an Allied victory. While Bertram Robert Dunn (B.B.), the book’s main character, is fictional, the history is real and of vast importance for a fuller understanding of the important role the Code Talkers played in World War 1.

But this book is far more than a history lesson. Intertwined with the history are themes of friendship, forgiveness, faith, and cultural identity. We follow B.B. as he passes from boyhood to maturity, struggling to figure out whether he belongs to the Choctaw world he was born to or the white world he was educated to.

Sawyer has a true gift for creating believable characters and weaving together compelling stories with a strong foundation of meticulous research. I highly recommend Anumpa Warrior as a valuable book, not only for the history it teaches, but for the compelling story that left me feeling immensely satisfied and inspired.