A History of the Narragansett Tribe of Rhode Island: Keepers of the Bay (American Heritage)

I would definitely recommend this book. This is one of the most comprehensive books dedicate to the history of the Narragansett. This is an easy read and the author does a great job presenting a chronological history and providing supporting facts. I did not give this 5 stars because there was one fault I found. It's regarding the Great Swamp Massacre. I was hoping to get better insight into this event. Unfortunately the author was not able to give any detailed account of this event. The author criticizes other authors by saying "They can only summarize a day of horror, death and atrocity in a few paragraphs of prose." After reading that I thought the eyewitness accounts would provide a window into what and how this happen. However, I was disappointed. There are other books I've read that have given a much better telling of this event.I will say there's was another event the authors mentions in the book. It's regarding the Pequot War. It has moved my to do more research to find out more about the Narragansett and the Mehegan involvement.Other than that 1 flaw, this is a great book and should be added your library.

This book has a questionable title given some of the scanty historical research and out right misinformation. As a Narragnsett Indian elder who has done the genealogy of my family and as a consequence did much research on my tribe dating back to the 1500's I question some of the reported history in this book. I would like to provide a few examples of my afore mentioned concerns. 1) James Niles was one of many Narragansetts who also signed a petition to The Rhode Island General Assembly regarding Thomas Ninigret/ Sachem selling the Narragansett land for his reported debts. (see info at R.I State Archives exhibt 233). 2) As to Harold Mars he is my biological Uncle. His Narraganset Indian lineage comes from Benjamin Thomas 1 who was the son of Hannah Niles who was the reported daughter of James Niles the brother of Samuel Niles. The Mars family is non Indian and came to R.I from N.Y/ Philadelphia in the late 1800's. 3) Russell Spears was a Black man who was born and grew up on the South side of Providence R.I. He married a Narragansett Indian women named Grace Brown. The Spears family migrated from South Carolina to Providence R.I. around the early 1900's( see the 1920 and 1930 United States Federal Census). As to the Original Narraganstt Indian Stone Masons, one might go back to the 1800's and find family names such as Thomas, Champlin and Perry to name a few. I have the foregoing historical documents and census data along with other historical information to support my statements. As a Narraganset elder I have the responsibilty to ensure that the correct historical facts be passed down to the next generation. Again some of the information in this book concerns me.

I leave to other reviewers the question of the veracity of all the details, but for me I was grateful for a well written overview of the history of the Narragansett tribe, a history which continues to live in the present in the State in which I live.

Bought for grandsons (Narragansett heritage). Haven’t read it yet.

l don't wish to comment. I only highlited the stars to show my satisfaction with this purchase. I also don't care for this rating program. It's too damn pushy.

Very informative. I learned a lot about my ancestry.

Very good reading, I enjoyed it

Great book on life with Indians. If you like this book you will want to read the following similar 99-cent books:1. Life Among the Choctaw Indians and Sketches of the South-west (1860) 2.  The Old North Trail: Or, Life, Legends and Religion of the Blackfeet Indians (1910) 3.  My Life with the Indians: The Narrative of an English Gentleman in the Lodges of the Pawnee in 1835 4.  Life Among the Apaches (1868) 5.  Recollections of a Forest Life (1851) 6.  Life Among the Paiutes (1883) 7.  From the Deep Woods to Civilization (1916) (Linked Table of Contents) 8.  The Autobiography of a Winnebago Indian (1920) (Linked Table of Contents) 9.  Early Life Among the Indians: Reminiscences from the Life of Benjamin G. Armstrong (1892) (Linked Table of Contents) 10.  Reminiscences of Travel in Cherokee Lands (1899)