MY REVIEW:
The Healing of Natalie Curtis is a fictional account that brings to life the quest of the real life Natalie Curtis who traveled to the southwest with her brother in hopes of finding healing after several years of illness after an emotional breakdown. In the quiet and beauty of the desert and the music and spirit of the Native Americans she encountered, Natalie not only received healing for her body and soul but a purpose for her life. Preservation of the languages, music, dances, and customs of the various tribes became a driving goal for Natalie and nothing would stand in her way.
This novel gives readers another look into how the Indian people were mistreated by the men in charge of assimilating them into the American culture. Mistakenly assuming that taking away everything about their way of life would be beneficial, these men nearly destroyed a culture rich in art, beauty, and music that made this country so unique. Thanks to brave and determined women like Natalie, at least some of their culture has been preserved and will live on for others to learn from and enjoy.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
She came to the West for rest . . . what she found was a passion.
Classically trained pianist and singer Natalie Curtis can’t seem to recapture the joy that music once brought her. In 1902, her brother invites her to join him in the West to search for healing. What she finds are songs she’d never before encountered–the haunting melodies, rhythms, and stories of Native Americans.
But their music is under attack. The US government’s Code of Offenses prohibits America’s Indigenous people from singing, dancing, or speaking their own languages. Natalie makes it her mission not only to document these songs before they disappear but to appeal to President Teddy Roosevelt himself, who is the only man with the power to repeal the unjust law.
Award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick weaves a lyrical novel based on a true story that captivates to the very end.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling and award-winning author or contributor to thirty-nine books, including Something Worth Doing, One More River to Cross, A Name of Her Own, All Together in One Place, A Light in the Wilderness, The Memory Weaver, This Road We Traveled, and A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the prestigious Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center. Her works have won the WILLA Literary Award, the Carol Award for Historical Fiction, the 2016 Will Rogers Gold Medallion Award and 2021 Silver award. They have been short-listed for the Christy, Oregon Book Awards, and the Spur Awards. A clinical social worker and former consultant to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Early Childhood programs, Jane now divides her time between Bend, Oregon, and Rancho Mirage, California, with her husband, Jerry, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Caesar. Learn more at www.jkbooks.com.
