This is the fascinating and absorbing life story of a Mescalero/Chiracahua Apache man -- one who, when he was just a small child, knew Geronimo. Told in his own words, the story is annotated by a white ethnologist, Opler, who made a study of the Apache people over several decades and knew this man very well (the first section of the book explains the culture and historical context), so that all references made by the speaker can be understood by any reader. As he recalls events of his life, he draws the reader deeper into his experience: from his respect and love of the old Apache ways, to the stress and anxiety created by tribal and family disruption caused by government interference. He speaks often and at length about the uses of spiritual power as found in plants, animals, and the earth. This book was apparently written as a textbook for cultural anthropology at Stanford University, but it also deserves our attention for its humanity and for the intriguing story it tells.

This book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in Apache culture. It may not have the flow of novel but that is not the intention. This book is a glimpse into the lives of the fiercest and most honorable Native Americans that ever lived...the Apache.

Opler's book is the result of lengthy interviews with informants during the early part of the Twentieth century .He has quoted many of these Apaches verbatum without editorializing thereby providing an authentic picture of the tribal lifeway during the 19th century. The reader learns not only the ethnological facts but senses the feelings, values and emotions of these people. "An Apache Lifeway" remains the most definitive source of material cited in later publications on the subject. The book is easily readable because anthropological jargon is avoided.

I bought this book because I am mainly interested in Coyote mythology. This book has a large section devoted to tales containing the Coyote in one context or another. All in all, there is approximatly 100 pages of Coyote "tails." This includes a section devoted to the "Coyote Cycle" reguarding animal myths.