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The Real All Americans (Abridged): The Team that Changed a Game, a People, a Nation Audiobook
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(3.11) - 247 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Sally Jenkins, bestselling co-author of It's Not About the Bike, revives a forgotten piece of history in The Real All Americans. In doing so, she has crafted a truly inspirational story about a Native American football team that is as much about football as Lance Armstrong's book was about a bike. If you’d guess that Yale or Harvard ruled the college gridiron in 1911 and 1912, you’d be wrong. The most popular team belonged to an institution called the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Its story begins with Lt. Col. Richard Henry Pratt, a fierce abolitionist who believed that Native Americans deserved a place in American society. In 1879, Pratt made a treacherous journey to the Dakota Territory to recruit Carlisle’s first students. Years later, three students approached Pratt with the notion of forming a football team. Pratt liked the idea, and in less than twenty years the Carlisle football team was defeating their Ivy League opponents and in the process changing the way the game was played. Sally Jenkins gives this story of unlikely champions a breathtaking immediacy. We see the legendary Jim Thorpe kicking a winning field goal, watch an injured Dwight D. Eisenhower limping off the field, and follow the glorious rise of Coach Glenn “Pop” Warner as well as his unexpected fall from grace. The Real All Americans is about the end of a culture and the birth of a game that has thrilled Americans for generations. It is an inspiring reminder of the extraordinary things that can be achieved when we set aside our differences and embrace a common purpose.
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"excellent read about the history of the Carlisle Indian Institute- its successes on the gridiron and in the education of the Native Americans- Jim Thorpe, Pop Warner and Henry Pratt, the idealistic 10th Cavalry who founded the institute are naturally featured. The controversial policies that led to its establishment are also covered, as well as a variety of events from the Wounded Knee Massacre to the 1912 Olympics are covered. Other personalities such as Teddy Roosevelt, Walter Camp, American Horse, and Dwight Eisenhower are also highlighted."
— Dan (4 out of 5 stars)
The Real All Americans Listener Reviews
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" If you like football, and history, this is the book for you. Fascinating, uplifting, depressing, but ultimately an insightful account of the development of a sport and a country. "
— Christopher, 2/5/2014 -
" Great book, intriguing story, very much a history rather than sports book. Understand a lot more about this historical event. recommend this highly "
— Jim, 1/23/2014 -
" Fantastic Book. A true Eye Opener for any football/History fan. I have a new found respect for all the individuals in this book. "
— Jesse, 1/18/2014 -
" I liked this book. The reader really got to see the "re-socializing" of the native American from a sympathetic, albeit, misguided perspective of Colonel Pratt. The fixed and futile position of the native American is strongly illustrated. Also, there were many areas I never knew of like the football success of Carlisle and the nations dismissal of their intelligence. "
— Nigel, 1/1/2014 -
" Interesting story of Carlisle Indian School and beginnings of football. "
— Alan, 1/1/2014 -
" After the US spent a lot of time killing Indians, the Indians got really good at football, invented the forward pass, and devastated Ivy League schools in the early 20th century. Unfortunately, the football games didn't get anyone their land back, bring back any buffalo, etc. "
— Wilson, 12/24/2013 -
" Very interesting book. A departure from her usual Lance books. More intelligently written than her Washington Post columns. "
— Keiron, 12/7/2013 -
" A game changing book with an epic sweep of the last days of the "Indian Wars" and the role of American football at Carlisle College in changing the nation. Exciting, thoughtful and memorable! "
— Ellis, 9/15/2013 -
" A classic example of the sports book that is not at all of sports book. This tells one of the most remarkable stories I have ever read... and I have no idea why it took so long for someone to tell it. And it is told masterfully. "
— Douglas, 4/16/2013 -
" Full of late 19th/early 20th century Native American history and the early years of American football. Interesting, but not necessarily topics I'm most interested in (it was a gift for my husband and I hadn't been to the library in awhile so I picked it up). "
— Laurie, 4/11/2013 -
" This is a very interesting and fun book to read. You learn about the Olympic great Jim Thorpe, Pop Warner and the native americans and how they changed the game of football against all odds. "
— Paul, 3/20/2013 -
" Wonderful history of Carlisle Indian School and how their football team, literally, changed the rules of American Football. "
— Curtis, 2/15/2013 -
" Great book, when I could get past all the historical background. "
— Valrie, 11/11/2012 -
" Interesting enough to make me want to learn more about both subjects (Native American/Early US history and history of the game of "American" football). At times it reads like a research paper, but it's an easy read. "
— Darin, 10/19/2012 -
" A must read for football lovers. Not an easy read but a very interesting perspective on the history of American Indians and their influence on football. I enjoyed it. "
— Paula, 4/1/2012 -
" Great football book that mostly isn't about football, but guys will still like it. "
— Briana, 7/26/2011 -
" This book was my favorite book of the year. After reading this, I wished that I had studied Native American Studies in college rather than just history. Very impressed with the writing and the research that made this book an interesting and informative book. "
— Pete, 6/6/2011 -
" This was an excellent read historically., sports,, story line. "
— timothy, 5/5/2011 -
" Great book, intriguing story, very much a history rather than sports book. Understand a lot more about this historical event. recommend this highly "
— Jim, 3/27/2011 -
" This isn't just about football- this is a history lesson of the authentic journey of the Native American into contemporary American culture. <br/><br/>Amazing- reads like a novel!!! "
— Jim, 12/12/2010 -
" A classic example of the sports book that is not at all of sports book. This tells one of the most remarkable stories I have ever read... and I have no idea why it took so long for someone to tell it. And it is told masterfully. "
— Douglas, 8/22/2010 -
" Very interesting book. A departure from her usual Lance books. More intelligently written than her Washington Post columns. "
— Keiron, 8/13/2009 -
" If you like football, and history, this is the book for you. Fascinating, uplifting, depressing, but ultimately an insightful account of the development of a sport and a country. "
— Christopher, 5/21/2009 -
" Fantastic Book. A true Eye Opener for any football/History fan. I have a new found respect for all the individuals in this book. "
— Jesse, 2/14/2009 -
" This is a very interesting and fun book to read. You learn about the Olympic great Jim Thorpe, Pop Warner and the native americans and how they changed the game of football against all odds. "
— Paul, 1/12/2009 -
" Great football book that mostly isn't about football, but guys will still like it. "
— Briana, 8/18/2008 -
" A very worthy book telling the story of the football team of the Carlyle Indian School and their contributions to the game of football and their continual efforts to be respected. It is just too long by half. "
— Jean, 6/11/2008
About Sally Jenkins
Sally Jenkins is an award-winning journalist for the Washington Post and is the co-author of the bestsellers It’s Not About the Bike and Every Second Counts, written with Lance Armstrong. She lives in New York.
About David Pittu
David Pittu, a two-time Tony Award nominee, has narrated dozens of audiobooks, including Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch, which earned two prestigious Audie Awards for best narration. He has also won three Earphones Awards. Well-known for his work in theater, he has appeared off-Broadway in LoveMusik and Is He Dead, for which he received his Tony nominations, as well as Parade, for which he earned a National Broadway Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He is also a writer, member, and director of the Atlantic Theater company.