Kindred by Choice: Germans and American Indians since 1800 Hardcover – August 12, 2013

I deeply appreciated the objective and sensitive approach to the subject matter, "Germans and American Indians since 1800."Many accounts mentioned in Professor Penny's work are known to me. Quite a few other historic facts could have been added, for instance the Treaty of 1847 between the Comanches and (German Baron) John O. Meusebach on behalf of German settlers in Fredericksburg, Texas, that has never been broken.I also should like to offer an addition in regard to Herman Lehmann, who was a captive of the Apaches. He killed a tribal member to save his own life and then fled to live with the Comanche tribe until their infamous incarceration on the Fort Sill Reservation. Against his will, Lehmann was returned to his family in 1879. He sincerely considered himself a member of the Comanche tribe for the rest of his life and maintained many personal friendships with Native Americans.Overall, I gladly award Professor Penny 10 stars for this otherwise exceedingly impressive and well researched, wonderful book.It is obvious that he understands and appreciates Native American and German history and culture as well as these peoples' mentalities to a very high degree.With profound gratitude,Heide A.M. GulgowskiPrincely/Ducal House Gulgowski-Doliwa

"Did they also lose what we had before civilization?" - p291, a Sioux academic asked author-historian H.Glenn Penny about the seemingly deep and strong German interest in American Indians. Yes, Prof. Penny says, and this is the interesting and important point about much of social reality today, hemmed in by democracy that requires moving away from cultural past, and by globalizing forces of market economy which are even less humanizing. I enjoyed this book in the context of my own work in Third World problems.

As a translator of Karl May's Winnetou stories, I have always marvelled at the unprecedented success of May's books, and his 'over night success' in 1893. I am devouring Penny's book 'Kindred by Choice', as it answers so many questions, and joins many dozens of fantastically unusual dots. It is one book that will also join many dots for Karl May enthusiasts outside the German language realm. Great book.

Interesting Topic.

birds of a feather

The author presents a thourough and fascinating introduction to the relation of Germans and native Americans. A must-read for anybody who is interested in German culture and history.