Janet Klausner

Besides my interest in history and biographies, I enjoy reading about languages, and particularly those with declensions or, as Cherokee, those enriched by their own writing system. Although written for children in grade levels 5-8, this is a book that any adult can enjoy because it’s simple but stylish and informative. Her narration of Sequoyah’s endeavor to save his people from cultural and linguistic extermination by inventing a writing system, a task commenced and accomplished by few in history, is a fascinating story. Janet Klausner writes about his first efforts in creating his syllabary, from accusations of sorcery to his eventual success at having his people establish a flourishing press using his writing system. Klausner also tells us of their survival during the destruction of their press and mass deportations from their homeland to what we now know as Oklahoma, an event referred to as the “trail of tears”. The author also tells her readers of Sequoyah’s attempt to reconnect and teach his writing system to Cherokees previously deported from Texas to Mexico.… (altro)