As the new country developed westward, and Indians, settlers, and blacks came into constant contact, Cow Tom became a key translator for his Creek master and was hired out to US military generals. A great story.The New York Times bestselling author of the Oprah Book Club Pick Cane River brings us the evocative story of a once-enslaved man who buys his freedom after serving as a translator during the American Indian Wars, and his granddaughter, who sustains his legacy of courage.Ĭow Tom, born into slavery in Alabama in 1810 and sold to a Creek Indian chief before his tenth birthday, possessed an extraordinary gift: the ability to master languages. This historical fiction novel covers years of events that affected the Native American population in the South and Midwest. Rose’s growing family prospers, but with the discovery of oil and the impending statehood, new challenges arise when whites arrive to try to trick Indians into selling their land. Eventually Rose leaves home to work for a family in town, where she meets her future husband. At their new ranch in Oklahoma, they prosper with many cattle, but Cow Tom is getting old and won’t live much longer. She admires her grandfather and the respect he receives. Rose, his youngest granddaughter, is most like him.

Cow Tom is valuable to the leaders and is able to provide for his family better than most. With the shelter of a fort to protect them, they are safe from the raids, but starvation is an everyday occurrence in the vast tent city that springs up. Once more, Cow Tom is forced to move on with his family, now encompassing four generations. Years later, Cow Tom has earned his freedom and runs his own farm in Indian Country, but the Civil War comes to Oklahoma. He makes a friend for life, Harry, during the war and also rescues his mother. When he gets a chance to fight the Seminoles in Florida, he has two motives-to find his mother, who was captured by Seminole raiders, and earn more money towards his freedom. He hopes to earn enough to buy both his and his wife’s freedom. Cow Tom is valuable to his master because of his expertise in cattle, translation, and negotiation skills. Lalita Tademy, author of New York Times bestselling novel, Cane River, has captured the spirit and challenges of a family of African-American/Creek Indians in Alabama starting in 1822.

Review submitted by Marsha Lytle, Book Review Editor

Citizens creek by lalita tademy