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Title details for Code Talker by Chester Nez - Available

Code Talker

The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII

by Chester Nez
Judith Schiess Avila
Audiobook (Includes supplementary content)
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
The first and only memoir by one of the original Navajo code talkers of WWII.
His name wasn’t Chester Nez. That was the English name he was assigned in kindergarten. And in boarding school at Fort Defiance, he was punished for speaking his native language, as the teachers sought to rid him of his culture and traditions. But discrimination didn’t stop Chester from answering the call to defend his country after Pearl Harbor, for the Navajo have always been warriors, and his upbringing on a New Mexico reservation gave him the strength—both physical and mental—to excel as a marine.
During World War II, the Japanese had managed to crack every code the United States used. But when the Marines turned to its Navajo recruits to develop and implement a secret military language, they created the only unbroken code in modern warfare—and helped assure victory for the United States over Japan in the South Pacific.
* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF which contains the Navajo Code Talkers’ Dictionary appendix from the book.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    December 10, 2019

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593163375
      • File size: 276906 KB
      • Duration: 09:36:53

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      One of the original 29 Navajo code talkers discusses his experiences in WWII and his early life in the Checkerboard area of tribal lands in the Southwest. The book is written in the first person, a choice that provides a preponderance of simple sentences. David Colacci captures the flavor of the Navajo speakers with an even tone, free of strong emotion. That's not to say his reading is flat or uninteresting--quite the opposite. He gives listeners the feeling of being in the presence of a Native American storyteller who is relating pieces of tribal history and lore. His facility with Navajo words makes the reading flow naturally. The book and the reading make this chapter of American history come alive in a personal way. A chart of the declassified code can be downloaded from the publisher. R.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      Telling his story to his grandchildren, Kii Yazhi, renamed Ned at the Navajo mission school, relives his experiences as a secret code specialist during WWII Pacific battles. With the inclusion of Navajo language excerpts, Derrick Henry's narration of this critical role lends an authentic tone. The plot serves as a framework to describe the culture and traits of the Navajo people, as well as the horrific memories of war that haunt the former soldiers. The courage, accuracy, and continual communication of these skilled Marines made a significant contribution to the war effort. Henry's matter-of-fact narrative cadence combined with the author's poetic language gives this powerful story credence and bears witness to the talent and dedication of the Navajo Code Talkers. L.D.H. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      David Colacci delivers a solid narration that doesn't seek to embellish this true story with vocal theatrics. During WWII, the Marine Corps recruited Navajo speakers to create a code the Japanese couldn't break. The author was one of the original code designers. It's a fascinating story, particularly the details about how the code itself was developed as well as Nez's frontline experiences as a code talker in the Pacific. The author uses mostly declarative sentences, making it easy to follow the story. Colacci handles the few Navajo expressions well. The audiobook is enhanced by an interview with the author, who died in 2014. He was the last living member of the original code talkers. The book was originally published in 2011, but this is a new production. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      August 1, 2011
      Written with code talker scholar Schiess Avila, Nez's fascinating memoir details his experience as one of the original 29 "code talkers"âa group of Native American soldiers who kept U.S. transmissions safe from the Japanese during WWII. The code they used was developed using Navajo, an entirely spoken language. Most Marines had no idea that Nez or his fellow Navajos were involved with the highly classified code talker mission, and trusted the team despite the era's prevalent racial segregation. Though Nez grew up speaking Navajo, he was sent to government-run boarding schools, and forced to learn English. His facility with both languages allowed him to advance during his career with the Marines, and he counts the day of his enlistment (while still in high school) as the luckiest day of his life. Still, when Nez returned home to New Mexico in 1945, it would be another three years before Native Americans were allowed to vote. Though the last section of the book drifts, readers will be captivated by stories of Nez's childhood and his days as a Marine.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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