Readers' Favorite announces the review of the non-fiction memoir book "A Bilag谩ana Boy Among the Navajo" by Jay Jones, available now at all major retail bookstores and
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Reviewed By Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite:
"A Bilag谩ana Boy Among the Navajo" by Jay Jones is an unusual and interesting chronicle of a young boy who finds himself living on a Navajo Reservation in the 1960s, a white kid somewhat lost in a sea of Native American children. Jay was just six years old when he witnessed his mother鈥檚 affair and subsequent mental breakdown.
After his parents' divorce, Jay finds himself forced to move to Arizona and live with his mother and stepfather on the Navajo Nation Reservation where both his mother and stepfather work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He dreams of being reunited with his father and relations on the East Coast but, for the immediate future, Jay must come to terms with being a Bilag谩ana Boy (a white kid) amongst people who have suffered terribly at the hands of whites for centuries.
Beaten by his stepfather and bullied by his classmates, Jay somehow must try to fit in. Despite his difficulties, like all boys, Jay eventually makes friends, builds relationships, and immerses himself in the unique and fascinating Navajo culture and lifestyle.
"A Bilag谩ana Boy Among the Navajo" was an intriguing read. I was fascinated to see how a white child would be accepted and adopted into the Navajo way of life. Author Jay Jones does a wonderful job of explaining his innermost thoughts at the time and his fear of moving across the country to an alien environment with a mother he didn鈥檛 understand and a stepfather he didn鈥檛 know. As adults, we always tell ourselves that children are resilient and can cope with any change but we gloss over the fear and trepidation that this change generates in young minds and hearts.
For me, the best summary of the unwritten guilt Jay felt at being white was his anecdote about watching cowboys and Indians movies on television with his young Navajo friend. Perhaps what is so bittersweet about Jay鈥檚 journey was how he constantly felt he straddled two lives, two cultures, and yet never truly belonged to either, which was perfectly illustrated when he finally rejoined his father. This is a thought-provoking read that I highly recommend."
Rating: 5 stars
You can learn more about Jay Jones and read the first chapter of "A Bilag谩ana Boy Among the Navajo" on his website at