Review of 'We Had a Little Real Estate Problem' on 'Goodreads'
I picked up this audiobook purely because it was available at the time I needed a new audiobook through my library. It was fascinating. I didn't know anything about this history. I didn't know that Native American prisoners were used to staff Wild West shows. I often did wonder why well known chiefs went on those tours after they were captured. Now I know it was because they didn't really have a choice. I did not know that Will Rogers was Cherokee. (The book does go into the whitewashing of his legacy after his death.) I also didn't know that he had a son, Will Rogers Jr., who became a politician. There are a few things I want to know more about:Will Rogers' sister was with her fiance when a man hired by her father came into the bedroom and shot and killed the fiance. Later, her father had her …
I picked up this audiobook purely because it was available at the time I needed a new audiobook through my library. It was fascinating. I didn't know anything about this history. I didn't know that Native American prisoners were used to staff Wild West shows. I often did wonder why well known chiefs went on those tours after they were captured. Now I know it was because they didn't really have a choice. I did not know that Will Rogers was Cherokee. (The book does go into the whitewashing of his legacy after his death.) I also didn't know that he had a son, Will Rogers Jr., who became a politician. There are a few things I want to know more about:Will Rogers' sister was with her fiance when a man hired by her father came into the bedroom and shot and killed the fiance. Later, her father had her next boyfriend killed. Did she ever get another man to date her? Why did he kill these men? Were they bad guys or did her father just have issues? I have questions.Another comedian talks about growing up in the circus and then says that one day when he came home from school at age 9 his parents had moved away. His next line is, "When I got out of the Army...." Wait, back up! I want to know what happened at age 9. I didn't know about Charlie Hill. He was an inspiration to a whole generation of Native American comics.
https://youtu.be/RaWTGnA9xrY
It was interesting to hear about comedians who have worked entire careers playing only to audiences on reservations. They are huge in Native American communities but unknown outside of them. They also cover casinos on reservations that refuse to hire any Native American entertainers because their clientele is all old white people. I'd recommend this book for people who love standup or show business behind the scenes stories, history buffs, and people interested in civil rights.This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
