The Healing of Natalie Curtis

by Jane Kirkpatrick

The Healing of Natalie Curtis is historical fiction based on a period in the life of Natalie Curtis, a classically trained singer and pianist during a time when women in music had few lifetime choices—remain single achieving success as a performer or marry and teach. After suffering psychological trauma which also affected her physically, her brother George, who had been cowboying in the Southwest, invited her to accompany him because living there had done wonders for his health.

Natalie embarked on a developing, many year journey to record the music and dances of many American Indian tribes. She was afraid their voices would be forever lost as the U.S. government had imposed a Code of Offenses forbidding native singing, dancing, and other customs in its desire to assimilate the “savages” into a white culture. If they broke the Code, their food rations were cut and penitentiary was a possibility. Horrified by the treatment of the Indians, she set about to respectfully learn their stories and compile them along with their music in a book. To do this meant she had to gain legal access which she obtained by letters petitioning President Theodore Roosevelt and finally getting personal appointments with him.

Political change was slow and Natalie had roadblocks along the way. Her family wanted her at home, and she needed benefactors to fund her project. She made many friends, both Anglo and Indian along the way. She and her brother spent many nights camping, and she had to learn to ride horses western style. Her wardrobe changed from that of a proper lady in the early 1900’s to outrageous split skirts for riding and plain dresses adorned with native jewelry.

Initially I was puzzled by Natalie’s illness and her abrupt abandonment of the music world for five years, but the causes were revealed as the story progressed. This book is as much about Natalie’s struggle to change attitudes toward the Indians and consequently treatment of them as about the music itself. She threw herself into this project with the same enthusiasm and drive that she had exerted in developing her music career. The book is very factually based except for conversations which had to be imagined but were based on the context of her known travels and meetings. By the time I finished reading The Healing of Natalie Curtis, I had ordered a copy of the book Natalie put together from her research, The Indians’ Book, which was a major resource for author Jane Kirkpatrick. My desire was to see the finished product of almost 600 pages. Wanting to make it clear that the book truly belonged to the Indians, she called herself the editor rather than the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Historical Fiction

Notes: 1. In keeping with the times, Natalie Curtis, Jane Kirkpatrick, and I have used the designation “Indians” for the indigenous people living in the U.S. The various tribes all had names for themselves in their own languages which often translated as “The People.”
2. The end of the book contains: Suggested Additional Reading, Book Group Questions, and Author’s Notes that address cultural issues and the factual basis for the book.

Publication: September 7, 2021—Revell (Baker Publishing)

Memorable Lines:

This dismissiveness had happened before, mostly with professional men who saw any independent unmarried woman as lacking brains and capable of nothing more than sitting at Daddy’s table and taking nourishment from others.

“What I don’t understand,” Natalie said, “is how the Hopi are punished for practicing their religious customs, and those same songs and dances are advertised to bring people to see them. Burton approves because the railroad wants the business?”

This was what she was called to do, to save these songs and more, to give these good people hope that their way of life would not be lost to distant winds.

I loved this book, and learning about the life, however fictionalized, of Natalie Curtis. In this story, Natalie is encouraged by her brother to join him for a visit to the southwest. She has been ailing in health, and her brother feels the visit could help in recovering from her illness. Here, she discovers the Hopi tribe, and learns of the government's desire to have the Native Americans assimilated into "white man's culture", forbidding them from practicing the ways of their own people.
Natalie Curtis was indeed an ethnomusicologist who traveled through the west, collecting the music and stories of different cultures that made up America's own musical history. She wrote several books exploring Native American and African American music and folklore. .While I loved this book and the discovery of such an incredible woman in our history, I feel this book is mislabeled. While Jane Kirkpatrick is categorized as a christian author, and typically writes inspirational novels, this book is better classified as a historical fiction.

Jane Kirkpatrick is one of my favorite writers and the Healing of Natalie Curtis did not disappoint. Her description of a woman traveling in the American West and interacting with Native Americans through music was fascinating.

Oh Jane Kirkpatrick, your books are such a journey! I adore this author and look forward to every new read she releases. The settings, the writing, the characters, the historical accuracy…I’ll never grow tired of these.

First sentence: She followed the blind boy up through the crevice, up through the warm rocks the colors of weeping rainbows, up to a life beyond any she had known.

Jane Kirkpatrick's newest novel is based on a true story. Her heroine, Natalie Curtis, was a real person (1875-1921). The novel focuses on Curtis' work as an ethnomusicologist. When she went west with her brother, she wasn't particularly looking for a monumental life-change; she was in need of a change, and desperately needed a change. But still. She couldn't have predicted the direction her life would take. Curtis found meaning--if meaning is the right word--in visiting Native American tribes across the country and recording their music, transcribing and describing their songs and traditions. At the time, it was illegal--in many places for Native Americans to sing and dance and speak their own language. The push was to get the tribes--all tribes--"civilized" and speaking English. The quicker all tribes could assimilate, the better. (Not that they'd ever be seen as "equal" mind you.) She saw that the loss of this American folk music--this ethnic music--would be devastating and crushing. Within a generation or two, all would be irrevocably lost. She traveled the country, lived on and visited many reservations, recorded the music, took notes on the traditions, wanted to share the vastness, the richness of these cultures. She needed patrons to help support her financially and she needed support politically. It was controversial to say the least--going against "the code" of what was legal at the time.

Her biography is interesting. I think the book seeks to capture her work. But at times it felt a bit draggy. (Not all the time, mind you.) It's just that these 368 pages felt more like 450 pages.

It is based on a true story. The focus is always on her and her work. It never becomes a fluff piece trying to make it into a more traditional "Christian romance" title.

But is it Christian fiction??? I would say it could easily pass as NOT. For better or worse. Curtis was not a missionary. It was never her goal, her mission, to proclaim the gospel, to spread Christianity, to instruct or teach the Christian faith. There is nothing remotely evangelical or "Christian" in the novel.

The Healing of Natalie Curtis
by Jane Kirkpatrick
Pub Date 07 Sep 2021
Revell
Christian


I am reviewing a copy of The Healing of Natalie Curtis through Revell and Netgalley:



Natalie Curtis a classically trained pianist and singer isolated herself for five years after a breakdown just before she was to debut with the New York Philharmonic. Guilt-ridden and songless, Natalie can't seem to recapture the joy music once brought her. In 1902, her brother invites her to join him in the West to search for healing. What she finds are songs she'd never before encountered the haunting melodies, rhythms, and stories of Native Americans.



Unfortunately their music is under attack. The US government's Code of Offenses prohibits American's indigenous people from singing, dancing, or speaking their own languages as the powers that be insist on assimilation. Natalie makes it her mission not only to document these songs before they disappear but to appeal to President Teddy Roosevelt himself, who is the only man with the power to repeal the unjust law. Will she succeed and step into a new song and a new future?



I give the Healing of Natalie Curtis five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Was the first book that I read by the author and it won't be the last. I enjoyed reading about a lesser known and sad part of our history that everyone should know about. That's one of the things that I love about historical fiction, that you can actually learn from it. And it doesn't read like a textbook but a story.

That's the way of life. We break. We mend and rise again to love.

Natalie Curtis was a woman torn by choices and in those choices, she had lost a part of her. Living in the early 1900, she was invited by her brother George to go out west where he had found his own healing. Brother and sister were involved in the different arts of pictures, words, and music. Being rather fragile, her parents were against her going out West but with the support of her brother and the promise of coming back home stronger, her parents relented. Her trip out west opened her eyes to the bigness of the world and to the Yuma people. Being drawn into their music, she learned how they and other Indian tribes lost their voice and their purpose. Listening to their voices, she found her voice and her purpose to bring to light what was being lost.

I think this book is a bridge to what is happening today with what is going on in the United States of America. We have lost our own identity and by doing so, we many different view points on what should be now. It has become a political weapon that solves nothing but cause more division. The bridge that it brings is the value of culture and keeping different cultures alive thru knowledge, interest and value. The bridge also has common areas of interest that makes great starting points for healing. The value of our children. Music as a way to express ourselves. Not to limit to these two but Natalie's story really reflected these commonalities.

Christianity was brought up in this because it is usually blamed for wiping out the culture. Christianity has its own purpose and that is the rule and reign of Christ. These are hard words and it takes a relationship with others for it be fully realized. Our hearts are hard towards the things of God. Each one of us until we come to the knowledge of who God is and our need for for salvation. In this, we find identity. It is a common identity that is different from the world. It clashes with the world. We are seeing that now and it is rooted in identity. The tearing down of systems needs to start in our own hearts or else we raise more destructive systems in its place.

A special thank you to Revell and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

RATING: 2.5 STARS

The Healing of Natalie Curtis is my second novel by Jane Kirkpatrick. The first novel I read (this year, I believe, was Something Worth Doing. I love the synopsis of both these books, hence requesting them, and that they are based on true history of particular women. I also enjoy that these are not based on WWI or WWII or steeped in romance like many historical novels at the moment. The research that Kirkpatrick does for her novels is amazing. I truly appreciate how much time she must have spent, but unfortunately, all the detail makes it into the book. I felt like at times the story would drag just to add historical setting. At times the emotions, and character interactions are a bit dull which cause the reading to be dry. Like many other reviewers have said, it reads more like a textbook than a novel. I also saw that many don't find that this novel really fits the genre of Christian fiction. I am not an expert in that at all. I think of the genre as cozier reads so that is my main reason for picking them up. I do think this will be the last book by Jane Kirkpatrick for me as I find reading these in physical form a bit laborious. I definitely pushed myself to finish.

***I received a complimentary copy of this trade paperbackfrom the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

What a gift this book is. It not only tells of the plight of Native Americans (I knew they had been treated badly, but I did not realise how badly!) but on another level there is also a very personal story of a young woman’s struggle with poor health – due in large part to the expectations of the time as to a woman’s place in life - & her eventual overcoming of it. It is still true today, that it is easier for men to have a career as a musical soloist, than for women, who often have to choose between travelling the world, or having a family. (And being judged for it, no matter which way they decide...) This book resonates with me in so many ways, as I am also a musician who has been sidelined for many years due to ill health. ‘The Healing of Natalie Curtis’ gives me hope, that no matter how much time has already gone there may yet be a future with purpose. (And it is also a fact, that we can feel much better by focusing on helping others, rather than on our own troubles.) The story is all the more powerful for being a true one, & will help to educate us - & hopefully interest us – in the often overlooked Native Americans. Well worth reading!

This seems a story worth telling, however I was disappointed that I never quite felt interested in the characters. I admire what Natalie Curtis set out to do, but I never connected with the way this was told. It seemed like a documentary, but lacked heart. I usually enjoy this author, and have read a number of her stories, but this one felt flat to me. I really wanted to enjoy it, but not this time. I will give it 3 stars because I think Natalie Curtis lived a life worth writing about, and perhaps it just left me too sad about how the Indians were treated by the government.

When was the last time you sang? When was the last time you danced? When was the last time you told your story?
Classically trained pianist and singer Natalie Curtis isolated herself for five years after a breakdown just before she was to debut with the New York Philharmonic. Natalie can"t seem to recapture the joy music once brought her until 1902 when her brother invites her to join him in the West. Here, she encounters the haunting melodies, rhythms, and stories of Native Americans. But the US government"s Code of Offenses prohibits indigenous people from singing, dancing, or speaking their own languages. Natalie decides to document these songs before they disappear.
I appreciated reading this story about a woman I hadn"t heard about before. She used her talents to make a difference and give people a voice. While the book does contain some grammatical errors, it"s an overall worthy read I recommend.

I found Jane Kirkpatrick’s newest release, The Healing of Natalie Curtis, to be a fascinating read. I adored Natalie with her determination and courage throughout the book. I was intrigued that she was actually part of history. She is one that I was able to connect with and relate to. I enjoyed the historical details that made me feel as though I was right there and transported back in time. I thought this was a pretty good story to read. The author obviously did her research to bring Natalie back to life.

I am giving The Healing of Natalie Curtis four and a half stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean Historical Fiction based on true events.

I received a paperback copy of The Healing of Natalie Curtis from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Natalie Curtis was a classically trained musician with a bright future ahead of her, or so she thought. But she suffered a breakdown that left her a shadow of herself, and she hid herself away from the world, physically, mentally, and emotionally weakened. Her brother George, back home from the West where he’s been working and traveling, invites Natalie to join him. Against her mother’s wishes, and with the caveat that she’ll return home after just two months, Natalie sets off with George in hopes of finding healing, a new hope at living again.

She finds her spark in the music of the Indian people, who have largely been removed from their homelands and placed onto reservations with the government instruction that they must assimilate. Natalie is shocked by the horrific injustice of the government’s Code of Offenses, which requires, among other things, that the native peoples refrain from singing their songs, performing their dances and ceremonies, and speaking their languages. Natalie sets out to preserve as much of the Indian music as she can, fearing it will be lost forever, and in doing so, she rediscovers and recreates her own song.

Jane Kirkpatrick has a positive gift for taking little-known historical figures and bringing them to life with her words. I’d never heard of Natalie Curtis before having the chance to be on the review team for this book. But now I feel the need to learn more about her.

Kirkpatrick paints a wonderful picture of Natalie as a young woman, in the public eye as a musician but still sheltered, who’s suffered a derailment of her life plans. She’s hidden herself away from public scrutiny, but she’s ready to move forward in spite of her mother’s desire to continue to protect her. She knew something had to change, and she was going West whether her mother agreed or not. “Most important, she wasn’t seeking permission. She was intentionally stepping into the grace pause, bringing the past with her, and for the first time in so long, the tempo of her life had picked up.” Doesn’t that sound remarkably hopeful?

Curtis’ journey isn’t portrayed as an easy one, though. She had to learn to navigate new things like horseback riding, and travel rougher than a young lady of her social status was accustomed to. She had to find a way to reach out to the Indian people whose culture she wanted to preserve without making it about her. In Kirkpatrick’s telling of her story, Natalie Curtis rises to the occasion and overcomes the challenges she faces. Not only does she travel far and wide and record songs from a variety of tribes, she learns that the thing she thought had broken her in the past didn’t merit the importance she had placed upon it. In finding a way to free the Indians to sing their songs, Natalie finds the music hasn’t left her after all.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I’d love to track down a copy of Curtis’s The Indians’ Book and see her writing for myself. Jane Kirkpatrick’s story has me wanting to know more about the events she describes, and isn’t that what good historical fiction should do?

This book was a very enjoyable read. The characters made you feel what they were meant to, the heroine was lovely and relatable, and open to change, the brother was encouraging and strong, and and made Natalie think hard about her life and her future, and the love interest was equal parts intriguing and infuriating.

Kirkpatrick did a wonderful job of handling the Native American's history and culture, and bringing to light issues that have faced our country since it's very inception- whether people want to admit that or not. And the fact that Natalie Curtis was a real person just adds more depth to the story. I love when authors highlight a person's true story. Natalie was certainly someone I had never heard of before. Her story was worth being told.

I will definitely read more books from this author. Thank you, Revell for the advance copy. I would recommend this book!

A historical fiction novel about a real person from history. This is an era that I knew next to little about, and I found it quite fascinating.
I really enjoyed getting to know about Natalie Curtis, and feeling like I almost got to actually know her. Natalie is a prodigy pianist, but due to health issues, hasn't played in a long time. When her brother George returns to New York from the west, where he's made his home, she decides to go west and join him.
Natalie is fascinated and intrigued by the various Native American tribes, and reads up on the laws passed by the government to attempt and civilize the savages. She is especially saddened by the fact that the Indians are not supposed to sing or have their own music.
When Natalie meets the Yuma people, she loves them immediately, and decides to write their music down for their future generations.
I loved seeing these Indians and their unique cultures brought to life and their stories retold. I think it is important for us to learn from other cultures, and it makes me sad, too, to hear how our government tried to take those things away from them so long ago.
Jane Kirkpatrick is a writer who pays much attention to the fine details, and this definitely is very noticeable in this story.
This is a historical novel with a feel of authenticity and brings to life for us some of the ancient cultures of many tribes of the American southwest.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

I enjoy reading books that are based on true stories. Natalie Curtis makes it her mission to record the songs of the native people out west and to stop the disappearance of this information. She has gone out west to heal and finds healing through the songs of the Native Americans. I really enjoyed learning about this time in history and how she interacted with the people out west and made it her mission to help save their culture and the future of their culture as they assimilate into the ways of the new US.

I received a copy of the book to read, the review is mine.

I was not sure what kind of story I should expect when I started this novel. What I got was a mesmerizing story about Natalie Curtis, who was a real person and her efforts to help preserve Native American culture, specifically their music and songs.

I found this story to be fascinating, that Natalie had a had a breakdown in her career, enduring health problems, decides to go with her brother George out West and learn more about the tribes and help them if she could. Especially in regards to some very unfair laws that the government had set up to basically to get rid of their customs and individuality, instead of just absorbing their culture with the American one. These type of arbitrary rules reminded of how the English treated the Scottish.

I went along with Natalie on her adventure and saw how she was getting better. I enjoyed the respect and love that she and her siblings had towards their parents, even though their mother could sometimes be overbearing and protective. As a mother myself, I understood. This was an adventure I didn't know I needed into the pages of history of a little known woman named Natalie Curtis and traveled out west with her. Great author notes at the end as well.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

I love that the books by this author are about real historical people. Natalie loves music and goes out west to find herself and heal from something that happened to her a few years earlier. She falls in love with the music of the Hopi people. She helps to get this music out to the world before it can be destroyed by horrible laws. This book is hard to put down and it really makes you think about how you can help others. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

The healing of Natalie Curtis is about a talented pianist living in New-York with her family. She is depressed since her break-up with her fiance. When her brother comes home, he encourages her to head west with him in order to find healing..
The rest of the family is reluctant, but intrigued by a present, a pottery piece made by a Native American, she decides to go with her brother. There she will learn more about Natives American, their music, traditions and will try to find a way to help them preserve it.

This is inspired by a true story, and seemed interesting but sadly I could not connect with the character, and find the pace a little slow and could not finish this book.