Ishi in Two Worlds

A Biography of the Last Wild Indian in North America

By: Theodora Kroeber, Karl Kroeber

Narrated by: Lorna Raver

Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

The life story of Ishi, the last Yahi Indian, lone survivor of an exterminated tribe, is unique in the annals of North American anthropology. Ishi stumbled into the 20th century on the morning of August 29, 1911, when, desperate with hunger and terrified of the white murderers of his family, he was found in the corral of a slaughterhouse near Oroville, California. Finally identified as a Yahi by an anthropologist, Ishi was brought to San Francisco by Professor T. T. Waterman and lived there the rest of his life under the care and protection of Alfred Kroeber and the staff of the University of California's Museum of Anthropology.

©2002 Regents of the University of California (P)1996 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Mrs. Kroeber...tells [Ishi's story] with an integrity and insight that raises it to the level of history that is also art." (Washington Post)

"This magnificent biography...shows man at his best." (San Francisco Examiner)

"One of the most moving, tragic and ultimately triumphant human stories I have ever read." (Los Angeles Times)

a fascinating and sad biography

a must read for anyone interested in experiencing the two world's of an amazing man

insightful and engaging.

A tragic lesson of a dark chapter of western American history and at the same time an inspiring story of a person and a people. Very well written with empathy and deep insight and honesty.

beautiful story of historical tragedy

carefully worded,. detailed and pleasantly narrated both personal and comprehensive story man and civilization

Not my cup of tea

I finished it, however I think if I was more interested in anthropology and/or history, I would have liked it better.

The Over-the-Top Narration —hyper dramatic and false — made this book unlistenable

This narrator seems to think she’s doing the Royal Shakespeare Theatre— totally out of keeping with this important and somber part of our American history

Or maybe it’s sensationalistic in the manner of People Magazine or Entertainment Tonight

Just so strident and awful

PLEASE give tone some thought

Fantastic

I love this bookI did not know this background about Ishi it’s amazing what he went through in the book went through his whole life but not near what he accomplished with Saxton pope of the pope and young club is she taught us more about our true than anybody in the world

amazing historical experience

This book focuses a spotlight on who we were and who we should be. Our definition of civilized needs a second look.

A most treasured story of a pure human

Read this in print many years ago. I’m still moved by it. For some, the exquisite details of the unimaginable evil of the casual evil of the Yahi extermination may be tedious or discomforting, but they are a very necessary chronicle of a very real evil done against these innocent people. Against this backdrop, Ishi’s beautiful character and personality contrasts so vividly.
I recommend this book to any curious enough to explore our present humanity, the recent past of America’s INhumanity, or the realities of neolithic life, as Ishi lived it, up until the modern age

acomaflintknapper

read this book 5 times listened 3 times still very inspiring, wish I could have Met Ishi.

I loved it!

the narrator was ok. i skipped the preface. was hard to follow/understand what she was talking about at times. I liked all the details, that told me what kind of person ishi was.And to think this/he was in my hometown of SF and nearby Berkeley. I would have like to meet him.I was glad to know he was burried in Colma, wanted to visit the gravesite.but then read his remains were given to a tribe later to be burried elsewhere, I think where he was from. I also own this DVD I got years ago.Graham Greene does a good job portraying ishi, and even looks like him alot! 🧡