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Olive Oatman  By  cover art

Olive Oatman

By: Brent Schulte, History Compacted
Narrated by: Michael Goodrick
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Publisher's summary

A tragic reminder of brutality or the vestiges of the aftermath?

Olive Oatman isn’t a household name, but a distinct feature on her face has made her infamous for the worst reasons. She is the girl with the blue tattoo. The story behind the distinctive tattoo is the stuff of legends. Some believed it was placed on her face during her captivity, following the brutal murders of her family members and the kidnapping of her and her sister. Others believe it was placed on her after her return.

Rumors swelled. Her tattoo became a symbol of Native barbarianism and the triumph of American goodness, but like many stories of that era, the truth is far more complicated.

This short audiobook details the murders, her captivity, the aftermath, and her baffling return to her captors. Unravel the mystery of the woman who would become famous for all the wrong reasons and discover what her life story says about cultural identity, the power of resiliency, and what happens when fact and fiction bend and twist to muddy the waters.

Listen on to find out the truth!

©2019 Sea Vision Publishing, LLC (P)2020 Sea Vision Publishing, LLC

What listeners say about Olive Oatman

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

brief deep dive into American Indian culture.

this serves as a very good introduction into American Indian history/culture, if from a white man 's bias. however one willed a deep dive albeit brief glimpse into mid 19th century native American culture.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A good quick read

After reading reviews for several of the books on her life, I chose this version. I liked that it was written from a non-fiction perspective. Im not sure how accurate it is but it was very interesting and I am going to continue my own research on her life and the life of others who were captured and lived to tell their story.

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Lots of questions not able to be answered

Narrator very good. I may have to get the audible that is much longer cause by virtue of its length the details of life with the I two different tribes is too little

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book!

Olives story is absolutely captivating and I love learning more about her and her family tragedy. This book is great!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Stunning Portrait

This entire perfectly crafted recounted tale was so thrilling. I saw everything vividly and I can’t believe the amount of space and perspective that must have been taken to execute such a mini masterpiece.
My heart aches & bustles for Olive and her Great American mystery.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Short and sweet.

This writing gives weight to the facts known about the Oatmans through an LA Times interview after her return to white society and the Stratton book that propelled Olives story to speaking tours and continued fame. Any suppositions are drawn from what is known about how people lived at that time, the Mormon migration west, and the surviving brother. I would have liked to know more about the Mojave people and what is known about their culture, particularly because it mentions Mojave researchers dispute the Stratton version of the story. Otherwise not much more can be added without turning it into historical fiction.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Good overview of subject, but terribly read.

The narrator is very stilted in his reading. It's like listening to a bad impersonation of William Shatner reading. The story is a simple overview of Olivia Oatman's life.

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