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The first and only memoir by one of the original Navajo code talkers of WWII.

His name wasn’t Chester Nez. That was the English name he was assigned in kindergarten. And in boarding school at Fort Defiance, he was punished for speaking his native language, as the teachers sought to rid him of his culture and traditions. But discrimination didn’t stop Chester from answering the call to defend his country after Pearl Harbor, for the Navajo have always been warriors, and his upbringing on a New Mexico reservation gave him the strength—both physical and mental—to excel as a marine.

During World War II, the Japanese had managed to crack every code the United States used. But when the Marines turned to its Navajo recruits to develop and implement a secret military language, they created the only unbroken code in modern warfare—and helped assure victory for the United States over Japan in the South Pacific.

INCLUDES THE ACTUAL NAVAJO CODE AND RARE PICTURES

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dutton Caliber; Reprint edition (August 7, 2012)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0425247856
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0425247853
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.97 x 0.9 x 8.97 inches
Reviewer: lydia jones
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great book
Review: Great condition, arrived quickly. Well written book by one of the original code talkers. Really enjoyed the background of growing up, culture, and service as code talker

Reviewer: Jack Sparacino
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Hidden Heroes
Review: This is a remarkable story centered on the intriguing life of a World War II U.S. Marine veteran who was skilled and dedicated enough to earn a place among the so-called Navajo code talkers. In my years long fascination with the Allied fight against the Axis powers, only brief if any mention of these brave men was typically made. In this fascinating book, the reader is invited to come along with the author and his compatriots into some of the most fiercely fought combat in the Pacific Islands, including Guadalcanal, Guam and Peleliu.Mr. Nez’s story includes detailed descriptions of his upbringing in New Mexico and deep cultural heritage. The reader is brought into a world alive with a stunning appreciation and respect for nature, ancestral customs and unshakable lifelong responsibility.Code talkers like Mr. Nez were a vital asset during a war that placed extreme importance on the transmission of key strategic information, including enemy troop movements and threats. We are all in his debt, not only for his stunning bravery, but for having the wherewithal to tell his unique story in riveting detail.This is truly a book for the ages.

Reviewer: Miss Julie
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fascinating Memoir
Review: This is definitely a must-read for anyone interested in this topic or certainly the history of the war. The code talkers were neglected for so many years - and one could certainly digress as to why, but that is fodder for another day. This memoir is a good start on the road to rectifying that wrong.The memoir could have concentrated just on the war years, but that would have been a mistake. Any good historian knows, as the late R.G.L. Waite used to say, that in order to study World War II you must look back as far as possible. And in order to look back at the late Mr. Nez's experience in the war, it is imperative that he fully discuss his life with the reader- which he wisely did in this volume. We are introduced to his life before the war - beginning as a young child, including when he was forced to attend boarding school for many years, away from his family, where English was rammed down his throat and his native language was forbidden. If you are unfamiliar with the legalized repression of the Navajo culture in American history, this is yet another reason why you absolutely must read this book.It is perfectly understandable why it was co-written by a professional writer, who spent countless hours interviewing him in depth. Our code talker never pretended to be a professional writer, nor should he have spent years writing a memoir at his advanced age. I am sure he had better things to do. His co-writer was smart in that she allowed him to retain his voice almost always throughout the book. You note that I said "almost always." There are times in the book - even sentences and paragraphs - where it is clear that the writing is in an entirely different voice, and as an experienced reader that may jangle your nerves. Their editors should have caught that and fixed it.However, any memoir that is cowritten with a professional writer usually has this as an Achilles heel, and one must suppress one's perfectionism as a reader because the story itself is so compelling. Certainly the story within Code Talkers is extraordinarily compelling and the writing, quite good. I read it very quickly within a couple of days - and you probably will as well. I recommend it highly.

Reviewer: Carole McLain
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Excellent World War II biography
Review: A great insight to the good, the bad, and the ugly facts about the war, Navajo life and a man's love for the country of his Navajo Nation. Great read. Some very tough moments in the war in the Pacific. Glad I read it.The Code Talkers made a valuable contribution to the war effort. Their story has not been told enough. !

Reviewer: M Carley
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A life lived the Right Way
Review: I'd heard of code talkers before, but I'd never really dived into their history. I found this book, written by one of the original 29 (or 32 if you go by Chester's numbers). Code talkers were a group of brave Native Americans who used the Navajo language to make sure the Japanese didn't know what the Americans were doing in the Pacific during WWII. The code was never broken and was much quicker and more efficient than what was being used previously.I like how the memoir went through almost his entire life. It covers his childhood up until 2011. Chester passed away in 2014 and was the last surviving member of the original code talkers. He lived quite a life and went through so much.I have the Kindle version and wanted to mention a few things. The text for the book ends at page 276. Acknowledgements, Navajo dictionary for the code, Bibliography, an index, maps of the islands Chester helped conquer, and pictures fill the rest of the book. The pictures start on page 347. The code was small and hard to read on my Paperwhite, but that's something I could fix.This is one of the better memoirs I've read. The writing was easy to read, there were enough breaks if you wanted to stop for a while, and the subject matter was super interesting to me. I believe this is an important part of WWII history that shouldn't be forgotten. The impact these men had was so important to the Pacific theater, and it was a secret for so long. If you're at all interested in a life lived the Right Way, I recommend this book.

Reviewer: Kindle Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: great read.
Review: I enjoyed this book. I love history especially ww2.

Reviewer: D. Crow
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great story of one man's war.
Review: The code talker view of his own life.

Reviewer: stay active
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Awesome read
Review: Awesome read

Reviewer: Julian S.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Chester Nez made amazing contributions to the war effort. All Indigenous code talkers should be recognized for their work for the allies. This book should be in everyone's personal collection. Thank you code talkers.

Reviewer: Mumbles
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: The book revealed exactly what the title said. Along with many photos I enjoyed it thoroughly and as a WWII history buff I was very pleased with this book

Reviewer: Clark
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This is a well-written account of the way that the language of the Navajo Indians formed the basis of a code to encipher secret messages. Despite the efforts of the Germans the code proved unbreakable. The book is written by a man belonging to the Navajo Indian tribe who was in the navy and whose identity was kept secret. I give it five stars because of the unique and authentic story, and because of the quality of the writing, but I confess that it went on a little too long for me and I skipped the last part.

Reviewer: Thomas Merbt
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo...Chester Nez ok, welldone ok ok ok

Reviewer: Jo-Anne M
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Loved this book, from start to finish. It is well written, and is easy to read, and hard to put down. Anyone who has an interest in learning about the Codetalkers, will enjoy this book. I highly recommend it.