"CODE TALKER," by Chester Nez and Judith Schiess, Berkley Hardcover, $26.95, 320 pages (nf)
“Code Talker” is about the remarkable life and heroic contributions of Chester Nez, one of the original 32 Code Talkers used by the military to transmit classified information during World War II. Even their very existence was kept classified until 1968. Nez, now 90, is the only one of these war heroes still living.
The book is as much about enduring in courage to defend what you believe in, even when your own country is hostile toward you, as it is about the actual Code Talker program and its critical contribution to the winning of the war.
Nez grew up on what is known as the Checkboard in northeastern New Mexico, near the Navajo Nation Reservation. It was (and still is) a hardscrabble existence. Even such basic “luxuries” as running water, indoor plumbing and electricity were hard to come by.
After a dramatic first chapter detailing Nez’s involvement in the invasion of Guadacanal in November 1942, “Code Talker” details Nez’s growing up in this challenging environment. He was cruelly treated at school, including being punished, ironically, for speaking his native language. Nez wasn’t even his real name. It was assigned to him in kindergarten.
Shortly after Pearl Harbor, Nez volunteered for the Marines. After basic training, Nez and 31 other Navajos fluent in both English and Navajo were recruited and then secured in a secret location in order to develop a code that would prove to be unbreakable. The book even includes the actual Navajo Code Talkers’ dictionary in the appendix.
“Code Talker” is a fascinating read. With the assistance of Code Talker scholar Judith Schiess Avila, who spent 80 hours interviewing Nez and his son Michael in order to help him write the book, it will engage and inspire any reader with an interest in World War II history as well as those looking for a powerful human-interest story. It's in the same vein as Laura Hillenbrand’s recent best-seller “Unbroken.”
There are accounts from Nez detailing his involvement in combat, but none is graphic in description. His reverence for life shines through the narrative. Occasional references to drinking and some salty language are sprinkled into the story, but nothing that seems out of harmony with the setting. Photographs from Nez’s collection as well as official Marine Corp sources are included in the book and add additional authenticity.
Unheralded, even scorned for who he was, this humble and spiritual Navajo warrior felt compelled to fight for what he believed to be right, even if it could cost him his life. “Code Talker” is a book with a remarkable story to tell about a remarkable man who simply did what he believed to be right.
To see a video with Nez and Shiess talking about the writing of the book, visit Nez video.
Scott Livingston blogs about the uphill climb of becoming a writer at sleye1.blogspot.com