Brothers on Three: A True Story of Family, Resistance, and Hope on a Reservation in Montana

Brothers on Three is the riveting story of the Arlee Warriors Boys Basketball team from Montana's Flathead Indian Reservation and their state championship win. Abe Streep interviewed players, coaches, families, and teachers to be able to create a three dimensional picture of the community. He was conscious that he was an outsider and took care to avoid inserting himself into the story. He took time to know and understand the people and their values, and ask tribal members how they wished to be identified. Thorough research provided a historical and social context and shed light on the effects of intergenerational trauma and racism. Native American athletes in Montana experience racism which can take many forms including an ugly slur uttered during a game and their low recruitment rates by Montana colleges. I appreciated learning more about these admirable young people, their community, and the joys and struggles they experienced. The Arlee Warriors are inspiring, not only for their hard work and achievements on the basketball court, but also because they came together to create viral videos which raise awareness about depression and suicide. The boys were deeply affected by a suicide cluster that had occurred which involved both teens and adults. Brothers on Three is an unforgettable, well-written, real-life story of hope, resilience, family and community that will interest basketball fans and those, like me, who know little about the game, but love to learn about the human experience. Thanks, to @CeladonBooks and @AbeStreep for an ARC. #CeladonReads #BrothersOnThree #partner

awesome