A Public-Domain Edition

The Middle Five

Francis La Flesche · Foreword by Monica Messer

Originally published by Francis La Flesche, The Middle Five offers a rare and deeply personal account of Omaha boys navigating life at a nineteenth-century boarding school during a period of profound cultural change.

Monica discovered La Flesche's work while researching the Omaha Tribe for a novel and was moved by the wit, humanity, and historical value of his story. This edition is intended to help bring La Flesche's work to modern readers while honoring his voice and perspective.

As you read, begin with La Flesche's original preface. It is essential to understanding the spirit of the book and the world he was trying to preserve on the page.