Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

Caleb is the anglo name given to a Wampanoag Indian who lived on Martha's Vineyard during the 17th century. He is befriended by an adolescent English girl who teaches him to read. Eventually, his education is taken over by her minister father and he winds up at Harvard College. Torn between two cultures, Caleb suffers nearly unbearable indignities, and the reader mourns his fate and the ignorance of those who bring it about. Caleb's Crossing is a good read and is based on a true story.