Wednesday, June 8, 2011

1000 White Women....


I don't usually write book reviews
but this book sort of grabbed me 
and days later I'm still thinking abt it
Back in the '70s I read
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
and in many ways this hit me the same way

According to the author - 
It takes a historical fact -
while in Washington DC to receive the 
Presidential Peace Medal in 1868
Chief  Little Wolf 
of the Cheyenne asked

Little Coyote.jpg

President Grant
 to trade 


1000 white women
 for 1000 horses

The thought being
 that children born
 of these unions
would make it easier
 for the tribes to 
learn the white man ways
and would allow
 the white man to accept
 the "savages"


The talks fell apart
 and there wasn't any trade
However, this novel
takes the what if ...
approach

There were many parts
 that were revolting 
but that time period
 in our history
 the Indian Wars were
disturburbing

There is humor, 
 happiness, sadness
cruelty and kindness
There are many subplots 

It was a book I could not put down
All I kept thinking was
what if our government allowed it
...crazier things have happen....




4 comments:

  1. Sounds like such an interesting book! I'm going to try to put it on my summer reading list. But it actually sounds more like a winter read. I also love to find a book that's been recommended by someone. Thanks!

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  2. Hey, if you own this book can I barrow it? Sounds good. I am currently reading Caleb's Crossing, another indian themed book. I may have July off to do a lot of reading before I hopefully start my new job in Aug. Interview went well. Fingers crossed!

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  3. this has made me wonder. I think the women would have been forced into the Indian ways and the children born would be too. the children would have only known the Indian ways, not the White man ways. (because they were not brought up in a house with two white parents) just saying......

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  4. Because when a Cheyenne marries he goes with the womens family, it was the thought of Chief Little Wolf that the hsb and children would learn the white ways before they were forced to

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