I've been to South Dakota a number of times and have had many questions about the landscape, etc. This book has the answers and the pictures to go with it. I especially appreciated the glossary and the further-reading list.

I bought this book for a weeklong driving tour through North and South Dakota, and found this book invaluable. If you are interesting in the natural resources and park systems in these places, it has lotsa info you won't get in maps (especially many beautiful color photos) altho the advice given wasn't always useful.

Greene is a very knowlegeable historian of the Sioux Wars. In this work, he has edited and commented upon reports of Officers and others who were participants in this monumental struggle between the Sioux and their Cheyenne allies and the White soldiers of the frontier army. A great book to assist the historian in understanding the hardships of a winter campaign against hostiles on the northern plains.

this is the story of tyler and issac adventures when they set of to the west to find there place in the world. When they are given up as slaves to an Indian tribe, Thier world changes dramatcly. Tyler, who is white , is treated badly, while Issac, A black former slave, is treated with respect. Tyler is very confused at this. He realizes he is jealous, and begins to question how he treats other people, including Issac, and his own brother. Tyler realizes he has had privliges just because of who he is and the color of his skin. Tyler desperatly wants to escape yet Issac, who has never been treated so well is thinking of staying. This book is more than your simple action adventure story. It explores friendship, race, loyality, and other difficult choices that a boy must make before he becomes a man. This is the follow up to the excellent Bigger, and then Sooner.
All these stories are highly reccommended

Wonderful old and new photos - interesting bits of info. in captions - great pictorial history of Bismarck

I find this book to be very interesting and educational although, I am not very sure that the kids will find it too interesting where it talks about politics and religion. Its very interesting to read about Velma and her family and their struggle, but some of the things are boring to read even for me and I am Velma (the main character in the book). This is one of those books that might make people stop and think for a second about their life and what they have. The sad thing is that its only for a second that they stop and appreciate life. Robin tried to explain the best way she could what happens when people come to the US and also the reason for their coming. The book is not very hard to understand especailly since everyone has heard of Bosnia and what happened there. I had fun reading it for the first time (I kind of laughed at some of the things I said). I guess now that I am 17 years old, I don't think the same way. Overall the book gives you a warm feeling at the end to know that Velma and her family made it and that they are safe.

A well-organized and informative record of West River South Dakota pioneer families and events. Easy reading with plenty of information, yet condensed enough to really enjoy. If your family roots are in Butte/Harding County, you'll find them here! What a treat!

While searching at the Smithsonian Institution for Indian pictographs, the curator of the American Ethnology section showed Jessie Brewer McGaw some material that had been in the files since 1888. Five years after the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876, Chief Red Horse had described what he saw and did on that famous day, using the sign language perfected by the nomadic Plains Indians. His story-without-words account was taken down by Dr. Charles E. McChensey, an army surgeon. McGaw reproduces that account in this small volume, with eight to ten pictographs on each page, with the corresponding words underneath. There are also drawings of the battle, done in the style of some of the paintings done by Indian participants.

"Chief Red Horse Tells About Custer" begins with a introduction to Indian Sign Language, which includes an explanation of how to do some of the signs for key words. There is also a Historical Background of the Battle of the Little Big Horn and a glossary of terms (actually phrases) used in this book (e.g., Greasy Grass Creek for Little Bighorn River and White Man Soldier Chief for Custer). It is rather odd to "read" this book, with your eyes going back and forth between the pictographs and the words they represent. But eventually you get a feel for the language, which is pretty interesting. I can see teachers using this in class in an interesting way, having students learn the basic vocabulary and then signing them the story. As McGaw explains, there is a basic logical to sign language, and it would be interesting to see how well students could fill in the gap. Certainly "Chief Red Horse Tells About Custer" is one of the more unique volumes on one of the most famous battles in American history.

A Class Act was a really well written story with good content but too much dependence on the bed scenes to hold the story together.

Rafe Strongheart was a Tribal police chief who was very interested in helping the young boys who were turning out to be hellions.

Carly Austin, who had been in high school about the same time as Rafe had become a very accomplished teacher and was now working for the system. The school is connected with the Indian Reservation and their people.

Frankie Fire Cloud was becoming a bone of contention between Rafe and Carly. Carly tended to see the good in people and Rafe was always aware of how the boys could ruin their lives.

Blame it on a Blizzard! Although Carly had been around, Rafe had not come in contact with her until a blizzard hit. And he had to save her. They were snowed in until the BIA Road Commission could plow them out.

During that time Carly learned of Rafe's horses and that he painted. Apparently Rafe had fallen for Carly fifteen years before but had issues to settle and he squelched his feelings and now Carly is seeing the man and tries a little positive pursueing. There follows a bit of gentle give and take as Rafe resists Carly's advances and she has a couple of mild scurmishes with the boys and Rafe.

She finally takes Rafe to meet her grandfather. therein is another story. grin. But she does succeed in seducing Rafe and oh la! here we go again.

She does get Rafe to finally tell his story [after the shootout] It is a story to enjoy and then pass around but doesn't have much staying power. Characters are excellent, story is pretty darn good but . . . . . Ah Well, see for yourself, you should enjoy.

This is not a book without merit; it simply is a book that strectches out storylines that could have been wrapped up in one book. Toby Holt stills has to quell the northern tier from Ma Hastings and Red Cloud, such as he had to in Montana. Meanwhile, Beth Blake undergoes captivity and a homicide trial that has little in the means of suspense.

Still, I like the story dealing with Toby's and Gentle Doe's affair, and the introduction of Kale Salton continues the Ross tradition of having "ladies of ill repute" seens as angels trapped in a bad guy's profession. I give this book a generous 4 stars.

Dakota Diaspora is a lovely book which tells of the author's experiences as a child growing up Jewish on the prairie. From Russia to "Nordakota" Ms. Trupin attempts to understand her parents and their motivations for leaving the "known" for such a great "unknown." She draws mostly upon her own childhood memories, rather than gathering first-hand accounts from her parents. I found the ending somewhat disappointing because we don't find out if the author was able to maintain her Yiddishkeit, which her mother was so concerned that the children would lose without a strong Jewish community. A great book for those looking for a good biography. As a Torah-seeking Kansan, I appreciated reading about a turn-of-the-century Jewish family who departed from the well trodden paths to New York and Chicago in order to live on the land AND maintain a Torah lifestyle.