I have an original copy of this classic. Not a photo-copy. NOT much else of Americana as spectacular.

With _Reflections on the Academic Life in North Dakota_, Walter Ellis has written a book that all men will want to read and that all women should read. Written from Ellis' own male perspective, _Reflections_ traces the decline and fall of a romantic relationship between two people in the academic profession that seemed to hold great promise, but which really never had a chance. At times hilarious, but ultimately tragic, Reflections is a skillful blend of humor and heartache, written in an engrossing style that is easy to read and sprinkled with clever, yet realistic, dialogue and the wry musings of a very intelligent author.

The story is about David London, a forty-nine year old university history professor, and Tracey Gillespie, his much younger girlfriend, a beautiful graduate student who studies archaeology at another university. From the opening chapters it is clear that the two have a volatile relationship, one which alternates between passionate love-making and trivial disagreements that have a way of simmering until they boil over into curse-laden tirades. David thinks he goes the extra mile to accommodate Tracey's every wish and need. But Tracey thinks that David can do nothing right, is insensitive to her feelings and, worse still, can't even feed her cats properly! Yet some thing or things keeps them together-the fulfillment of his fantasies of a young and dazzlingly beautiful student, her emotionally scarred need for the wisdom, stability, and security of the older professor (or father) type?

Something's got to give and the two decide to take a trip together in a tour group to the Middle East to see and experience the wonders of ancient Israel and Jordan. Surely this will solve all their problems-of course not-but it is always the two people in the relationship who need to see this the most who do not see this. The tour might just as well have been on a rollercoaster track as on the dirt roads of Petra as the trip makes things only worse for the ill-suited lovers. Further complicating matters are the other members of the tour group, a motley crew who range from the saintly Alexandra, an older woman to whom David increasingly finds himself drawn for comfort and wisdom, to the down to earth Joel and his wife, Julie, a thirty-something couple who quickly become David's drinking buddies, to the wretched Berta, a loud, bossy, bloated epitome of the ugly American tourist, to the competent, if somewhat tacky, Yuri, the Israeli tour guide who must cater to the varied and often unreasonable demands of the members of the tour group. These supporting characters are not just window dressing or, worse still, "types," but fully developed human beings who are also skillfully weaved into the plot as essential players in this tragic-comedy.

Ellis doesn't tell us what should be in a relationship, just what all too often is (for many of us, at any rate). David and Tracey are two people, intellectually and emotionally incompatible, yet drawn to each other by physical passion and their own fantasies of what they think they want out of a relationship and out of life, fantasies that end up smashed by the steel hammer of reality. But as the song says, "you can't always get what you want, but if you try some time, you just might find, you'll get what you need." For if there is any lesson in Ellis' tale, it comes from the character of Alexandra, who had a long, stable relationship with a husband who was compatible with her in a real way, and not just some figment of her fantasies. One can only hope that the same readers who mutter to themselves, "how true, how true," or, "been there, done that," when reading Ellis' book (and I'm sure there will be many, for this reviewer is among them) also take the lesson to heart and break the cycle of their own failed relationships. Even if they do not, though, at least readers of Walter Ellis' _Reflections on the Academic Life in North Dakota_ will have had a few laughs, a little truth in art, and a darned good read.

The Roadside History of South Dakota is an entertaining, well-written book. At first I read this book as an armchair traveler and enjoyed anecdotes that gave the flavor and essence of South Dakota. Then I drove through the state. The book brought to life the places we passed on the way, and I was able to entertain my children with stories of the people who lived there. Driving roads like I90 became a historical and cultural experience. I am looking forward to reading other books in the Roadside History series.

The story of a young Plains Indian who traveled to Europe in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Rodeo, this book is extraordinary and moving. The story is fun, but it is the illustrations that bring this book to the level of genuine art: the pictures are completely magical. This book transformed my day after reading it: I felt renewed by it's beauty and innocence.

My 8-year-old son is a machine maniac, and he loved his story of a boy in 1912 helping to harvest wheat in North Dakota by learning to run a steam engine. Lots of info and great drawings of the steam tractor and thresher, plus fanscinating details about life on the prairie. Mom enjoyed it too, and often had a tear in her eye.

My 8 year old daughter was wide-eyed as she followed these two American Indian brothers on their quest to seek out the monstrous Uncegila. Jill Rubalcaba's language is rhythmic and poetic, and children will enjoy the starkly colorful paintings. A good choice for read-aloud

On the morning of December 29, 1890, the Lakota chief Big Foot and some 350 of his followers were camped on the banks of Wounded Knee creek. Surrounding their camp was a force of U.S. troops charged with the responsibility of arresting Big Foot and disarming his warriors. What happened is now called the massacre at Wounded Knee, which resulted in approximately 300 Lakota dead. Although scattered fighting continued after the massacre, what happened at Wounded Knee effectively ended both the Ghost Dance movement and the Indian Wars.

Neil Waldman begins his book "Wounded Knee" with the recollections of Black Elk, a young Lakota warrior, of being awaken that morning by the sound of gunfire. From there Waldman goes back to the first contacts between native peoples and Europeans, putting the massacre in context with the entire history of the conquest of the New World. He then narrows his focus to the Plains War in the 1870's, which includes the Battle of the Little Big Horn, and Ghost Dance movement of the late 1880's that led to this final, fatal confrontation between the Lakota and the U.S. Calvary. Waldman provides an objective view of how this tragedy came about, covering how events made the massacre almost an inevitable finale to centuries of conflict. Waldman also does the illustrations for this book, and I believe several of the them are based on period photographs.

The massacre at Wounded Knee is the important historical counterpart to what happened at the Little Bighorn, which was the one great victory enjoyed by the Plains Indians against federal troops. However, that victory only increased the determination of the Army, and the government, to eradicate the "threat" posed by the Indians. Wounded Knee becomes the final price the Indians had to pay for their "victory" and therefore you really should not teach or learn about one without the other. True, Waldman provides an objective view of this event, but in doing so he really gives his reader little choice as to where their sympathies should lie.

This book was recommended to me by my wife, who had read it as part of a church discussion group. I am not at all religious so I only accepted the proffer on the gounds that it would be a good travel book to accompany our vacation trip to North Dakaota. I found the book lacking in many respects. I can't comment on the spiritual portions obviously. As to the geographic descriptions, I came away with the feeling that Norris is not really happy with Dakota and really would be more comfortable in an urban area. In many ways I found her lamenting the loss of city life, instead of really comtemplating the small-town life. Further, her thesis bout small town life in tbe Dakotas really applies to small towns everywhere. I see the same problems in the small West Virginia town where my family has a weekend cabin and in the central North Carolina textile region where I grew up. Worldwide, small towns are declining and perhaps Norris is correct in pointing out some of the causes. Nonetheless, she fails to capture the awe and wonder of traveling the great plains of the United States. Norris did not manage to put what I always feel into words, but I have yet to capture the correct mood in my own words either. By the way, during our trip we pulled off Interstate 94 at Richardton, ND for a picnic lunch. As we drove back to the highway, my wife noticed a couple of steeples in an otherwise pretty abandoned town. We found the Assumption Abbey, a beautiful building quite at odds with the more pioneer appearance of the remainder of the town. A monk in robes confirmed this as the location of Ms. Norris's visits. I guess this sums up the experience of Great Plains travel better than the book -- it is a place where wonderous experiences, both good and bad, can occur at any moment. It is the mystery and one's insignificance in its midst that I could not ultimately find in this book.

Kathleen Norris is the author of Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith, and The Cloister Walk. She is a poet. Dakota was her first work of nonfiction/memoir. Having read both Amazing Grace and The Cloister Walk, I had an idea of what to expect from Norris's work. She writes deeply personal and deeply spiritual books. Dakota has the same type of feel to it, but the location and the subject is different.

Kathleen Norris's past lay in western South Dakota, but for twenty years she had abandoned both her faith as well has her history. She went to school in New York but decides to move back to Lemmon, SD with her husband. Her book is subtitled "A Spiritual Geography". She writes early on that geography comes from the words for earth and writing, and so knowing that this is a spiritual geography we immediately know that this is a spiritual discussion of the Dakotas, as well as also being about Norris herself.

Norris writes about small town life and small town church, and a semi-history of the town of Lemmon. Since most of the details are told in anecdote, it makes things easier to read. One thing that struck me was how she was comparing monastic life to small town faith and how much things tied together like that. The focus on monastic life and on monks is a theme and a topic that will run throughout the book as well as into her subsequent books. Kathleen Norris may not have a mainstream Christian faith, but she has a deep reverence and respect for the Christian tradition and faith, especially that which has come from the monasteries.

This is a slow moving, peaceful book. It is thoughtful, intelligent, and moving. It is filled to the brim with a steady faith in Christ and in some ways, it moves like time spent in a monastery. I don't know if this sounds like a recommendation, but it is meant to be. I found Dakota to be very interesting and along with Dakota, I would recommend Norris's later book: Amazing Grace.

My grandparents live about 30 miles from Lemmon, SD (the setting of Norris's memoir). I was overwhelmed at times while reading Dakota: A spiritual Geography. She has portrayed the people as only an insider/outsider can -- seeing both the faults and the strengths of a small midwestern town. What touched me more than anything, however, was her portrayal of the land. This beautiful, striking, and awe inspiring landscape is brought to life by Norris. I had tears in my eyes while reading and felt pangs of homesickness. Dakota can be a slow read, but it is a beautiful book.

This book weaves a myriad of folk motifs into the fabric of reality, creating a vibrant tale about the connections among generation, about how the actions of our ancestors can affect out contemporary lives-and how the presence resonates in us.

The story creates a foundation in the 1860s-when a Dakota warrior-Ghost Horse, lost his love-Red Dress. Since then, their spirits have sought to be reunited, and it is the playing out of this drama that shapes the sometimes violent fate of those who have come after them. The story jumps to the 1980s,where Charlene Thunder, a teenage descendant of Red Dress, is in love with Harley Wind Soldier, a traditional dancer of Ghost Horse's lineage. When Harley's soulmate, Pumpkin, dies, Charlene suspects her grandmother, the infamous Anna Thunder- who is both revered and feared by the Dakota community.

Charlene and Harley strive to make peace with the ghosts of their pasts while contending with the living. Other significant characters include Jeanette McVay, an American college student studying the tribe; Crystal Thunder-who must escape to Chicago to find her past; Herod Sall War-a member of the community who provides spiritual guidance; and Margaret Many Wounds-Harley's grandmother who he sees walking on the moon.

The story combines the mythic and supernatural aspect of the Dakota heritage with the contemporary Dakota tribe to serve as a very entertaining and interesting text!

Susan Power's "The Grass Dancer" is marvelously enjoyable. It tells of people on a Sioux reservation whose lives intersect and intertwine, briefly, or over a lifetime, and how their relationships effect one another. We meet these people much as we most often do in real life, starting with the present and working backwards. The story slowly unravels the mystery of why the characters behave the way they do. Each chapter is told from the perspective of one character and charts the incidents which develop their personality. Ghosts of ancestors visit the present day characters and bring a sense of identity and purpose to them. It is a wonderful tale of the continuity and validity of the tribal culture and the interconnectivity between all the characters - past, present, and future. Using realism and mysticism, traditional Sioux and contemporary cultural elements, and above all, fluid, picturesque language, Ms. Powers has written a book which is wonderful on first reading and will develop more meaning with each successive one. I highly recommend it.

If you are looking for a book that is engaging and compelling, Susan Power's "The Grass Dancer" is it. Indeed, this book is at once exciting, poignant, and meaningful. I have to say that, among the numerous books that I have read since high school, this one ranks (at least) in the top 20. When I put down the book, I felt as though I had just awoken from a beautiful dream.
Power recreates the world of magic and spirituality in a tapestry of beautiful language and webs of stories. "The Grass Dancer" is about the traditions of the Dakota Indian people-both past and present-and the narrative switches from one narrator to another, giving us multiple perspectives into the lives of these characters. The chapters go back in time, so that events unfold in front of our eyes, making the present situation of these characters understandable. Each character seems to be finding a way to be complete, and at the end of almost each chapter, each one of them sprouts strong and resilient, like grass that is hard to pull out. Power brings us in a journey through time and space, illustrating the power of imagination, such as the possibility of walking on the moon.
Grass serves as a symbol of power, particularly Indian power. Dancing becomes a way in which an Indian keeps his or her hopes up, making it a dance that is imbued with a kind of survival energy. Power's message in this book can be summed up in this sentence, where she writes, "...look at the magic. There is still magic in the world."
This book is infused with humor to keep you interested, and spirituality to keep you inspired. The presence of love among characters is so moving that it will stir your emotions. All in all, Power hits every aspect of an Indian's life: the dichotomy between Indian and white culture, the problems that arise out of dual heritage, disease, spirits, magic, ancestral powers, religion, and love. I would re-read this book, whether it be for inspiration, or simply for pleasure. Perhaps you would find the same joy by reading this incredible story.

I bought this book purely on a whim. As it turns out I wish I could "whimsically" find more works by Mr. London. His grasp of the plains indians and their life conditions from past to present is far better than the "big four" of indian fiction... i.e. Tony Hillerman, etc. (and I love Hillerman's works). The historical accuracy of events is eclisped only by his graphic portrayal of the on-going struggle of the modern day indians trying so desperately to regain lands and "promises" that our government so blatantly tricked them out of. Moving back and forth between fact and fiction so smoothly kept my interest piqued several nights into early a.m. Strong characters and physical descriptions kept me spellbound. It's a fantastic read!

I picked up this book expecting just a good story - and ended up unable to put the book down until I finished. The concommitant devotion and pain that the characters share; the complexity of their relationships with one another and their predicament; the author's straightfoward style coupled with a hawk's eye for detail; and his acute sense of the pathos of the historical and cultural territory that this book covers all make this book one of the best I've read for a long time.

I think the issue of whether a writer is "qualified" to write about another culture is a thorny one. Certainly there's the whole "it's a thing, you just don't understand" is valid in certain respects. However, I can't help but think that the act and process of trying to understand (and write about) a culture or experience that is "other" is admirable and is what, ultimately, enables people to rise above their own small worlds and begin to make sense of that raging ether we call the human condition. I applaud London's sensitive and educated attempt - as well as what I would say is his successful result. That is, if you can claim to distill the ability to capture and empathize with pain, exhilaration, the will to survive, etc - all of that - something as simple as "successful." Perhaps a work such as Sundancer is better labled with a word such as "humilty" rather than "successful."

I had come across a very strong review of Sun Dancer in the Portlandia Book Review (Portland, Oregon) in which the reviewer compared Sun Dancer favorably to Sherman Alexie's Indian Killer, which he also liked. So, I decided to give it a try. Wow! This is a fast-moving book, yet thoughtful and spiritual. It's full of beauty, pain, humor and pathos--no mere action-adventure. There is also a crushing love story in here, yet I wouldn't categorize Sun Dancer as a romance. It seems to defy genre.

Perhaps what I loved most about this book is how real it felt. You actually forget you're reading. You're there. And the voice of the narrator is mesmerizing.

Without effort, you absorb a great deal of Lakota culture while ripping through the story. (And what a beautiful culture it is!) Never, though, do you feel like you're reading ethnology, for you're too busy caring about these sympathetic characters and wondering what happens next, and will they succeed at regaining their Black Hills.

At the heart of this book, it seems to me, are profound spiritual questions, and equally serious questions about justice.

I loved it. Many scenes in Sun Dancer have stayed with me a long time--as have the haunting characters. London has a way of burning things into your eye and into your mind. The book was definitely fun to read, but it may also change the way you see things.