This little book makes great reading for those interested in first-person accounts of Cheyenne and Sioux life and history. There are four narratives and a collection of black and white photos.

My favorite story is the first one, told by Iron Teeth or Mah-i-ti-wo-nee-ni, a 95 year old woman born about 1834. Her father was Cheyenne and her mother was Sioux, and she was raised as a Cheyenne. In the time of her grandmother, these Indians had no horses. In her own girlhood, they captured wild horses or went on horseraids south to Mexico. She relates many interesting incidents from daily life as a Cheyenne woman.

There are also stories of hunts, heartbreaks, and history. She was part of Dull Knife's village camped on the Powder River that was destroyed by white soldiers in 1876. And later she was in the group of people from Dull Knife's band (about 100 people, including children) who were inhumanely imprisoned in a 30 foot square building at Fort Robinson without food or water, until they made a brave and desperate death-defying escape. She lived through reservation starvation and the murder of friends and family members, and into old age to tell this story. What superb reading.

In addition to (1) Iron Teeth, A Cheyenne Old Woman, the other narratives are (2)James Tangled Yello Hair, A Cheyenne Scout, (3)Jules Claudel, A White Soldier with the Cheyenne Scouts, and (4) Oscar Good Shot, A Sioux Farmer. This book was created from interviews by Thomas Marquis in the 1920s. Highly recommended!

A spectacular photo essay of the Minnicoujou, SihaSapa, Oohenump and Itazipco Lakota, now of the Cheyenne River Reservation. This book provides a marvelous and highly accessible historic record of a people and culture. Many, many photographs are included of both important historical figures of these Lakota bands, many involved in the Little Bighorn battle and Wounded Knee massacre - as well as hundreds of ordinary Lakota who's pride and culture have know been permanently cataloged. Puts Images and real faces on history.

I am reminded of a saying I once heard: People may come to dinner, but a true friend helps you wash the dishes. This book presents friends. I can picture Grandma as she tells stories of her childhood or humbly contemplates the meaning of the owl's call. She remains with me after the book is finished. This is a good book for those who need to see the beauty and small acts of kindness and generosity that are triumphant in the face of hardship.

I found this book extremely interesting, as it is written by Mary Henderson Eastman, who actually got to know the Native Americans who lived near Fort Snelling, where Mary's Husband, Seth Eastman, was stationed. I was completely engulfed by her stories, and sometimes felt as if I were right there with her, experiencing first hand what these Native Americans were like and how they lived. I applaud the Afton Historical Society Press for their efforts in preserving our country's history, and for putting a small part of that history in such a beautiful book--lovely paper, and a stunning dust jacket. Anyone who enjoys history, or just a good story, should DEFINITELY buy this book!!

For many years, I, like so many others, have labored under the assumption that the Native American 'story' was somewhat like the depictions we had all seen and read.

The voice of the current Native Americans speak to the atrocities perpetrated upon them by the insensitive advancement of land hungry europeans.

This book, written by Samuel Pond, simply describes how the Lakota Sioux actually 'were' in Minnesota in 1834.

Samuel and his brother Gideon Pond were missionaries to the Sioux and, among other exceptional work, compiled a comprehensive lexicon of the Sioux language, subsequently translating the Bible into Sioux.

For those of you who would like to gain an unbiased view of the true Native American, this book is a 'must'.

It is also possible that after learning about Samuel and Gideon Pond, you will develop a deep appreciation of the dedication and hardships suffered by, and the good intentions and pioneering spirit of the missionaries who wanted to enrich the souls of Native Americans.

Samuel and Gideon Pond were truely 'unsung heros' of our American heritage. Their efforts have been annotated in this book, however, and so their exploits still live in the minds of the reader.

Even if you choose not to purchase this book, it would be well worth your time to 'surf' their names in the internet. You will be rather surprised at the results.

For anyone interested in the background, impact, and future of the Pick-Sloan Plan, you need look no further than Lawson's aptly titled "Dammed Indians". The tribes from Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, SD to Ft. Peck Dam in Montana have all been adversely affected with the damming of the Missouri River, a truth which Lawson documents with precision and skill. Originally a Ph.D. dissertation written in the history department at the University of New Mexico, Lawson is a fine example of some of the many outstanding American West historians who have come out of that institution.

I have read this book and there are things I didnt even know or have forgotten about my tribe. My father and uncles helped with the informatiion in this book about the Lower Brule Sioux........

I thought I had exhausted finding fresh, literary works on the subject of plains Indian/military history, but this book is a gem. It is sprinkled with wonderful, relevant tidbits to events whose humanity is gone in other efforts. I've read about 400 books on the subject, and this is in the top 5

I never knew my grandfather as he died the year before I was born. I used to play in the attic of my home. I played with grandfathers uniform and sword,his musket and many of his personal belongings. Seeing as how this is my grandfather it makes the book seem more real to me than if it were written about someone that I never heard of.

A must have for anyone interested in Native culture. Each rite is carefully described with a sincere reverence and enhanced with beautifully detailed illustrations. I wish that American schools would use this book as a part of their American History curriculum. Highly recomended!