I loan this book out alot, as it often makes its way into conversation. A history of the miniature empires that have made their clumsy way through the land of the Shoshone people as seen by Coyote, their jester and creator (the two could hardly be mutually exclusive). Miniature empires collapsing just as they've made their plans to conquer the land. Scholarly, cynical, and irreverent, and full of great stories and poetically written.

This story is based on the life of Elijah Nicholas ("Nick") Wilson, for whom Wilson, Wyoming, is named. Unlike the review from HORN BOOK, I didn't think this book needed a map; a "regular" modern map of Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Montana works well.

The plot does meander--but so did Wilson's life! If you are looking for a book about a child unsure of his place in the world, this is certainly a good one. Jimmy doesn't know if he wants to live with the white men or the Indians. (Read or see LITTLE BIG MAN for a humorous take on exactly the same theme but a different Indian Nation.)

The story is not sugar-coated. Bad things do happen (scaplpings, buffalo killing, etc.) and the author tells the tale realisticly. I have travelled greatly in this area and found that it brought back very fond memories--and a strong desire to summer in Wyoming and Idaho again!

Also good reading are JIMMY SPOON AND THE PONY EXPRESS and JENNY, A GIRL OF THE TETONS by the same author. The former is based on Wilson's further adventures and the latter is based on the life of the namesake of Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

My main problem with this book was that it didn't have a lot of page-turning material in it. Other than that, it was GREAT! It really showed how the Indians lived, and their views on different things. I found it a little annoying that he didn't miss his family as much as I thought he would. But still, I recommend this book to anyone interested in Indian culture but don't want to read through textbooks.

Jimmy Spoon is a ten year old boy living in Salt Lake City,Utah. He really wants a horse but his dad said he couldn't until he was 14. One day when Jimmy was playing in his backyard two Shashoni boys came up to him and played for a while. The next day they came back with a horse named Pinto Bean and they said,"If you come to our village, Jimmy, we will give you Pinto Bean." Jimmy thought, "Sure! Why not?" So he went with the boys to the village. Little did Jimmy know that the boys meant forever. After Jimmy found out he said,"Ok, I'll go with you for a while". Jimmy never would imagine all the adventures and fun that would come in the future.

I at first liked this book as it went into how Emma and Rider first met but after a few more chapters this book really fell flat where her other books flew. I really did not like how Rider treated Emma as I got further into the book. He's supposed to be falling in love with her but to me it seemed as though all he ever really wanted was sex, I mean thats the only reason why she was allowed on the wagon train to begin with because he was "allowed" by the others on the train to take his pleasure with her. I mean he tries to rape her twice in the book. He is rude, obnoxious and doesn't even take Emma's feelings in to consideration. I also think that Josh's character isn't written deeply enough he could have brought a lot more to the story but Gentry only touches on him breifly using him as a bridge to get Rider and Emma together. He is such an intresting character but is made to be so shallow and unimportant. I hope like many others that their is a book written about him when he is older which will bring more depth and emotion to his character and also show his feelings on what it is like to be a product of rape and maybe him finding out about his Cheynnne roots. All in all I give this story only two stars because it's plot was not well thought out but its characters were somewhat intresting and the love scenes once consentuial were well written. I only hope if a sequel for Josh is written that it will have more depth and its characters will be better behaved and have more morals.

I have to agree with some of the others, this book was far from Georgina Gentry's better works. Although I liked the heroine, Emma, I could not feel the same way for the hero, Rider. I found him obnoxious and down-right disgusting at times. I never felt like I was reading a real love story. Had this not been by one of my favorite authors, I would have not finished it. The secondary characters were also obnoxious and rude and I could not find anything to like about them. I have read almost all of Ms. Gentry's books and this one is at the bottom of the list. It definitely is NOT a keeper!

I have to admit that I started reading this book once before and I couldnt get into it,BUT a few months later I thought I should give it another chance. I regret putting the book down the first time I attempted to read it. I truely enjoyed reading of Rider, Emma and Josh. The way Rider was always there when she needed him. She put up a fight at first but her feelings for Rider just got stronger. I pratically did no work at my job, I just couldnt put the book down. I give this book 5 stars. I agree with one of the reviewers, I would love to read up on Josh as a grown man. Him being Cheyenne but raised as Shoshoni. I think it would be interesting.

I think that this book included a couple of true facts, but a lot of imagination, how could you know what someone about 100-110 years ago was thinking.I think Flora Seymour did fairly well job, considering that she was writing a children's storybook. I applaud you Flora Seymour!

This book was VERY exciting!! I am done with this book now, but I still think about it!! Sacagawea went through ALOT!! For instance like moving, making alot of stuff like: her clothes, shoes, tents, and baskets. Think about it!! Having to make all this stuff. It would take days!! I am sure thankful we have machines now to make different things!! I highly recommend this book!!

As a student of Colonial history and a professor of economics, I have often been amazed at the historical errors and myths one finds in Early American literature. Donna J. Kessler has taken on one such myth that will amaze you in its depth. She reveals how some infrequent references by Lewis and Clark to the Indian woman's helpfulness are embellished and just plain ignored by novelists and other writers during the past two centuries. These writers have turned a simple woman into a princess, an early American feminist and maybe a suffragette. I plan to use this material when teaching courses in "Critical Thinking" to illustrate how easily we can be mislead by zealous misrepresentations from the past. Ms Kessler's definitive work is very difficult to read. I suspect it was her dissertation for a Ph. D. Nonetheless let me heartily recommend it to you as a classic example of fine scholarship. It is one that any truth seeker can learn from. Just don't plan to speak on it at a feminist convention.