I was invited to join a book club, and the book they were reading actually sounded interesting. Amazing right? My problem is that so many times book club books are filled with sex, violence, and downright depressing things. I care not to fill my free time reading about all of the horrors of this world and tend to stick towards the more pleasant things in life.1000 White Women by Jim Fergus was what I was to read. I looked at the cover, read the back, was irritated at how small the print was (I am an extremely slow reader), but decided to give it a go. It is a historical fiction novel about the Cheyenne Indians taking 1000 white brides to help assimilate their culture into the white world in the 1860's. The idea was since in their culture the children grow up in the tribe of their mother, this would be a natural and more fluid transition and blend of the two people. The story follows one of the women that goes out west to marry one of the "savages" and her experiences along the way.
Some things in the story were a little far fetched, but hey, it's fiction. Overall it was a beautiful view into a world unlike our own and the story really allowed me to think about how things in this world have change tremendously - some for the better, some for the worse. What remains the same are human emotions and our connections to the things that are individually most important to us.
Good review Lindsay. I am drawn to stories of the westward movement in the US because your Grandma Claudia's great grandparents came across country with a wagon train. Her grandfather was the second white child born in Birch Bay, Washington. (the first was his older brother)- and of course Grandma Claudia says she knows she is a direct descendant of Sacajawea -- or Pocahontas -- she doesn't care which one LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the book too. Living in the area or having visited several of the locations where much of the story took place made it even more enjoyable. Some of the scenes really came to life for me because I could just see the spot in my mind.
Really? I guess I missed this part of our family history. Super interesting!
ReplyDeleteYes- it is true. Frank Henspeter, Grandma Claudia's Grandfather actually wrote a historical fiction book called "Trail of Destiny" loosely capturing the overland trip that his parents made in the early 1870's. I read it when I was about twelve. Grandma has the only surviving copy that I am aware of. I doubt Grandma would ever send it in the mail but she may let me hand carry it. You should read it - it is a part of your heritage. I am sorry that you didn't know that - but hey- it is always fun to learn something new about your ancestry!
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