[Mithfânion]

Ever since I've read Last of the Mohicans I've had a bit of an on and off infatuation with Indians. I saw the film again the other day and still consider it to be one of the best films ever, great epic feel. I'd like to ask for some recommendations on books on Indians (not documentaries but novel style) that you think might be good or that you've actually read.

I've already put the "bury my heart at wounded knee" documentary on my to read list and am now looking for novels, perhaps set in Canada as well, just like Last of the Mohicans. I remember enjoying some Karl May's Winnetou and Old Shatterhand stories when I was a kid as well, but it's too westernlike for me now, though WInnetou remains impressive.

[Barbarossa]

Hmm I have no idea if they are available in English, but then you are Dutch and perhaps read German too:

Did you ever try Steuben's "Tecumseh" series.
They are sort of a classic, at least in Germany. Based on the real life chief Tecumseh who tried to unite all tribes aerly in the 19th century and died in the war of 1812 fighting for the Brits.

[Mithfânion]

Haven't found a translation for it yet, though there are other books that deal with Tecumseh.

My German is mediocre, not good enough to read novels imo.

Just found "fools crow"by James Welch, might be something but doesn't look like the kind of epic stuff I'm thinking of. Couldn't find anything about Tecumseh that wasn't a biography or documentary.

[This message has been edited by Mithfânion (edited March 06, 2002).]

[Loaba]

You might try to find "The Lone Ranger and Tanto Fistfight in Heaven" by Sherman Alexie, a Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian.

I don't think this is quite what you're looking for, but Alexie is a great author. All of his stuff is very contemporary, mainly deals with modern day Indian life/issues on reservations in the U.S. His stories are full of sharp, sarcastic wit and they are very compelling.

Loaba

[nicba]

Mithfânion, have you ever read the rest of the books in 'The Leatherstocking Tales'? They are:

The Deerslayer
The Pathfinder
The Last of the Mohicans
The Pioneers
The Prairie

I remember reading the first couple of books and liking them, but I'm not sure if I ever read the two later ones.

[Mithfânion]

I understand that the Deerslayer book focuses on Hawk-Eye. They are however written in a very awkward style, very dense, typical for Fenimore Cooper.

[Mithfânion]

Does anyone have more recommendations?

I have picked up a few since then:

The Holy Road by Michael Blake, sequel to Dances with Wolves.
Panther in the Sky by James Thom
The Frontiersmen by Allan Eckert
The Wild Girl by Jim Fergus

[FicusFan]

I read a good, and funny (very black humor) non-fiction book about Indians Custer Died For Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto by Vine Deloria. It is very un-PC, and often angry, and not very happy with the white man, but still a good read.

[Mojo is me]

The LIght In the Forest by Conrad Richter. Short, but very moving.

The Ransom of Mercy Carter by Caroline B. Cooney. It is aimed for a juvenile audience but I read it as an adult and thought it was excellent.

Blood Brother by Elliott Arnold.

[Evil Agent]

I'm just mentioning this point, as a point of interest...

In Canada, at least, (and most of North America) the term 'Indians' is actually considered pretty offensive, and is not used. The terms that are used are 'Native Americans' or 'First Nations' (the term that 'Indians' use for themselves).

:)

This of course stems back to the fact that Columbus mistakenly named them 'Indians', thinking he had reached India/Asia, and because it unfairly lumps together a wide variety of Native American cultures as one group.