It's been a long time since I've written a book report - but I'll try! My favorite way to read is by Audio-Book, on tape or CD, it doesn't matter - just so I can listen while I work or drive. This is a truly convenient way to "read!"
One of the more interesting books that I have listened to this summer is One Thousand White Women* by Jim Fergus; the title alone is very intriguing. This is the fictional journal of May Dodd written in the 1870's.
Title: One Thousand White WomenAuthor(s): Jim Fergus
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages:
Date: 1999
The Story starts out with a true statement about Cheyenne Chief Little Wolf who went to Washington to talk President Grant into exchanging one thousand white women for one thousand horses. He wanted the women to wed the Indian braves, bear children (who would stay with the Indian families) while the mothers would go back to the while families after two years. Little Wolf thought that this would blend the races and make peace and understanding easier. Here the truth ends and the fiction begings - the story of the first batch of white women sent out to the Cheyenne braves.
May Dodd writes all that happens in her journal - she started her life in a "well-to-do" family and when she didn't conform to their ideals - they purt her in an asylum. She was given the chance to go and have her freedom. Others on the trip were from prisons, asylums, and the streets. May writes of... Well you're just going to have to read to find out! But I will tell you that I found it very interesting - hard to put down!
A "quick read" that I enjoyed (and I did READ this one!) is The Hello Girl* by Merline Lovelace. This is about the women that went to France during WWI to operate the telephones. They were needed to translate between operators and the military. It goes into a romance...
Both books can be checked out at the SE Public Library - see you there!!
Jan Featheringill
*These titles are links to our catalog. Click on them to request a copy!
