Rating: 
Summary: slightly entertaining, but hardly praise worthy
Review: Like too many 'anglos' Mr. Frazier thinks he can get all his info about Indians through one interpreter -- in Mr. Frazier's case it's a boisterous (sic) drunk. There is so much more complexity of reservation life that Mr. Frazier refuses to ignore, or is just too naive to be aware of. Mr. Frazier is a modern day 'anthropologist' in the worst sense of the word -- carefully documenting social interactions of a couple of players, who in the end are hardly representative of a greater culture. That being said, I think that Mr. Frazier occasionally captures the mood and the hopelessness of the reservation. But to read the book, you would believe that there is little optimism or reason for living on the Rez. Mr. Frazier fails to capture the obsurd humor and in many cases the unfailing optimism that permeates the lives of the Indians he is observing. If you are looking for a better account of the 'modern Indian,' try Reservation Blue by Sherman Alexie.
Rating: 
Summary: Candid
Review: So many books on Indians end in 1890. This book is a description of the lives of some members of one Indian tribe. The author is candid in describing both the good and the bad in the people he meets and in himself. I mock at some of the people that society considers heros (sic). The stories about SuAnne Big Crow and Billy Mills certainly describes modern day role model heros.
Rating: 
Summary: Uneven, Unfocused Mix of Memoirs and Sociology
Review: This book is not the grand study of reservation life that the title implies, but more of a memoir mixed awkwardly with sociological studies of modern Indian life. The focus is on the Oglala Sioux of the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. Frazier is a white guy with a unique perspective of this area, being long-time friends with an eccentric Sioux named Le War Dance, and having visited the reservation dozens of times. As Frazier reminisces on conversations and adventures with Le War Dance, he includes meaningful musings on the state of Native Americans, the Sioux in particular. For some reason during these memoirs Frazier includes narratives from his own life as well, but what these have to do with the rest of the story is hard to figure. Another source of imbalance is the changing focus of the book. About two-thirds of the way through, Le War Dance is forgotten for a while and the book shifts abruptly to a gushy, worshipful biography of SuAnne Big Crow. SuAnne surely deserves the admiration - she was a high school basketball champion from the reservation who was a great source of inspiration among her divided and downtrodden people, but then died in a car wreck just before graduation. Regardless, the insertion of her story into this book is awkward, as it damages the book's focus and is also not the extensive bio that SuAnne probably deserves. I suggest that Frazier write a full biography on SuAnne as his next project. On the good side, Frazier definitely provides many valuable insights into the lives of modern Native Americans, instead of musings on the glory days of noble savages and brave warriors that you usually get in books about Indians. The current challenges that these people face are a cause of real concern, but Frazier's book is not strong enough to deliver any true sociological revelations.
Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended
Review: I have read quite a bit of Native American history, but very little on contemporary Native Americans. This book filled that gap splendidly, particularly insofar as the Oglala Sioux are concerned. Ian Frazier is a wonderful author. His easy to read, conversational style reminds me a lot of John McPhee. Like McPhee, he has researched his topic thoroughly. His time spent on the Pine Ridge reservation and his intimate friendship with several tribal members allows the reader to experience a perspective that few writers could achieve. He lays out his topic in unvarnished terms. Native Americans face an extraordinarily unique set of problems to which no other ethnic group can lay claim. The picture can be dark and somber, but Frazier also manages to instill a sense of history, nobility and pride that can cut through the gloom. He conveys his fascination with the Sioux people and their struggle in an infectious and involving manner. Very highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: What can I add?
Review: Following 51 other reviewers is no easy task, especially as I find myself in agreement with most. This is a very good read, both humorous and depressing, entertaining and educational. I also had difficulty putting it down and didn't want it to end. And I agree with those who found the LONG section about SuAnne Big Crow at the end tedious and puzzling -- without that I would have given it 5 stars. If you want a very realistic portrait of modern Indian life on and off the Rez, I recommend this wonderful book.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting interpretation... excellent read!
Review: "On the Rez," by Ian Frazier, is a captivating book should you be interested in learning more about one interpretation of what life might be like on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Many do not understand what goes through the minds of many Native Americans on the "rez" as they are stereotyped as being poor, lazy and less than "civilized." In general, many can't see why these people can't seem to "get with the program." Frazier strives to give a different point of view through the insight he gains from his close friend of more than 20 years, Le War Lance, an Oglala Sioux native. The book is almost like a journal of their adventures and time together but it is much more than that. It's about a friendship that lasts through triumphs and disappointments and seems to have thrived deeper throughout the years. It's also about a white man's view and interpretation on what he experiences when learning about this culture. If you go into the book understanding that this is not fact, but a good and genuine view of one man's view, you'll enjoy it. If not, you'll be biased. Culture is difficult to understand if you don't live it. The Oglala Sioux have a much different culture than mainstream America and it's all relative to what is important to you. Just because Le War Lance sees things in one light does not mean that he is the spokesperson for all Native Americans, Sioux, Oglala Sioux or his own family. It is just his view, one human, which happens to coincide with others. I think that Frazier is mindful of this but it doesn't always seem implied. I fail giving this book a full five stars because it is my opinion that Frazier mixes facts with a feel-good story toward the last third of the book when discussing the heartbreaking story of SuAnne Big Crow. It is an important part of the book but it is a little longer than necessary to achieve what he wanted to say. However, it does denote how important her story is to him in his vision of the Oglala Sioux. While the scenarios of SuAnne are great recollections put together from his interviews, I get the impression that she is put too high up on a pedastal as a great warrior when she doesn't necessarily have to be. However, I also think that I am observant enough to know that it is a very human trait and quite a normal phenomenon among all cultures. We all need our heroes to put up on a pedastal. So, I'll not sit here and say it is right or wrong. It is a touching story, but I wonder how much is manufactured versus realistic. Regardless, I did enjoy it and it does have much merit. Again, I recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down. I gained some insight from it and what's most important to me is that it had me wanting to learn even more about various Native American tribal cultures and experiences. I have since purchased more books and am swamped with reading material. Perhaps I'll write a book of my own some day based upon my research and discuss the proud Mandan tribe (Sioux) that a mother-in-law of mine is 100% native. Do yourself a favor, check it out!
Rating: 
Summary: A Story of Adaptation
Review: Ian Frazier's "On the Rez" chronicles his relationship with an Oglala Lakota friend, Le War Lance. Frazier and War Lance met in New York City and established an "off and on" friendship that endures a number of hardships in their lives. While the book paints a vivid picture of their friendship and how it changes over the years, it also parallels the adaptation of the Lakota people as they have become used to living on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the modern lifestyle on the Pine Ridge Reservation. I do feel that Frazier might spend too much time on insignificant details from time to time, however. Nonetheless, this is a great book!
Rating:
Summary: Don't "Rez"ist it
Review: Frazier's book details the life of the Oglala Sioux on the Pine Ridge reservation. The story mixes past with present, as Frazier follows the life of his friend Le War Lance. He details the battles with alcoholism and racism that Native Americans face today. He also examines that hope that exists for these people living in desperate conditions. Most importantly the book is not boring while providing useful information. You can actually enjoy reading it and learn something useful in the process.
Rating:
Summary: My only dislike....
Review: The only thing I disliked about "On the Rez" was that it ended. I desperately want to know what happened to Le, I miss the folks I met along the journey, I feel like I'm waiting for my next return visit to Pine Ridge.
I have visited Pine Ridge in the past, but after reading Mr. Frazier's book, I feel like I have REALLY been there. I DO know that his book has inspired my return.
Anyone interested in contemporary life on the reservation MUST read this book!
Rating:
Summary: Moving, honest, memorable.
Review: In this stunningly moving and honest account of life among the Oglala Sioux on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation, Frazier proves again that he is more than an accomplished humorist (Coyote v. Acme), but also a superb chronicler of his own recurring bouts of wanderlust (Great Plains, Family). Writing with a plain-speaking, level-headed frankness that approaches a kind of folksy, hard-won wisdom, occasionally enlivened by a particularly dry brand of humor, in On the Rez Frazier reintroduces a figure he first met during his writing of Great Plains, Le War Lance, an itinerant, alcoholic as unforgettable as he is unpredictable. Now, 20 years later, Frazier weaves his experiences and observations at Pine Ridge around the strange friendship he's established with Le War, introducing a way of life amongst a people we should know more about. Frazier's ability to permanently set a unique cast of individuals into the reader's memory, as well the remarkable ease with which he so wholly captures the physicality of a place, and his own genuine responses within that context, makes reading this as close to being there as possible -- and indeed, when you turn the last page, you will have been.
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