Rating: 
Summary: a pioneer man with a joy for knowledge and sharing it
Review: I found this book while looking for Sandoz's book on Crazy Horse. A western librarian friend of a friend told her it's one of the most accurate books on life in the Old West.You'd never get from a movie that so many settlers came from Europe and spoke French or German, or that they would send mail home to find a wife, who'd abandon them after a month. Sandoz dad's populist temperment and character is familiar back in Switzerland under another name. There's a political party of Jules-like people there called the League of Independents (the "Duttweiler" party). It's affiliated with Migros, a cooperative grocery and low-end retail chain, whose founder was a rebel like Jules. As a child, I once read books about people whom I imagined were like my own dad, on his deathbed then. This book brought me back. I can imagine my dad living like Jules --- boisterously, grousing but not really unhappy. Though Mari (whom Jules called Marie but who seems to have adopted the Swiss spelling Mari when she was older) was very unhappy. After Sandoz got this book right (which took many years), she wrote the Crazy Horse book.
Rating: 
Summary: Tough Read
Review: I would like to write a favorable review of this book, but I honestly can't. You see, I am a Nebraskan and my father knew the Sandoz family growing up in western Nebraska. However, this is a hard book to read and at times, as dull and lifeless as the Nebraska prarie that Ms Sandoz describes. For someone looking to learn more about western Nebraska during the late 1800's to early 1900's I suggest picking up a Willa Cather novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Unlikely Origins of a Pioneer
Review: In the book Old Jules, Sandoz presents a biographical account of her immigrant/pioneer father, Jules Ami Sandoz. By presenting the information in chronological order, Sandoz guides the reader through her father's arrival on the western frontier, emergence as an early community builder and agricultural expert, and role in establishing the identity of the Niobrara country of frontier Nebraska. Sandoz presents her father Jules to the reader relative to his position amidst the dynamic social, cultural, and political climates of late 19th century American frontier life in the Nebraska Territory. The author follows Jules through his involvement in land speculation, agriculture, political dealings, community building, and family life in order to acclimate the reader to the multifaceted realities of frontier life. Sandoz employs her personal knowledge of her father alongside historically accurate data, presenting the reader with not only an entertaining, but also informative biography of Old Jules. Mari Sandoz argues that the biography of her father - Jules Sandoz: pioneer, settler, entrepreneur, agricultural and horticultural experimenter, area enthusiast and developer, friend of Indians, enemy of entrenched cattlemen, and devil to his family - not only provides entertaining reading, but also accurately depicts the historical period of American frontier life. In the biography of Old Jules, Sandoz focuses on details of her father's life that distinguish him from other stereotypical pioneers and settlers, as well as commonalities that frontiersmen of the Nebraska Territory shared in their experience. Almost immediately, Sandoz informs the reader about the nationality and social upbringing of Jules, which most likely provided a stark contrast to the socio-economic backgrounds of the majority of pioneers and settlers. Jules immigrated to the United States, leaving behind an upper class background in Switzerland in search of his own fortune and to escape familial pressures to become a doctor. Educated and seemingly intelligent, Jules brought significant talents and strengths to the American frontier. Sandoz argues that her father's cleverness and considerable ability as an organizer and planner allowed him to succeed in the Nebraska Territory as an entrepreneur, agricultural and horticultural specialist, and community builder. Sandoz shows Jules' unwavering confidence in the ability of the hard Nebraskan land and short growing season to nonetheless yield a successful agricultural return. Jules' detailed observations and recordings allowed him to refine his cultivation methods as to maximize the crop output and quality, making this knowledge a great asset to the frontier community. Sandoz focuses at detail on Jules' interest in agriculture to highlight his overwhelming desire to achieve self-sufficiency, a concept held in high regard by settlers and pioneers of the Great Plains during a period that placed high emphasis on individualism. Jules' contributions to the development of the Niobrara country didn't end with agricultural knowledge; Sandoz informs the reader of her father's correspondences with potential settlers, role in the creation of a local post office, and participation in land speculation for incoming migrants to the area. Sandoz shows that Old Jules' involvement in community organization and planning surpassed that of most people of the frontier. She contests that people of the immediate area looked to her father for not only agricultural advice, but also for guidance in many areas their daily lives including obtaining land, seeking justice, and dealing with the problems posed by the encroaching cattle ranchers. The significance of Sandoz's biography not only lies in the presentation of her father Old Jules as a unique and capable pioneer and settler, but rather also in the book's accurate description of larger issues facing all settlers and pioneers of the Great Plains during the late 19th century. Sandoz uses the biography of her father as a case study to illustrate the position of the settler and pioneer relative to the conflicts arising with the cattle ranchers, the removal and eventual deterioration of American Indian culture, and the lawlessness that characterized the early history of the Midwest. In her examination of her father Jules, Mari Sandoz successfully shows that the challenging characteristics of American frontier life shaped and defined the lives of the pioneers and settlers of the period giving them a unique identity in the history of the American move westward. Sandoz's biography of her father successfully combines engaging narrative alongside detailed historical accounts of the Niobrara country of the Nebraska Territory. The book not only entertains the reader through Sandoz's stories of her father Old Jules, but also educates about the nature of American frontier life on the Great Plains during the latter part of the 19th century. Certain elements of the book add to the understanding of the social, economic, and cultural aspects unique to American frontier life, providing a stark contrast to the urbanization taking place in Eastern portion of the country during the same period.
Rating:
Summary: Unlikely Origins of a Pioneer
Review: In the book Old Jules, Sandoz presents a biographical account of her immigrant/pioneer father, Jules Ami Sandoz. By presenting the information in chronological order, Sandoz guides the reader through her father's arrival on the western frontier, emergence as an early community builder and agricultural expert, and role in establishing the identity of the Niobrara country of frontier Nebraska. Sandoz presents her father Jules to the reader relative to his position amidst the dynamic social, cultural, and political climates of late 19th century American frontier life in the Nebraska Territory. The author follows Jules through his involvement in land speculation, agriculture, political dealings, community building, and family life in order to acclimate the reader to the multifaceted realities of frontier life. Sandoz employs her personal knowledge of her father alongside historically accurate data, presenting the reader with not only an entertaining, but also informative biography of Old Jules. Mari Sandoz argues that the biography of her father - Jules Sandoz: pioneer, settler, entrepreneur, agricultural and horticultural experimenter, area enthusiast and developer, friend of Indians, enemy of entrenched cattlemen, and devil to his family - not only provides entertaining reading, but also accurately depicts the historical period of American frontier life. In the biography of Old Jules, Sandoz focuses on details of her father's life that distinguish him from other stereotypical pioneers and settlers, as well as commonalities that frontiersmen of the Nebraska Territory shared in their experience. Almost immediately, Sandoz informs the reader about the nationality and social upbringing of Jules, which most likely provided a stark contrast to the socio-economic backgrounds of the majority of pioneers and settlers. Jules immigrated to the United States, leaving behind an upper class background in Switzerland in search of his own fortune and to escape familial pressures to become a doctor. Educated and seemingly intelligent, Jules brought significant talents and strengths to the American frontier. Sandoz argues that her father's cleverness and considerable ability as an organizer and planner allowed him to succeed in the Nebraska Territory as an entrepreneur, agricultural and horticultural specialist, and community builder. Sandoz shows Jules' unwavering confidence in the ability of the hard Nebraskan land and short growing season to nonetheless yield a successful agricultural return. Jules' detailed observations and recordings allowed him to refine his cultivation methods as to maximize the crop output and quality, making this knowledge a great asset to the frontier community. Sandoz focuses at detail on Jules' interest in agriculture to highlight his overwhelming desire to achieve self-sufficiency, a concept held in high regard by settlers and pioneers of the Great Plains during a period that placed high emphasis on individualism. Jules' contributions to the development of the Niobrara country didn't end with agricultural knowledge; Sandoz informs the reader of her father's correspondences with potential settlers, role in the creation of a local post office, and participation in land speculation for incoming migrants to the area. Sandoz shows that Old Jules' involvement in community organization and planning surpassed that of most people of the frontier. She contests that people of the immediate area looked to her father for not only agricultural advice, but also for guidance in many areas their daily lives including obtaining land, seeking justice, and dealing with the problems posed by the encroaching cattle ranchers. The significance of Sandoz's biography not only lies in the presentation of her father Old Jules as a unique and capable pioneer and settler, but rather also in the book's accurate description of larger issues facing all settlers and pioneers of the Great Plains during the late 19th century. Sandoz uses the biography of her father as a case study to illustrate the position of the settler and pioneer relative to the conflicts arising with the cattle ranchers, the removal and eventual deterioration of American Indian culture, and the lawlessness that characterized the early history of the Midwest. In her examination of her father Jules, Mari Sandoz successfully shows that the challenging characteristics of American frontier life shaped and defined the lives of the pioneers and settlers of the period giving them a unique identity in the history of the American move westward. Sandoz's biography of her father successfully combines engaging narrative alongside detailed historical accounts of the Niobrara country of the Nebraska Territory. The book not only entertains the reader through Sandoz's stories of her father Old Jules, but also educates about the nature of American frontier life on the Great Plains during the latter part of the 19th century. Certain elements of the book add to the understanding of the social, economic, and cultural aspects unique to American frontier life, providing a stark contrast to the urbanization taking place in Eastern portion of the country during the same period.
Rating:
Summary: A realistic account of the settling of northern Nebraska
Review: Mari Sandoz was the daughter of Old Jules about whom she wrote as an historian rather than as his daughter. Her success is astonishing, as is the respect she retained for a father who on one occasion nearly killed her. It is not a book for the faint of heart. Mother would have been 100 in 1998, and was raised in IA and MN under similar circumstances. She was 'down' for several days after reading it because she related so closely to Mari's life. Old Jules was a man of determination and a dream he would not let die. His story is of individuals needed to settle the midwest which was wrested from weather and cattle barrons. You may become emotionally involved with childhood memories, but you will admire Mari's honesty and the success of Jule's life. So real!
Rating:
Summary: A realistic account of the settling of northern Nebraska
Review: Mari Sandoz was the daughter of Old Jules about whom she wrote as an historian rather than as his daughter. Her success is astonishing, as is the respect she retained for a father who on one occasion nearly killed her. It is not a book for the faint of heart. Mother would have been 100 in 1998, and was raised in IA and MN under similar circumstances. She was 'down' for several days after reading it because she related so closely to Mari's life. Old Jules was a man of determination and a dream he would not let die. His story is of individuals needed to settle the midwest which was wrested from weather and cattle barrons. You may become emotionally involved with childhood memories, but you will admire Mari's honesty and the success of Jule's life. So real!
Rating:
Summary: Oddly Sandoz writes better about Indians than her own cultur
Review: Oddly, I found that Sandoz wrote better books about Native American culture than about her own, but this is still wonderful writing. Having first read her biography of Crazy Horse and then Cheyenne Autumn, I was a little disappointed when I first started this story about her father. By the end of the book, however, I found that I had been just as drawn in as I was with her other books. Sandoz has a way of depicting her characters and the worlds in which they live so beautifully that when they die, you feel as if you had truly known them. Certainly Jules Sandoz was not a very likeable character, and yet he was a very powerful man, who left his mark on those who knew him. By the end of Sandoz's first published work, he had definitely left his mark on me. END
Rating:
Summary: The Shaping of an Author
Review: Old Jules was tough, mean, revengeful, yet his daughter went on to become one of the best historical writers of the west. He would get mad when you Mari wrote fiction, or did anything for that matter. Yet he showed her, lived the example of writing, corresponding daily to make his points with politicians, friends and associates. He was tough and mean, but what Mari Sandoz brings to light in this excellent biography are his essential qualities of hard work, perseverience, education and human equality. People with those qualities shaped America, particularily the west. Old Jules open welcome of Native Americans clearly had an impact on Mari Sandoz, showing in her excellent books on the Cheyenne nation and her biography of Crazy Horse. Because Mari is writing about her father, this book helps show not only how a man helped shape his community, but how he helped shape the future of the nation.
Rating: 
Summary: Old Jules a maddening person
Review: The story of Old Jules is sad but mostly it is aggravating. Jules gets a little ahead, then his idiot friends cripple him. He gets a little ahead, then nature deals a blow. Jules shows vision and works hard, lamenting that he has spent his life "Always building up the land." But the most maddening times are when he gets ahead and instead of taking care of his family's needs, he remortgages his land after finally paying it off and spends this borrowed money on stamps for his stamp collection. Everyone I know who's read the book wants to reach into the pages and just shake this man, asking "What ARE YOU DOING? Forget the stamps! Take care of your family! " I read this book 20 years ago and it still maddening.
Rating:
Summary: Old Jules a maddening person
Review: The story of Old Jules is sad but mostly it is aggravating. Jules gets a little ahead, then his idiot friends cripple him. He gets a little ahead, then nature deals a blow. Jules shows vision and works hard, lamenting that he has spent his life "Always building up the land." But the most maddening times are when he gets ahead and instead of taking care of his family's needs, he remortgages his land after finally paying it off and spends this borrowed money on stamps for his stamp collection. Everyone I know who's read the book wants to reach into the pages and just shake this man, asking "What ARE YOU DOING? Forget the stamps! Take care of your family! " I read this book 20 years ago and it still maddening.
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