One Thousand White Women : The Journals of May Dodd: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing and Entertaining
Review: Unlike other reviewers, I bought the plausability of this story. Either way, this is a strong piece of literature that will stay with you long after you've finished. After her family commits her to a mental institution, May Dodd is desolate and looking for any way to escape. The oppurtunity arises when the US government comes looking for "fertile women of the child bearing age" to marry to Native Americans. May Dodd immediately decides to take them up on this offer and is soon off on the adventure of her life. The basic story of the novel is interesting in itself but the best part of it was the characters. All of the women that goes with May are strong and independent women, even if they don't seem like it at first. I grew to love all of them. This book made me laugh, cry, and learn a little bit.

Rating:
Summary: Forget plausibility - just read for fun
Review: Putting aside the implausible plot of this novel, it is really a pretty good read. Once I got past the premise, I really enjoyed reading about the life of May Dodd who seemed to become more and more real. The descriptions of life in the tepee, the smells of daily living, the horrible violence of the frontier all become very real. No one is a clear cut "bad guy" (except perhaps for the strange half-breed Jules ? , and even the most noble savage has a frightening side. I especially liked the ending -- meeting the offspring of May years after.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: If you like books about women that provide the opportunity to learn about a historical period or culture, I suggest this book. Did you like the Red Tent, Memoirs of a Geisha or the Poisonwood Bible? If so, you'll love this book.

Rating:
Summary: Great premise, cliched writing
Review: Upon a strong recommendation of a friend of mine, I read this book. The premise is terrific and the story kept me engaged throughout - the writing was fine, in that the images were vivid and the pacing quick and entertaining. If only the author could craft characters with a bit of complexity and depth! The racist Southerner (who realizes the errors of her ways), the proud and strong Black Woman, the noble but conflicted passionate Captain - how much more cliche can you get? This book also confirmed to me why men should not write love scenes - I rolled my eyes at nearly every passionate embrace. But, if you're looking for entertainment and not mind-expanding literature, it would be great book for the beach!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!!
Review: This book was recommended to me and I found the book to be excellent!! The story tells the life of a young women who doesn't know where her life is going to lead. You get a little history lesson even though the story is fiction. As I was reading the story I could picture myself in the life of May
Dodd. Being in my twenties and having to live with Indians and not knowing what was going to happen to me. Pick it up and read it!!!

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating.....
Review: I found this book to be a quick but fascinating read. I loved the premise of the book, and the writing in fantastic. You get great descriptions of each unique individual, and you come to care about them. I think this book capture the sense of imprisonment some women must have felt about their society at the time, and how freedom maybe the greatest gift a person can receive. I can re-read this book and not be bored. I think this is an excellent way to spend an afternoon.

Rating:
Summary: very intersting!
Review: The story tells us how was the life of the Indians, and it's very interesting. the story is good, never boring. Its true story .
I highly recommended it.

Rating:
Summary: An amazing story
Review: Once you've opened this book you can't stop reading it. A different view of an other fascinating culture. May Dodd is a very courageous young woman with a great heart and who isn't blind to people who aren't like her. It's very interessing to see how someone could be intergrated to an indian tribe even being white. The message in the book is quite clear: people condemn others far to easily. Indians are wild but they have a very comprehesive culture based on the same ideas as ours. I think we can learn a lot of from this book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent - Truly enjoyable
Review: I found this book incredibly hard to put down. I was stealing odd moments in the day to get back to it. When I was only halfway through I was sad to know that the story would eventually end. The voice of May Dodd was very believable and honest. This book is simply good, readable, enjoyable fiction. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: among the worst books I have ever read
Review: May Dodd is unconvincing, both in her attitude and in her language. Since Fergus has her the narrator for the bulk of the novel means that we have to be reminded of her anachronistic nature on every page. The novel has all the soft-hearted liberal elements: a gender-bending lesbian mule-skinner, the free-spirited and strong-willed heroine whose true nobility is immediately recognized by the Chief and all the women in her group (even those who initially dislike her single her out as the important one to hate); a noble and free-spirited freed-slave who overpowers all; a heart-wrenching but ill-fated love affair with, again the leader of the military regiment. The novel should have had a boddice-ripping cover to indicate the kind of novel we are entering. I admire the attempt to reveal the oppressive history of our culture, I admire the novel's refusal to romanticize the Cheyenne--while showing the dignity of their culture, but the novel is horribly written. Horribly.