Rating: 
Summary: A fresh, exciting, tragic look at an old subject
Review: We're all familiar with the story of the American Indians, especially the buffalo-hunting Plains Indians. Yet Welch succeeds in covering this topic in a style and perspective that is still remarkably fresh. Even though previous works have tried in recent years to pull us into the lifestyle of the Native Americans, no writer has succeeded to the degree of Welch. Through his use of Blackfeet Indian terminology, his concise writing style, his depiction of the tribe's mythology through dream sequences, and countless other elements, the reader is truly pulled into the lives of the Pikunis as they struggle to survive against disease and the encroachment of white settlers from the east. When I read of the local chiefs meeting with officers of the U.S. military, the white Americans truly felt like outsiders to me even as they were portrayed accurately. I felt that I understood the motivations of the majority of the Pikunis who simply wanted peace with dignity, as well as the minority that cried vehemently for war. Welch's perspective allows us for a moment to transcend politics. Through this remarkably immersive portrait of Native American life, Welch tells one of the most tragic stories the world has yet witnessed, perhaps made more tragic by our knowing that it is indeed a true story. Present throughout the book is the overriding tone of inevitability that causes us to ask, "Why bother?" Much like Hamlet pondering the death of Yorick and the nature of death itself, so too we find ourselves contemplating the nature of an Indian society we know to be doomed from the start. Nonetheless, even as we recognize the onset of the defeat we know so well, we learn of how the traditions can still be protected, and we gain a greater appreciation for a culture most of us know little about. In my opinion, Welch succeeded thoroughly in his work. When he experimented with dream sequences that were at times bizarre, he still accomplished his purpose and carried his message effectively. My only real qualm about this work is that it depicts an Indian group most people already have a good deal of familiarity with--the Plains Indians. It might have been more interesting for such a thoughtful depiction to consider a less well-known group. On the other hand, Fools Crow might very well be the definitive work on this semi-legendary segment of American history. In any case, any informed American is obliged to read this work.
Rating:
Summary: A truly pleasant surprise!!!
Review: When I signed up for Native American Literature, I must confess that I had a preconceived notion that the assigned literature might be drab and depressing. The only Indian lit I had read previously was Leslie Marmon Silko, and while I can appreciate talent, I simply didn't like it. But "Fools Crow" by James Welch? PHENOMENAL!!!
Once you get the hang of the language he uses, you are absolutely transported to the plains where this coming-of-age story takes place.
What's unique about Welch is that he doesn't sentimentalize the plight of the Indians. He just tells a story, and a damn good one at that.
I don't want to give away the title and where it comes from, but I can sincerely say that this great story will give the reader a sense of the turmoil that was going on with Indian/white relations and perhaps give way to a new way of thinking.
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