Stone Song : A Novel of Crazy Horse

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Summary: One of my favorite books - A Classic
Review: I don't know how to describe how this book affected me...all I can say is that it was very deeply and personally. Blevins does a great job of blending the spiritual, personal and political struggles of one of the true heroes of history. The story stayed with me for weeks after closing the book and Crazy Horse now stands in my mind as one of the greatest examples of true integrity and courage. Sorry to all you patriots, but I would've fought on his side in a second, regardless of the odds and been proud of it!

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Summary: Inside the tipi
Review: I have read several books about Native Americans by white authors. Somehow I always felt outside of the culture. Stone Song is the first book to invite me into the tipi. Blevins goes far beyond the historical record to capture the spirit of Crazy Horse. By doing so he takes the white reader to unknown places in spirit and mind. This is a must read for lovers of Native American literature

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Summary: inspired a new path in my life
Review: I just finished reading this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I feel as though I know as well as is possible who His Crazy Horse was. I came to know him and to understand some of the customs of his people. The characters were all very clearly defined and full. The historical aspect of the book put many battles and events I have heard of in sequence. This was a book I felt sorry to finish. It is the second of Mr. Blevins I have read (the first was RavenShadow ) and I truly enjoyed both of them. I will definately read his others.

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Summary: Learning to know His Crazy Horse
Review: I just finished reading this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I feel as though I know as well as is possible who His Crazy Horse was. I came to know him and to understand some of the customs of his people. The characters were all very clearly defined and full. The historical aspect of the book put many battles and events I have heard of in sequence. This was a book I felt sorry to finish. It is the second of Mr. Blevins I have read (the first was RavenShadow ) and I truly enjoyed both of them. I will definately read his others.

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Summary: Portrait of a Human Hero
Review: In this superbly crafted fictional biography Blevins portrays Crazy Horse from many angles : insecure adolescent, faithful friend, courageous warrior and non-committed lover guided by the need to fulfil his vision and remain true to his spirit guide.Always a man apart from the others, Crazy Horse makes attempts at escaping from his isolation although ultimately in the knowledge that isolation will be his destiny. The author convincingly describes life among the Lakota,their many warring factions, their social customs and the impact that the broken promises of the "wasicu" have on their very existence.There is of course no way of knowing if Crazy Horse felt as described in this novel (a problem from which all fiction based on a historical person suffers). But the beautiful poetic language crafted by Blevins renders his vision thouroughly believable. A major achievement.

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Summary: Blevins does it again
Review: This is the second book by Win Blevins that I have read, the first being Ravenshadow. I liked this one immensely. I found it very difficult to put down once I got into the story. From the beginning, with young Curly, who is determined to have a vision quest, but doesn't share what he has seen with his family, it hooks you. Then it takes you through the various times in his life, never letting you forget the conflict that was going on in the country at that time. Blevins did an interesting job of describing the conflicts between the whites and the Indians. He makes you feel like you were actually there. When he described the ones who hung around the forts, you got the impression that you could actually see them in their blankets, waiting to trade for whiskey. In the course of reading this book, I took the liberty to visit the Crazy Horse Foundation website and read the interviews with some of the people who knew him. I'm thinking that Blevins also read those interviews and that may be how he got some of his material. I'm sure he did extensive research before writing this book and to me, it reflects it. I am giving this book five stars. It will make you think and will bring His Crazy Horse (the literal translation of his name) the man to life.

Rating:
Summary: Blevins does it again
Review: This is the second book by Win Blevins that I have read, the first being Ravenshadow. I liked this one immensely. I found it very difficult to put down once I got into the story. From the beginning, with young Curly, who is determined to have a vision quest, but doesn't share what he has seen with his family, it hooks you. Then it takes you through the various times in his life, never letting you forget the conflict that was going on in the country at that time. Blevins did an interesting job of describing the conflicts between the whites and the Indians. He makes you feel like you were actually there. When he described the ones who hung around the forts, you got the impression that you could actually see them in their blankets, waiting to trade for whiskey. In the course of reading this book, I took the liberty to visit the Crazy Horse Foundation website and read the interviews with some of the people who knew him. I'm thinking that Blevins also read those interviews and that may be how he got some of his material. I'm sure he did extensive research before writing this book and to me, it reflects it. I am giving this book five stars. It will make you think and will bring His Crazy Horse (the literal translation of his name) the man to life.