One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd

The premise of this fictional novel is based on what the author claims to be a historical fact in which a Northern Cheyenne chief, in hopes to assimilate his people and finally bring peace between the tribe and the U.S. gov't,  proposes to gift the U.S. 1,000 horses in exchange for 1,000 white women. Whether this is true or not (I couldn't find any evidence to support the author's claim), the story is a fascinating tale of the Native people's perseverance in the face of all the painful challenges dealt to them, as well as an insightful look of how the assimilation program might have shaped our world today. The book was engaging from beginning to end – so much so that I have taken up an interest in learning more about the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Crow. I didn't want the story to end and miss the characters dearly.