South Dakota Books

I enjoyed reading about life in the first half of the 20th century, told vividly and humorously. Walta tells about her childhood as if she were still a little girl experiencing it, but her style of writing changes as she "grows up." I split my sides laughing at the joke pulled on her step-dad at the Chivaree, but the Great Depression stories about sharing cold biscuits with a tramp and being bilked by an escaped convict are poignant and sensitive. She's a good "story-teller," with the ability to paint pictures with her words. She's the kind of author you'd like to get to know.

Mrs. Eastman should be considered a pioneer in more ways than one. She was one of the first educators to teach in the Dakota territory. Mrs. Eastman advocated day schools which allowed the native children to remain with their families (a concept which was strongly discouraged by the church boarding schools of the time), she took the time to learn the D/Lakota language and conversed in it, and she lived within the community (as opposed setting herself against it). Mrs. Eastman worked many years while she was a single person (which was quite unusual). She also reported with accuracy what was really occuring on the reservations (often upsetting those in charge-including government and church officials).

Among many things within this book, one can learn about: what works and does not work when teaching individuals whose first language is not English, the Native Americans of the Dakotas, a Feminist before her time, and the account of The Wounded Knee Massacre from someone who tended the few left alive.

What a fun and light book.
I enjoyed it alo and it was fun to read.

South Dakota has a lot going for it, and this book will show you and your students what.

The "Portrait of America" series is a terrific and easy to understand introduction for pre-teens to the 50 states and to the places and events that shaped the history of the United States. This "South Dakota" installment is very good. The book is broken down into sections like "History", "Culture", "Economy" etc., and each section is thoughtfully written and edited.

This book, as well as the entire "Portrait of America" series, will prove to be a valuable teaching tool to all primary school educators

I picked this up while on a vacation in South Dakota. It definitely added an extra zest to my travels, going around in Deadwood and Rapid City, Badlands, etc. and reading about the "spooky side" of such locations. The entries are short, concise, and tell you what's been seen, a short blurb on the history of the place, and what if anything the authors found upon "investigation" of the site. Each site includes a photo and driving directions so the reader can find the site and check it out. The entries are not too in-depth, which is nice because it doesn't get boring.

My only critique of this book is the sloppy editing, there are numerous typos. Whoever edited this should be fired. The sloppy editing does take away a little from the credibility of the book, but it's a light-hearted treatment so I guess it's not to be taken too seriously.

My first impressions of America were in Rapid City, South Dakota (7-10 October 2001) and the patriotism and hospitality of Dakotans set the pattern for an enjoyable three week tour (that included NM, NYC and DC).

John Milton's concise 200 page history of the Coyote State filled in some gaps for me and simply whetted the appetite for a return visit.

Particularly interesting was the East-West divide caused by the Missouri river and how, traditionally, the political clout in the State has been in the hands of the easterners.

The conflicts between Red and White, that still persist, started with the gold rush, an event that sparked the major migration of white settlers into the territory.

Colourful characters like Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Hugh Glass, Red Cloud, George Custer and others give the flavour of pioneer times and the imagery of the past was enhanced by me being able to see some of the historic places in the Black Hills as well as some of the big sky country of the prairie-both of which the author conveys well in his text.

The rural nature of much of South Dakota, with wide open spaces reminds me of my own environment (in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia) and the history of gold rushes,early inter ethnic clashes, achievement of statehood (SD was a year ahead of Western Australia), friendly people and rural conservatism is something that I can clearly recognise and which Milton explains.

If you want a good concise backgrounder to SD (with a useful section on further reading) then Milton's book is a good starting point.

As for South Dakotans in general I admire their patriotism (after Sep.11) with flags and signs everywhere- and in particular I thank Pastor Jim Patrick, and members of his United Methodist Church, who took time to make sure this traveller from a distant land not only enjoyed reading about the history of the State but also saw South Dakotans of the present for what they are-a gracious, generous and decent people.

If you're even remotely considering on attending the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, SD and have never been there during the rally before, then you need this book as a reference. Even seasonsed veterans to the rally such as myself will find this an enojoyable read. There are some great stories and riding suggestions, however the real golden lining is the comprehensive listing of hotels/motels/cabins and campgrounds. Never before has such a list been compiled. The author also gives you an insight as to what to expect for weather.

In the preface to this book, Philip Hall explains the two-fold purpose of this book. It is an effort to tell a story of the Wounded Knee massacre of 1890 from the standpoint of local frontier history, rather than the more common efforts that treat the event as an episode in American Indian history, or in Western military history. Hence he tells the story of white settlers and ranchers in the area. The second purpose is to contribute to a deeper and more meaningful effort at reconciliation between Indians and whites in western South Dakota.

Hall does a good job of the first goal, orchestrating the views of participants on the settler side of the Indian-white encounter around the time of the massacre. He shows that these views were more complicated than readers of other histories might suspect. In putting forth these views, he also lays out some perspectives that could, with a focused and committed political effort, stimulate the possibilities of mutual understanding between Indians and whites in South Dakota, as well as other areas in the West. He shows that participants in the crisis of 1890 found themselves caught up in events beyond their control. They were faced with choices in which all the alternatives failed to satisfy their priorities. In the choices they would have liked to make they might have found the basis for peaceful coexistence, rather than the violence and oppression that became the mode of interracial relations.

Hall does a good job of orchestrating a narrative that evokes these possibilities. However, his approach often seems too much that of a journalist who conceals his stake in the outcome of the events. His second objective--racial healing--might be served better by stronger analysis and the commitment throughout the text that is put forth in the preface and the author's bio.

This book covers the changing of the guard in American politics, when authority was no longer unquestioned and citizens were learning how to organize and exert their positions. In hindsight, it is amazing that such an ill conceived idea as transporting 800,000 cubic yards of water over 100 miles to irrigate land inherently unsuited to irrigation could have held sway for three decades before being exposed as impractical. The fact that this feat was accomplished by a handful of citizens, against the united desires of the press and business and political leaders, makes it even more interesting reading.

During the period that this drama was being acted out, I served as a Special Assistant to the Governor of South Dakota, and I was impressed by the clear, interesting and straightforward telling of this story. While I would dispute some of the details, to a reader that did not live out this drama, these are of a minor consequence. As the staff member that authorized funding of the study of transporting Missouri River water to Wyoming, I can assure the readers that this study was done solely to determine the impact of providing clean, fresh water to ranches and small communities in western South Dakota and was completely unrelated to the Oahe project. Governor Kneip quickly distanced himself from this study when objections arose from our political base in eastern South Dakota. This study, however, documented the importance of clean water supplies to the public health and the raising of livestock. The rural water systems that were created in the wake of Oahe addressed this need and as the author noted, this was the lasting legacy of the Oahe Project.

There is a natural tendency in books like this to paint the good guys as pure and the establishment as universally bad. In this case as part of the establishment, there were major differences of opinion within the Kneip administration on the feasibility and desirability of the Oahe Project. The decision to "leak" and make public a wide array of documents that were destined to aid the opponents was thoroughly debated and I admire Governor Kneip's tolerance of those that prevailed in providing the public the truth.

The lesson that citizens can overcome incredible odds in fighting proposed developments is a fascinating story that deserved telling.

This book depicts the journey of a woman who ultimately recognizes and embraces her strength through her relationship with God. The poetry was especially descriptive of the turbulence experienced in her relationships. It wasn't until she accepted his guidance that she realized that she was responsible for engaging in these turbulent experiences. I would have enjoyed more poetry about her transition and what was experienced during that transition ie: fear, excitement, belief, temptations etc. Overall, it was a very good read. Good job!!!