North Dakota Books

"Standing in the Light: A Lakota Way of Seeing" is a print version of conversations between R.D. Theisz, a college professor, and Severt Young Bear, a Lakota singer, historian, and cultural traditionalist. "Standing in the Light" is a cornucopia of cultural information about the Lakota people. The book begins with a discussion about Severt Young Bear's relatives and ancestors, followed by a very brief history of the Sioux people. Unfortunately, the book went to press about the time Severt Young Bear died, in 1993.

"Standing in the Light" has four parts. The first section deals with names in Indian culture. According to Severt, names are of central importance in Lakota culture. Young Bear explains how the people received their names and what names mean in Lakota (his own Lakota name is Hehaka Luzahan, or Swift Elk). Agency officials anglicized Lakota names in the 1880's for a census on the reservation and then applied these names to descendents in perpetuity. This bothers Severt because it means descendents in his family do not earn their name, an important part of the Lakota life process. "Young Bear" comes from Severt's grandfather, who received the name to reflect his accomplishments in battle; he was a fearless warrior who fought like a bear when cornered. The name "Severt" comes from his father's war experience, when Severt's father befriended a Swede and promised the man to name his son after him.

The second part of the book discusses oral traditions in Lakota culture. There are some great stories in this section, like the story about Sio Paha (translated as the Medicine Hill). This place received the name Medicine Hill because in prereservation days it was the site of a test between powerful medicine men. The medicine men would practice their magic on each other in order to discover who had the most powerful medicine. Whenever a man was felled by magic, he was out of the contest. Severt discusses one contest where a heyoka (a sacred clown, or someone whose role in the tribe was to make fun of everyone else) won by practicing medicine he learned from the bumblebee. There are more stories in this section, all of which are fascinating and informative.

The third section covers Severt's career as a musician and his days as a member of the Porcupine Singers, a Lakota drum group who toured powwows and other important Indian gatherings. There are all types of songs in the Lakota world, from honoring songs to dancing and social songs. Many of the social songs helped Indians get together back in the days when the government frowned on Indian gatherings. The Rabbit dance is a good example of a social song. Rabbit songs are quite simple lyrically, but young people used to gather in someone's house to dance to these songs. Of course, all these musical gatherings required musicians, and this is where Severt brings in the importance of the drum and its role in creating and expressing the music. He also discusses how life on the road for the successful Indian musician is just as stressful as it is for any type of musician: egos get large, cars break down, and arguments over money usually ensue.

The final section of the book is Severt's examination of what is wrong with Lakota society. Young Bear turns out to be quite conservative as he discusses the problems of the reservation world. His arguments for a return to personal responsibility, a healthy diet, respect for the elders, and responsible childrearing not only have lessons for Lakotas, but also are important for all cultures. Severt's involvement in the American Indian Movement (AIM) and its stand at Wounded Knee in the 1970's, covered in some depth in the book, further highlights his concern for cultural issues.

At the end of the book, Severt sums up his reasons for agreeing to create this book. Severt believes every powwow or gathering of Indians has four circles. The first circle is the one in which Indians are dancing and taking part in their culture. As the circles move outwards, one finds Indians who are not as aware of the cultural activities going on in the first circle. The last circle, the circle on the farthest reaches of the gathering, holds the lost Indians, those who are afraid of learning about their culture and so lose themselves in drugs, loose sex, or alcohol. Severt wants to bring all of the other circles into the first circle, into the "light," so all the Lakotas may partake in their culture.

"Standing in the Light" is a powerful statement. For those who wish to learn about Indian culture, look no further than this book. I am surprised there are not more reviews of this amazing survey of Lakota cultural ideas.

There is a joke that one often hears when traveling within Native circles. The joke asks what is the average size of a Native Family? The answer is five, a father, a mother, a son and daughter and one anthropologist. It has been written that Native Americans are the most studied but least understood people on the Earth. Native author Michael Dorris states this thought in a more direct way. He writes that Native Americans are the most lied about people on the face of the planet. Much of this discontent with the written record about Native Peoples is due to the fact that much of this record has been recorded by Non-Native people and thus passed through a cultural filter that distorts the reality of Native experience and tradition. "Standing in the Light, a Lakota Way of Seeing," is a collaborative effort by the authors Severt Young Bear Sr. and Dr. Ronnie Theisz to record an account of the world view of the Lakota people that was written from the viewpoint and understanding of a person that has lived his life within the traditional culture of the Lakota People. Severt Young Bear Sr. was born on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1934 and lived his life in the traditional community of Porcupine, SD. In his life he was a rancher, a ranger, a tribal councilman, a singer with and drum keeper of the acclaimed Porcupine Singers that appeared in the movies "Dances With Wolves, " and "Thunderheart," an instructor at Oglala Lakota College, and founder of International Brotherhood Days, a cross cultural forum that is held the second week of July each year at the Young Bear dance grounds just outside Porcupine, SD.. This book is a rare look from the inside of Lakota culture from one that lived within that context. The work touches on the past of the Lakota People, and focusses on the importance of traditions of the culture to the survival and identity of the Lakota Nation. As a self-styled student of Lakota culture I value this book as one of the most relavant books in my collection. Highly recommended. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Beyond feathers and bells, "Standing in the Light" gives non-Native people a glimpse some of the real culture and values of the Lakota people. What values are held in high esteem, and how do they work in the everyday life of the people, are just a few of the answers given. Long overdue for those seeking to learn the culture beyond the feathers and bells of a Powwow.

I am enchanted with this book, one of the most exquisite books I have seen in a long time. The Lakota way is a simple but universal way of living. It is a book I want to share with many.
I was blessed to share so many lakota traditions and even though I don't practice those traditions any more I have them in my heart.
This book just brought so many memories.

Lee's masterful account draws you in like a spy novel, even though you already know the ending! His book provides the clear reasoning behind why allied leadership made decisions that, until this book was written, looked like blunders. As the reader learns how Marshall and his generals applied the information gained from the routine interception and decryption of high-level enemy communication, his understanding of the grand strategy of WWII will be greatly enhanced. A stunning achievement, this book will become a "must read" for WWII historians and buffs alike. Everyone who has read this book on my recommendation has been equally impressed.

It further provides clear information which soundly debunks the convoluted rationalizations of those "politically correct" Smithsonian historians and their fellow travelers who have been so eager to portray the allied side (or at least America) as the "bad guys" in the war.

Read it. It takes away the schroud of politics into the reality of a very difficult world situation, with life and death decisions, troubling potential alliances, and knowledge available to only those who could be counted on by the fingers of one hand. A must read.

Marching Orders reveals for the first time what the Allies knew about Axis plans and strategies during WW II . The combined information revealed to them by Ultra and Japanese codes is staggering. Throw everything you know about WW II out the window, for this book will teach why events unfolded as they did. Direct quotes from Axis leaders read by the Allies in real time. An amazing fountain of information that must be savored! You will never view Allied generals in the same light again!

Only Walter Wangerin, Jr. could've written a novel of such vast scope. This beautiful (and often frightening) tale of the lives of the Lakota tribe is woven with such mysticism, power and amazing imagery that it stands as one of Wangerin's most effective works to date. I've always been a huge fan of the author, but this book sat on my shelves for over a year. Not being at all knowledgeable about Indian lore and beliefs, I quite possibly assumed that I might not be as interested in this book as in other more "accessible" works by Wangerin. But at the end of the book, I truly felt...well...honored...that I had been allowed to have spent that time learning about such a culture..even in a work of fiction. There is so much dignity, beauty, and transcendent truth about the Lakota people in these pages, that I was overwhelmed. And Wangerin's lengthy and extraordinary "afterward" section where he details his own experiences attending a "Fire Dance" over a period of a few days is as moving as the novel itself. From a reader who has had nothing but the highest praise for many of Wangerin's other works, "The Crying For A Vision" stands as one of his masterworks.

This book weaves a wonderful web of a Lakota oral tradition along side a capivating hero. It was so absorbing that I felt as if I faced the characters obstacles along side him.

This powerful novel makes you feel like you are in a different culture. I'm no Lakota, and cannot speak to the authenticity of culture portrayed by this Lutheran pastor. All the characters, including the "villain", are multi-dimensional. It made me think about the meaning of success, relationships, loyalty, and societal change, among other things. Maybe the Lutheran/Lakota thing is why this novel (right word?) has not been more successful. I'm glad for the new edition, with a lengthy addition about Wangerin attending a Sun Dance. My son, a reader of integrity, liked it too, said it was now on his Top 5 List, if he had one.

The Amazon listing recommends this for ages 9-12. That's a bad idea. As a former 5th grade teacher, I can tell you that few middle graders will enjoy this book. Adults, do not be chased off by this inexplicable recommendation. Not that there's anything really R-rated or anything in it, but this book is a terrific choice for adults or mature older teens.

Born in 1938 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, Rob Woutat (rhymes with Utah) grew up in an age when kids were allowed to be kids, learning life-lessons sometimes the hard way, and having to "stand on [their] own without parental supports or buttresses." All throughout the narrative are references to historical and cultural elements (WWII, the Korean War, the death of Stalin, Eisenhower, the McCarthy era, Krushev, the payola scandal, Mickey Mantle, sock hops, Butch Wax, and Brylchreme), providing a rich backdrop and a wonderful sense of time and place in the context of a sheltered Dakotan upbringing. Highly recommended!

As a contemporary of Robert Woutat, I found that Dakota Boy resonated with my own Minnesota memories of the forties and fifties. His relaxed, conversational rendering of Grand Forks half a century ago is utterly unpretentious but wonderfully concrete and evocative. Like good literature of all kinds, Dakota Boy is both true to its unique coordinates of place and time, and universal in many respects. At moments in this memoir we laugh; at moments we mourn the passing of a way of life; and at moments we feel that in some ways we have grown as a culture in the last half-century. I was sorry to finish the book.

This book is a well written, entertaining and poignant account of growing up in the Upper Midwest in the post-Depression, WW II era. It is especially memorable for those growing up in that era and region but also provides an insight into what growing up in general was like during the more simple and structured first half of the 20th Century in contrast to the progressive and socially tumultuous times soon to be experienced.

The author also provides an historical account of the ethnic and environmental factors that shaped the inhabitants of the region and personalizes it in a way that leads us to understand how this lineage fostered the culture and behavior in that part of our country. He articulates this legacy especially well with his description of the unwritten precepts or commandments - starting with Thou shalt not put thy emotions on display - "that became the ground rules for all of our social intercourse, including friendship and even marriage".

This book will be a delight for general-interest readers but most especially for those who experienced growing up in a similar place and time.

I found this book to be an invaluable aid in understanding Amerindian life and conditions in the early 19th century in the upper Midwest. The book is very well written and engaging, not a common praise for authors of that time. The introduction explains that the author spent a great deal of time learning the language of the Dakotas, and was the leading expert in the region at that time. He actually lived and traveled for months with the various bands along the Minnesota river, making his accounts clearly first hand and vivid.

The book is filled with interesting stories and anecdotes, often favorably comparing Dakotas with white soldiers and traders in the same territory. (There were no settlers yet in 1834 in that region). One example is a story about a small company of soldiers marching over the prairie "panting like over-driven oxen" led by an Indian twice their age walking with "apparently with no great exertion."

What is remarkable is that this was written at a time when remarking on the positive attributes of the native inhabitants of Minnesota was generally strongly discouraged and often roundly criticized. Yet time after time this New Englander takes a common aspect of Indian life and finds a way to critique the European culture of that same time putting things on an even ground.

Pond even weighs in on the frequent comment made by Europeans that native men were lazy and let their wives do all the work. His detailed descriptions of the work and hardships faced by men clearly neutralizes this argument. Pond was very well read for his day, making references to the ancient European authors Homer, Virgil and Caesar. You likely expand your knowledge of the English language reading this book through Pond's use of interesting old words such as signalized, calumny, contumely, and opprobrious.

Fascinating for those interested in natural history are the accounts of deer and muskrat hunts. Those who think bison were common in the region during this time might be surprised to find the Native Americans around the Mississippi in Minnesota hunted almost entirely deer, with only a very few elk being taken. Muskrat hunts were of prime importance for use in the fur trade, beaver not being at all common on the prairies. There are interesting accounts of the Dakota uses of native plants as well, primarily as food sources.

The number of subjects covered by Pond were surprisingly high, making this book thorough and detailed, yet not ever getting bogged down. The cover and binding of are of reasonable quality and the book is a valuable addition to any Midwesterner's library.

On Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis there is a large rock with a heavily patinated plaque imbedded in it right under an impressive gold-domed church. The plaque is extremely weathered and greenish, and looks as if it has been reset more than once into the rock. It says that, above the rock on the hill, where the present day church now stands, is the original site of the first dwelling built in Minneapolis in 1834 by Samuel and Gideon Pond. I've walked by this historic marker for years while circling the lake, so when I came across Samuel Pond's work on the Dakota in Minnesota (including those that lived on Lake Calhoun), I had to read it.

Obviously, the salient thing about Lake Calhoun is the complete absence or even a tiny minute speck of evidence that it was once inhabited by Native Americans. They are simply gone without a trace. High rises and expensive homes now line the lake, and ice fishers speckle its icy surface from approximately October to February. From the viewpoint of today, it's almost impossible to believe Lake Calhoun was any different. That's only one thing that makes this book so great. It makes the reader aware of what was happening before the europeans arrived (or invaded as some people see it) in Minnesota.

The book was written by a missionary; Samuel Pond's sole purpose in habitating with the Dakota was to save souls. The somewhat happy and possibly unforeseen outcome of this was that Pond had to get to know these people incredibly unbelievably well to "save" them. So, as good missionaries will do, he literally shacked up with them. He hunted with them, observed rituals, went on long journeys with them, spoke their language fluently, and, most importantly, talked with them. This guy was there, he wasn't a journalist or a muckraker. He was literally on a mission.

The book, almost paradoxically, does not mention whether or not Pond was successful in "converting" or "saving" the Dakota. There is almost no mention whatsoever of his missionary work, so this is not a self-gratuitous work that shouts "look what I did!" What it is is an observance, a capturing of a people before that people completely disappeared (i.e., as they have today).

It is important to note that the book was not written while Pond lived with the Dakota. It was written some thirty or forty years after. Why? When Pond lived with the Dakota, there was no indication that within the next fifty years Native American culture would be more or less wiped out. As Pond observed this phenomenon, he found it best to write down his recollections of his life with the Dakota, since the culture no longer existed as it was in the 1830s. Pond wrote after what is now known as the Dakota Conflict of 1862, which radically changed the relations between whites and Dakota in the Upper Midwest, and resulted in the largest mass execution in United States History (in Mankato, Minnesota; Reconciliation Square now marks the spot where 38 Dakota were simultaneously hung by the neck for their supposed part in the events of 1862).

Pond is mostly very fair to the Dakota. He passionately defends them against what were the then mainstream accusations of laziness, uncleanliness, gluttony, and barbarity. Pond was overall very impressed by the Dakotas, and obviously had a lot of respect for them as a people. He is, however, not fair to the Dakota's religious practices - this is the one topic where Pond's ulterior motives really show - calling them "ridiculous superstitions".

All in all, Pond's descriptions and retelling of events are priceless for anyone curious about Dakota life before the overwhelming influence of european settlers set in. There are so many amazing stories winding throughout this text that picking one or two out as examples would be unjust to the rest. Pond also draws parallels between the life of european settlers of the time and of the Dakota. These are always fascinating, and Pond's intent seems to be making europeans think hard about their prejudices.

Why this book is not more widely read or talked about I'm at a loss to explain. Perhaps the missionary twist scares people off? Whatever the reason this book is vitally important in that it attempts to capture the culture that was completely destroyed in the 19th century. It is timely, of course, in that the Dakota are often referred to as "savages" or "heathens", but that adds a historical interest to the text, albeit a somewhat now sad one. One must prepare oneself for a 19th century read when dipping into this book. It is well worth the effort.

Lastly, this book has been reissued as "Dakota Life in the Upper Midwest" which is somewhat strange since the author intended the title to emphasize that the work focused on "how they were" in 1834. The title change is likely attributable to the word "Sioux" which is a derogatory word that translates as "Snake". Nonetheless, the new title detracts from the work, and removes a certain historicity from it. The original title should be restored for historical accuracy and perspective.

For many years, I, like so many others, have labored under the assumption that the Native American 'story' was somewhat like the depictions we had all seen and read.

The voice of the current Native Americans speak to the atrocities perpetrated upon them by the insensitive advancement of land hungry europeans.

This book, written by Samuel Pond, simply describes how the Lakota Sioux actually 'were' in Minnesota in 1834.

Samuel and his brother Gideon Pond were missionaries to the Sioux and, among other exceptional work, compiled a comprehensive lexicon of the Sioux language, subsequently translating the Bible into Sioux.

For those of you who would like to gain an unbiased view of the true Native American, this book is a 'must'.

It is also possible that after learning about Samuel and Gideon Pond, you will develop a deep appreciation of the dedication and hardships suffered by, and the good intentions and pioneering spirit of the missionaries who wanted to enrich the souls of Native Americans.

Samuel and Gideon Pond were truely 'unsung heros' of our American heritage. Their efforts have been annotated in this book, however, and so their exploits still live in the minds of the reader.

Even if you choose not to purchase this book, it would be well worth your time to 'surf' their names in the internet. You will be rather surprised at the results.

This book is based on a diary which the author began in 1927, when she was 15 and a farm girl in North Dakota, and covers the years from 1927 ro 1937. She worked very hard and lived in grinding poverty. She went to college and then taught school and fended off marriage proposals, and never in the book says a good word for the man she married--who was courting her thru the last years she was keeping her diary. This I found to be quite a book, unpretentious as it holds itself out to be. A most moving account of a time and place one seldom hears about. I recommend it unreservedly.

I absolutely adored this book. It was powerful for me because it gave me an honest, often humorous, but vivid account of a reality I craved knowing more about...the depression years in the Great Plains states. I think I know more about my mother, who grew up a poor tenant farmer's daughter, just a little better. I look forward passing it on to others, and even using it as a wonderful book to read to some of my older friends.

Wonderful narrative of a difficult time in America. Such perspective of events from close to home. I recommend this to anyone who appreciates history unrevised and truthful.
T. Addison

People from the prairies of South Dakota and North Dakota aren't pretentious. Well, some might be, but they tend to stand out in miserable ways. Linda Hasselstrom's writing is like the people of her home: careful, persistent, simple, surprisingly complex, fascinating. Your own family and home may be very different from Hasselstrom's, but through her writing you'll gain a better understanding of your own people and place of origin. Hasselstrom is a master; she shows us how to cherish the tribes we were born into, despite the inevitable losses and disappointments of life. She ranks right up there with Kathleen Norris and Patricia Hampl.

Reading this book was a wonderful experience. What a touching story of a family that develops as all families do; realizing we love our family members even more when we accept them loving us the only way they know how. All this against the backdrop of a still unspoiled area of America. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this region, history or living.
Allen

I unboxed this book, flipped open some pages to preview and before I knew it, I had read 60 pages standing in my kitchen. Legs buckling, I sat and finshed the book in one sitting. The book is compelling because Hasselstrom's storytelling makes you want to read further, but also because her writing mesmerizes the soul. I found myself rereading sentences and hanging on the beauty of her unique prose. "How does she write like this?" I kept asking myself. Her ability to take you within the moment is unsurpassed. You don't need to be a cowgirl to enjoy this book, but if you are, you'll finish it in one sitting--or standing--like I did.

I live on the floodplane of the Mississippi River. In flood years, the spring rise threatens my existence in deluging ways, the river flowing into the first floor of my house. I keep a dinghy tied to my back doorknob for quick escape. Jane Varley's book provides haunting and fascinating images of what happens when a river relcaims its rightful place. Always in the counter-balance, of course, is how it wreacks havoc on human life. What does the river give? What does it take? Varley's book tackles both these questions in insightful and poetic ways.

Buy this book. You'll find her story of living in the midst of disaster life-giving and awe-inspired.

This book is an amazing story of the beauty and strength of nature. Though written as a narrative, the language is beautifully poetic. The author is a fantastic story teller, and shares a personal account of an incredible event.

This is a question that Jane Varley probes in Flood Stage and Rising. It is thrilling and fascinating that she is writing about midwesterners, and more specifically, Grand Forksians, inhabitants of this Red River Valley---but Varley's explorations in this work move well beyond our area, begging everyone to look closely at their surroundings and experience a sense of place more fully.

Every other chapter in Flood Stage and Rising is about Varley's experiences during the 1997 Grand Forks flood. The other chapters reveal her connections to water, particularly rivers, over the course of her life. She was born during an April flood in Dubuque and in the chapter describing it says, "I was born from water into water."

As a newcomer to North Dakota, Varley maintains a compelling distance from her topic, offering us a view of ourselves that is rich in familiar phrases ("Forty below keeps the riff raff out"), accents ("Ya got cherself in a spot there, didn't cha?") and ways of life ("In Minnesota, kindness can be an urgent business"). Yet Varley reminds us of her transient status: "Was the flood helping me know this place better or preventing me from knowing it, spurring on the feeling that I should leave and find new territory?"

It's a question we ask ourselves: Why do we live here? Varley will not answer this question for you, or even really for herself. You will not want her to; you will read the book and ask questions of yourself, your home, your memories, your observations, and your thoughts. As I stated earlier, people from all parts of the country will relate to and enjoy this book, and we owe an extra thanks to Varley for reminding us where we've been, making us put aside the jokes about living in North Dakota long enough to truly appreciate our own stories. "The stories reveal who we are, full of words, ready to say what happened to us, as well as silent, turning back to the cold muck of a basement, reaching in and ordering a new kind of life."

From desciptions of the Durfee and Peck traders to the health conditions at the fort, the construction of the fort itself...a work to be enjoyed. You can feel yourself sliding back in time, to the shores of the Missouri, when there was little west of you except open land and Indians. I relished this book, enjoyed each and every page.

Fort Union And The Upper Missouri Fur Trade by Barton H. Barbour (Assistant Professor of History, Boise State University), is a comprehensive history of the city of Fort Union, one of the most important and enduring fur-trading posts of the nineteenth century. Historian and author Barton Barbour transport the reader to a yesteryear teeming hub of communication and activity between pioneers, Native Americans, trappers, traders, and more. An involving discussion of the legal, political, and sociocultural influence this trading hub had upon American history, Fort Union And The Upper Missouri Fur Trade is an impressive work of deftly presented scholarship which has clearly earned its finalist ranking for the 2002 Western Writers of America Spur Award in the Best Western Nonfiction-Historical category.

When I found that I would be moving to Williston, ND, (25 years ago) I checked to see what all was in the area. I was pleased to notice that the North Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park was in the next county. I also noticed that there was a National Historic Site nearby as well. The National Park is nice but I have been to the Fort Union National Historic Site far more often. I discovered that a significant chapter in our nation's history took place at the nearby confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. Thanks to this scholarly work by Barton Barbour, I have been able to read the most focussed, well-written, engrossing book ever published on this local monument.

When I came to this area, the site was comprised of a trailer home Ranger office/Visitor's Center and a roped out layout of where the various parts of the fort used to be. The subsequent reconstruction of the site (which was financed, in part, by significant local contributions) has resulted in a site that looks as impressive as its' history. Much of the local focus seemed to be about the many "celebrities" who came here during the fort's heyday. While there are many well-researched work about the Fur Trade, Barbour's book elevates the level of discourse to an analysis of significant issues. He presents a compelling theory that the fur-trading communities of the Upper Missouri exemplified a society of diversity that was well ahead of its' time. While there were hierarchies involved, there was also a recognition that all parties were interdependant of each other. The resulting respect and cooperation was well beyond the societal norms of the rest of European-settled America. Ironically, this existed at the same time the rest of the USA was fighting the Civil War over, in part, issues of racial equality.

There are chapters that examine the nature of the fur-trading industry and its' relationship to other industries as well as to the US Government and its' various agencies. These 2-3 chapters in particular do tend to slow the reading down a bit but Barbour offers a good overview of the Fur Trade's position in the American Economy and legal structure of the times. The political change that arose from the Civil War are stikingly presented by the author.

Mr. Barbour also offers a look at the effect that the Fur Trade had on the Native American Culture as well as its' impact on the Arts and Science of an emerging nation. He shows how the needs of trader and Indian alike created a market place that was respectful of each. The overhead may have been high but the quality was very good. His conclusions challenge many of the more recent stereotypes of European-American interaction with Native societies.

Barton Barbour has succeeded in creating a much-needed overview of the Upper Missouri Fur Trade. His analysis of Fort Union as the most significant site of its' kind is well-presented. It is much appreciated by those of us in the Missouri/Yellowstone Confluence area who knew that Fort Union was always more than just another fort on another river.

Eric Cross's novel, The Tailor and Ansty, depicts a wonderful old Irish couple who spend their days socializing with new and old friends, arguing and "standing to the cow" or watching over their single diary cow. This couple consists of the delightful Tailor, and his wife Ansty. Although at first, Cross's approach to introducing the reader to these people seems awkward, it also entices and draws the reader into this captivating setting. Through the Tailor's stories, none of which one may be certain are true, and Ansty's nagging, I began to feel as though I knew these people as well as Cross. I frequently had to remind myself, though, that they are no longer living.

Although my original interest in reading the novel stemmed from my person interest in my Irish ancestry, I am well convinced that anyone could find this an entertaining read. Fantastic stories are something that everyone has grown up with, and although the Tailor's may be more mature than those I personally recall at times, the stories the Tailor heartily shares are no different. I cannot avoid the fact that the novel was banned after it's original release, although I do not entirely understand why, and therefore must warn people with more conservative views on life to avoid this novel, because they may not view it in the light it is meant to be seen.

To me, the Tailor and his wife Ansty, this stereotypical Irish couple, ARE my grandparents. I loved reading this book. Cross has a real way with words. The book is incredible. And I'm the great great grandaugter (i'm not sure about how many greats there are) of the tailor. the tradition lives on in our family, the type of relationship that you can see between the tailor and ansty can still be seen in my grandparents. It's a great book for anyone intrigued by their Irish roots.

This book was originally banned in Ireland by the English. They thought the main character, The Tailor, was "sex-obsessed" and his wife, Anastasia, or Ansty, a "moron".

This is really funny to me because I caught no such traits whatsoever in these two characters! This book can easily be read in one sitting, it is so enjoyable!