Fools Crow

Written by James Welch and Thomas McGuane

Narrated by Darrell Dennis

The year is 1870, and Fool's Crow, so called after he killed the chief of the Crows during a raid, has a vision at the annual Sun Dance ceremony. The young warrior sees the end of the Indian way of life and the choice that must be made: resistance or humiliating accommodation.

 

"A major contibution to Native American literature." —Wallace Stegner.

Cover image courtesy of Walter McClintock Papers. Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Release date: Feb 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9780593397121

Reviews for Fools Crow

[b.masonjudy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fools Crow is a truly excellent novel. Although it took me a few chapters to really get into the rhythm of the novel, Welsh maintains a distinct tone throughout the narrative that is distinct and feels like a first-hand account of the events. The pacing was excellent and the end of the book encapsulates the sorrow at the changing future and the hope and resilience of this tribe of Blackfeet.

[lyndainoregon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This leisurely-paced and character-driven novel tells the story of a young Blackfeet man coming of age at the time when his tribe’s way of life is slipping away from them as white settlers steadily encroach on their Montana homelands. Though Welch does not take the timeline as far as the Little Big Horn battle, it looms on the horizon.

Although to overall sweep of the novel is tinged with the foreshadowing of the end of the great tribal plains society, the individual scenes are often sweet, quiet, domestic ones. Violence is also there, as matter-of-fact as the rising and setting of the sun. His characters follow the traditional ways, or depart from them to their grief, and each one works out his own destiny inside the circle of seasons.

Overall, it's a somewhat melancholy read, but well worth the journey.

[gwendydd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fools Crow is a fascinating depiction of Native American life at the end of the 19th century. It tells the story of Fools Crow, a young man who is initially a bit of a bumbling outcast, but gains confidence and the trust of his tribe as he succeeds in horse raids, hunting, and medicine. Fools Crow and his tribe are dealing with the incursions of white people into their territory: the book portrays the culture clash between the Native Americans and the whites, and the utter hopelessness and bafflement of the Natives in dealing with whites.

The depiction of Native American culture is very vivid and in-depth: marriage practices, dream visions, hunting, raiding, discipline, relations between tribes. It is a very complete view of Native American life. Unfortunately, there is less coherence in the story line. The story meanders, and the ending feels very sudden and unsatisfactory.

Overall, this was a very interesting book, and I'm glad I read it, but it was more interesting as a study of Native American life than as a story.

[thelostentwife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fools Crow by James Welch is an historical novel which culminates in the Baker (or Marias) Massacre of 1870. For those who are unfamiliar with this massacre it was the end result of a series of events involving the Pikuni Owl Child and Major Eugene Baker. The slaughter covered 217 of the Pikuni, most of whom were women and children.

In Fools Crow, we're introduced to White Man's Dog, a young Pikuni man who has yet to distinguish himself within the tribe. Through a series of events, the major characters of the book are introduced to White Man's Dog, and in a sort of coming-of-age story, we follow the progress not only of White Man's Dog, but also the Pikuni tribe as they struggle against the changes being brought by the United States Government.

Fools Crow provides eye-opening examples of the importance of dreams to the Pikuni culture, the horrors of assimilation of one culture into another, and the injustice of the actions against the Native Americans during the building of the United States as we know it.

Reading this book should be done slowly and thoughtfully, as the story itself (while interesting) holds so many meanings revealed through careful inspection of the dreams and connections drawn from them to the narrative.

[ehimes_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you have never read a book about Native American life during the days of the wild west, pleeeassse read this book. It is the story of a tribe told from the perspective of an outcast boy who grows up to be a leader in uncertain times. It is full of beautiful descriptions of Native American life and practices and the American frontier as well as just a touch of Native American mysticism. Nature around them is truly a living conscience part of the universe and something they have great respect for in the most religious sense. This story is about their struggle to hold on to these things as American settlers move west. A beautiful, moving story.

[tncs_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

slow start, but man did it finish with a bang. great book; beautiful imagery, linguistically stunning, and authentically devastating.