Cat S. (catscritch) reviewed Narrative of My Captivity Among the Sioux Indians on + 158 more book reviews
This is an interesting first-person account of one womans forced abduction into a group of Oglala Sioux in the mid 1860s. Where Id imagine myself being fascinated with the natural way of life, I certainly never fantasized the more unsavory elements of such an extreme culture clash. In the beginning, Fanny Kelley has nothing more on her mind than escaping this horrid turn of events with her daughter. But once she accepts the fact that due to her own good intentions, her young girl probably never made it out alive, She then settles into and recounts her burdensome and yet beautiful existence with relatively little whining. This alone makes her a better man than I. She shares the high adventure, the lonely lows, the fear and even the tiny things in life that make it bearable when you believe you have nothing left to lose. This was either a very quick read, or just riveting material because once I started the book, I couldnt put it down.
An excellent read with true account of captivity. Not your Hollywood style captivity, but great insight into the lives of the Sioux on a day to day basis. Fanny Kelly lived a life among a people who were so alien to the lifestyle of which she came, leaving her to adjust to a completely foreign environment. She watched, listened, and used every means she had to survive, not knowing that any given moment could be her last. If you like history of the West, you will enjoy this book.