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The Thirty-Ninth Man
"Article I: There shall be a firm and perpetual peace between the Sioux and Chippewas; between the Sioux and the confederated tribes of Sacs and Foxes; and between the Ioways and the Sioux."
On August 19, 1825, in a place called Prairie du Chien, Michigan Territory, under the guise of concern but wrapped in a cloak of deceit, the federal government began a series of treaties with the Sioux Nation that would lead to the outbreak of the Sioux Wars, and the end of a way of life. In 1862 with the beginnings of the Sioux Wars in the Minnesota River Valley, a mixed blood named Anton McAllister balances on the razor thin line separating corrupt Indian agents, unscrupulous fur traders, the U.S. Army, and powerful chiefs from the Chippewa and Dakota nations. When his best friend is falsely accused of war crimes and sentenced to die, Anton finds himself in a race to save his friend from the gallows.
On August 19, 1825, in a place called Prairie du Chien, Michigan Territory, under the guise of concern but wrapped in a cloak of deceit, the federal government began a series of treaties with the Sioux Nation that would lead to the outbreak of the Sioux Wars, and the end of a way of life. In 1862 with the beginnings of the Sioux Wars in the Minnesota River Valley, a mixed blood named Anton McAllister balances on the razor thin line separating corrupt Indian agents, unscrupulous fur traders, the U.S. Army, and powerful chiefs from the Chippewa and Dakota nations. When his best friend is falsely accused of war crimes and sentenced to die, Anton finds himself in a race to save his friend from the gallows.
237 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2013
29 people want to read
About the author
D.A. Swanson
2 books16 followersMy kid days set me up for a lifetime of joy. Great parents, wonderful environment, firm entrenchment in the middle class, and the fortuitous impact of being a child in the 1950s all combined to mold my future and I am eternally grateful.
I was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, grew up in Mound, and now makes my home in Prior Lake. Married since 1965, we have two children and four granddaughters.
I retired from Qwest Communications in 2008. Prior to retirement I took writing classes at the University of Michigan and I have been a member of The Loft Literary Center, Minneapolis, since 2003. North Star Press of St. Cloud released my historical novel about the Minnesota Dakota War of 1862, “THE THIRTY-NINTH MAN,” in June 2013.
I have completed a fantasy chapter book for seven to twelve year-old readers, and have a book of short stories in process. I've had poetry included in two annual stage productions by the Bloomington Arts Council, at The Black Box Theatre in Bloomington, Minnesota, and I've had poems included in multiple anthologies.
My memoir, in addition to telling stories from my childhood in the Village of Island Park (Mound) includes stories from my time in Turkey with the US Navy during the Cuban missile crisis, and of the experience of working under contract with NASA in Tananarive, Madagascar, during the glory years of ‘69 & ‘70.
My original radio play "The Stink Bomb" was recorded during a live performance in the Lakes Area Theatre on June 14, 2013, and released to ten radio stations across the state. The play can be heard online by accessing The Lakes Area Theatre (Alexandria, MN) website, clicking on Past Programs and selecting July 8 Stink Bomb.
I am the the holder of three U.S. patents aligned with the sport of archery.
In addition to bible study, some of my favorite pastimes involve hunting, camping, canoeing, and travel. I’ve bow hunted the big timber from California to New Hampshire and the croplands between; canoed the BWCA, the Manistee, and the Merrimac; snorkeled in the Sea of Marmara, tracked satellites in Tananarive, Madagascar, and I can start a campfire after five days of steady rain.
I was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, grew up in Mound, and now makes my home in Prior Lake. Married since 1965, we have two children and four granddaughters.
I retired from Qwest Communications in 2008. Prior to retirement I took writing classes at the University of Michigan and I have been a member of The Loft Literary Center, Minneapolis, since 2003. North Star Press of St. Cloud released my historical novel about the Minnesota Dakota War of 1862, “THE THIRTY-NINTH MAN,” in June 2013.
I have completed a fantasy chapter book for seven to twelve year-old readers, and have a book of short stories in process. I've had poetry included in two annual stage productions by the Bloomington Arts Council, at The Black Box Theatre in Bloomington, Minnesota, and I've had poems included in multiple anthologies.
My memoir, in addition to telling stories from my childhood in the Village of Island Park (Mound) includes stories from my time in Turkey with the US Navy during the Cuban missile crisis, and of the experience of working under contract with NASA in Tananarive, Madagascar, during the glory years of ‘69 & ‘70.
My original radio play "The Stink Bomb" was recorded during a live performance in the Lakes Area Theatre on June 14, 2013, and released to ten radio stations across the state. The play can be heard online by accessing The Lakes Area Theatre (Alexandria, MN) website, clicking on Past Programs and selecting July 8 Stink Bomb.
I am the the holder of three U.S. patents aligned with the sport of archery.
In addition to bible study, some of my favorite pastimes involve hunting, camping, canoeing, and travel. I’ve bow hunted the big timber from California to New Hampshire and the croplands between; canoed the BWCA, the Manistee, and the Merrimac; snorkeled in the Sea of Marmara, tracked satellites in Tananarive, Madagascar, and I can start a campfire after five days of steady rain.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 13, 2018
Book Reviewed by Clive on www.whisperingstories.com
In The Thirty-Ninth Man D.A. Swanson describes the events, lifestyles and relationships of the Native Americans, settlers and the US Government during the first part of the 19th century in what is now Minnesota. Much of the book is fact, mixed with fictional characters which helps bring the story to life. It was easy to read, although at times I found the joins between fact and fiction a little obvious.
In addition to the political viewpoints, the author gives us plenty of action and interesting descriptions of the lives of the indigenous population, the trappers and the government representatives. They all had one thing in common; despite the abundance of wildlife in the woodlands in that area, life was very hard in what was at that time the north-western limit of the Union.
The book covers a long span of time, nearly sixty years, and features a large number of players although D.A. helps us by listing the primary characters at the front of the book, separated into fictional and non-fictional.
The copy that I read was a paperback and it included two full page maps but unfortunately they were of poor quality with one barely readable and the other illegible. It could however be that mine was an advance copy and subsequent print-runs were clearer.
I found The Thirty-Ninth Man extremely thought provoking. D.A. Swanson is rightly very critical of many of the Government officials in the handling of the treaties with local tribes who clearly were not given the respect they deserved. He does however balance the arguments by making it clear that the Native Americans struggled with the concepts of borders and ownership.
He also shows us how their warrior culture was always going to clash with the Government’s hope that they would become passive farmers. Thinking on it, the people of Europe, Asia and much of Africa evolved from hunter-gatherers to farmers thousands of years ago so in their view why should that not also work in America?
Interestingly the author uses the terms Indians and Redskins which were no doubt used at the time although my understanding is that Native Americans is more acceptable today.
The Thirty-Ninth Man is an action packed story that has not only entertained but has encouraged me to discover more about this challenging period in US history. I have awarded four stars.
In The Thirty-Ninth Man D.A. Swanson describes the events, lifestyles and relationships of the Native Americans, settlers and the US Government during the first part of the 19th century in what is now Minnesota. Much of the book is fact, mixed with fictional characters which helps bring the story to life. It was easy to read, although at times I found the joins between fact and fiction a little obvious.
In addition to the political viewpoints, the author gives us plenty of action and interesting descriptions of the lives of the indigenous population, the trappers and the government representatives. They all had one thing in common; despite the abundance of wildlife in the woodlands in that area, life was very hard in what was at that time the north-western limit of the Union.
The book covers a long span of time, nearly sixty years, and features a large number of players although D.A. helps us by listing the primary characters at the front of the book, separated into fictional and non-fictional.
The copy that I read was a paperback and it included two full page maps but unfortunately they were of poor quality with one barely readable and the other illegible. It could however be that mine was an advance copy and subsequent print-runs were clearer.
I found The Thirty-Ninth Man extremely thought provoking. D.A. Swanson is rightly very critical of many of the Government officials in the handling of the treaties with local tribes who clearly were not given the respect they deserved. He does however balance the arguments by making it clear that the Native Americans struggled with the concepts of borders and ownership.
He also shows us how their warrior culture was always going to clash with the Government’s hope that they would become passive farmers. Thinking on it, the people of Europe, Asia and much of Africa evolved from hunter-gatherers to farmers thousands of years ago so in their view why should that not also work in America?
Interestingly the author uses the terms Indians and Redskins which were no doubt used at the time although my understanding is that Native Americans is more acceptable today.
The Thirty-Ninth Man is an action packed story that has not only entertained but has encouraged me to discover more about this challenging period in US history. I have awarded four stars.
May 3, 2017
The Thirty-Ninth Man is an interesting story. For me, at least the general main event, it was not new. Several years ago I read Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees, a brief memoir by Sarah F. Wakefield. In it, she describes that she and her son being saved from certain death by an Indian named Chaska. I seem to recollect that in her version, Chaska is not saved by the bell.
Well, back to The Thirty-Ninth Man. I found the story compelling, but the writing very poor. I think I might understand why this might be. According to the Goodreads data for the book, it is 320 pages long. My book was 237. At first I thought this was perhaps a typo, but as I read I found many locations in the book that seemed to jump over important information, leaving me completely baffled about sections. I finally decided that the book was shortened, edited with a meat cleaver, removing paragraphs in their entirety without adding a sentence, or even a word or two, to glue paragraphs together.
The parts of the story that do flow well, are very readable. If I am correct, you can imagine the mess that unceremonious removal of 85 pages, a quarter of the book, would mean to continuity.
I think this story, or the truth of the events, is something about which everyone should be aware, especially those who live in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota. With the current moves to rename Lake Calhoun, perhaps we should review the name of Sibley County, State Park, High School, etc.
I think this book is worth reading and I can recommend it to those who would like a relatively short Historical novel based on the Dakota uprising. However, I think that either of the versions of Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees might be a better choice. There is an essentially unedited version that is only 94 pages, which includes apologies from the publisher stating he was not permitted to correct even spelling errors. Oh well, nothing is perfect.
Well, back to The Thirty-Ninth Man. I found the story compelling, but the writing very poor. I think I might understand why this might be. According to the Goodreads data for the book, it is 320 pages long. My book was 237. At first I thought this was perhaps a typo, but as I read I found many locations in the book that seemed to jump over important information, leaving me completely baffled about sections. I finally decided that the book was shortened, edited with a meat cleaver, removing paragraphs in their entirety without adding a sentence, or even a word or two, to glue paragraphs together.
The parts of the story that do flow well, are very readable. If I am correct, you can imagine the mess that unceremonious removal of 85 pages, a quarter of the book, would mean to continuity.
I think this story, or the truth of the events, is something about which everyone should be aware, especially those who live in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota. With the current moves to rename Lake Calhoun, perhaps we should review the name of Sibley County, State Park, High School, etc.
I think this book is worth reading and I can recommend it to those who would like a relatively short Historical novel based on the Dakota uprising. However, I think that either of the versions of Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees might be a better choice. There is an essentially unedited version that is only 94 pages, which includes apologies from the publisher stating he was not permitted to correct even spelling errors. Oh well, nothing is perfect.
February 4, 2014
Disclaimer: I received this book in a giveaway by the author on the grounds that I would review it.
On December 26th, 1862, thirty-eight men were hanged in the largest mass execution in American history. They were convicted of murder and other crimes in connection with the Dakota War. Thirty-nine were sentenced, one was pardoned at the last moment. This is the story of how it came to pass.
This is a fictionalized account of the events, with the main protagonist being Anton McAllister, son of a white trapper and an Algonquin woman. He becomes a scout and eventually moves to Minnesota during the period shortly before the territory became a state.
Treaties are made with the Native American tribes, allowing more and more white settlers into the area, and pushing the tribes into smaller and smaller areas. Promises are made, but seldom kept, and the Indians starve, while being cheated by traders who steal from the government allotments.
When famine comes, tensions rise, and it is no surprise that eventually something breaks, and war begins. Atrocities are committed, and when the immediate uprising is over, there are punishments in store. But one of Anton’s friends is among the condemned, and he is innocent of the crime he was convicted of, having been elsewhere at the time.
The prose style is a bit old-fashioned, reminding me of the boys’ books of my youth. I’d call it “stately.” There are multiple instances of telling rather than showing when it comes to minor characters’ personalities. It works here since they are very short interludes in the main story and there isn’t the time to develop them fully.
The author does not hide his sympathies; the natives are clearly the wronged party here, even if some of them are unpleasant or downright evil people.
While this book is not specifically written for the young adult market, I think it would be entirely suitable for teen readers (there’s a list of further reading in the back) who are able to handle the deliberate pacing. I also recommend this book for Minnesota history buffs.
On December 26th, 1862, thirty-eight men were hanged in the largest mass execution in American history. They were convicted of murder and other crimes in connection with the Dakota War. Thirty-nine were sentenced, one was pardoned at the last moment. This is the story of how it came to pass.
This is a fictionalized account of the events, with the main protagonist being Anton McAllister, son of a white trapper and an Algonquin woman. He becomes a scout and eventually moves to Minnesota during the period shortly before the territory became a state.
Treaties are made with the Native American tribes, allowing more and more white settlers into the area, and pushing the tribes into smaller and smaller areas. Promises are made, but seldom kept, and the Indians starve, while being cheated by traders who steal from the government allotments.
When famine comes, tensions rise, and it is no surprise that eventually something breaks, and war begins. Atrocities are committed, and when the immediate uprising is over, there are punishments in store. But one of Anton’s friends is among the condemned, and he is innocent of the crime he was convicted of, having been elsewhere at the time.
The prose style is a bit old-fashioned, reminding me of the boys’ books of my youth. I’d call it “stately.” There are multiple instances of telling rather than showing when it comes to minor characters’ personalities. It works here since they are very short interludes in the main story and there isn’t the time to develop them fully.
The author does not hide his sympathies; the natives are clearly the wronged party here, even if some of them are unpleasant or downright evil people.
While this book is not specifically written for the young adult market, I think it would be entirely suitable for teen readers (there’s a list of further reading in the back) who are able to handle the deliberate pacing. I also recommend this book for Minnesota history buffs.
November 21, 2013
As I was reading, I was always thinking, "Was that part real?" so was bothered a bit by that. Found one or two small details that are incorrect (p. 211 has one, can you find it?). Heard author speak and he clarified somewhat which characters, etc. were fiction and which had been real.
July 16, 2016
The author came and talked to our book club. His enthusiasm regarding the subject of the 1862 uprising is very apparent. Very good book
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews