Sheepeater: To Cry for a Vision

by Joseph Dorris

It is the early 1860s and twelve-year-old Erik Larson and his Swedish family are headed west in a wagon train from Minnesota to find a valley in pre-Idaho Territory. The family holds high hopes that their new home will provide the happiness they seek-that is, until a deadly illness strikes. When Erik's own mother becomes ill, the wagon master decides to push ahead, intent on outracing a blizzard. Unfortunately, winter arrives with a vengeance, and with his sister far ahead in another wagon, Erik is stranded with his parents. After his father experiences a fatal fall, Erik and his mother face a brutal winter-alone on the windswept prairie. Erik is convinced that to survive he must seek help from the Sheepeater Indians. After he meets the Sheepeaters, he deals with prejudice and life-threatening danger and begins to question everything he's ever believed. Without the skills to hunt or fish, Erik must confront an agonizing choice-either perish or abandon everything and become a member of the Sheepeaters. A poignant partnership soon unfolds between the Native Americans and a white man who has just one dream-to reunite with his sister.

364 pages, Hardcover

First published February 11, 2009

About the author

Joseph Dorris grew up in McCall, Idaho near the near-ghost town of Warren, Idaho. He spent much of his youth exploring and gold panning in the Salmon River and Idaho wilderness, the setting of the five novels in his series: Idaho Sheepeater Indians. He has had a lifetime interest in Native American culture and history, pioneer gold rushes, and mining. He has based Sojourner of Warren's Camp and Salmon River Kid on the 1870s Chinese and whites in Warren’s camp and has weaved together historical vignettes from their lives and conflicts. His other three current books: Sheepeater: To Cry for a Vision, Katrine: High Valley Home, and Seeking Two Elks Fighting cover the lives of brother and sister, Erik and Katrine Larson who are orphaned. Erik will interact with Samuel (from Salmon River Kid) in the forthcoming books. Joseph Dorris is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. After retiring, he taught high school science and math and coached soccer. He enjoys painting and has illustrated all his novels with cover paintings and pen and ink internal illustrations. He currently operates mining claims in Colorado for amazonite and smoky quartz specimens. Today, he lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with his wife, Susan, where they have raised three children.

Reviews

[Gramma R · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a co-worker's brother's works. Have had it for a few months on my to-do list. Am enjoying it so far!