Ghost dances : proving up on the Great Plains / Josh Garrett-Davis.
Growing up in South Dakota, Josh Garrett-Davis always knew he would leave. But as a young adult, he kept going back -- in dreams and reality and by way of books. With this narrative about a seemingly empty but actually rich and complex place, he has reclaimed his childhood, his unusual family, and the Great Plains. He discusses the destruction and resurgence of the American bison; Native American "Ghost Dancers," who attempted to ward off destruction by supernatural means before the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee; the political allegory to be found in The Wizard of Oz; and current attempts by ecologists to "rewild" the Plains. Garrett-Davis includes stories of his family as well -- including his great-great-grandparents' twenty-year sojourn in Nebraska as homesteaders and his progressive Methodist cousin Ruth, a missionary in China ousted by Mao's revolution. Ghost Dances is a fluid combination of memoir and history and reportage that reminds us that our roots matter -- and might even be inspiring and fascinating.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780316199841
- ISBN: 0316199842
- Physical Description: vii, 327 pages : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York : Little, Brown and Co., 2012.
Content descriptions
Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-315) and index. |
Formatted Contents Note: | Superstition vs. investigation -- Landscape of motion -- Ghost Dances -- The three guys who knew -- Other selves -- The pen and plow -- Ruth Harris -- A buffalo common place -- Leaves of grass -- Ghost Dances -- Epilogue: Pratincole. |
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Genre: | Biographies. History. |
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Homer Public Library | 978 GAR (Text) | 000159114 | Nonfiction | Available | - |
Ghost Dances : Proving up on the Great Plains
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Summary
Ghost Dances : Proving up on the Great Plains
Growing up in South Dakota, Josh Garrett-Davis knew he would leave. But as a young adult, he kept going back -- in dreams and reality and by way of books. With this beautifully written narrative about a seemingly empty but actually rich and complex place, he has reclaimed his childhood, his unusual family, and the Great Plains. Among the subjects and people that bring his Midwestern Plains to life are the destruction and resurgence of the American bison; Native American "Ghost Dancers," who attempted to ward off destruction by supernatural means; the political allegory to be found in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ; and current attempts by ecologists to "rewild" the Plains, complete with cheetahs. Garrett-Davis infuses the narrative with stories of his family as well -- including his great-great-grandparents' twenty-year sojourn in Nebraska as homesteaders and his progressive Methodist cousin Ruth, a missionary in China ousted by Mao's revolution. Ghost Dances is a fluid combination of memoir and history and reportage that reminds us our roots matter.