THE WINTER WAR

by William Wister Haines ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 27, 1960

An historical western is based on the campaigns of General Miles against Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, etc. after Custer's massacre and most of the book revolves around Col. David Selkirk (fictional) and a lady stowaway named Lita (also fictional) whom he rescues on the boat to Montana. Lita has been raised among Sioux, bought back and sent to school by Indian Agent Arthur Grafton, and has run away in order to return to the Indians- whom she plans to teach- and to Arthur. Split in her loyalties, she refuses to help Miles and Selkirk negotiate for a peace that would send the Indians back to reservations, and when Selkirk falls in love with her, rejects him for warring with her people. Peace treaties fail- and the war drags on into bitter winter. The Indians, hounded off their hunting grounds, retaliate ferociously and there are hair-raising accounts of scalpings, battles, amputations at 30 below zero, treachery, and mutiny. Lita, now in love with Donald, begins successful peace negotiations. But the Indian peace party is ambushed by the treacherous Arthur and Lita kills him and is killed by his squaw. David later dies in battle... The stock fictional characters play too large a part in the ""history"", but the action is vivid and satisfactorily bloody, and the panorama of a savage people systematically broken, in the teeth of a howling winter, is impressive.

Pub Date: Feb. 27, 1960

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Little, Brown-A.M.P.

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1960

Categories: FICTION