Miss Sandoz, that unusual and powerful writer who is best remembered for her story of her lusty father, "Old Jules," now turns her hand to the life and times of the great warrior of the Oglala Sioux, the quiet and deadly one known as Crazy Horse. Her regard for the man is deep, amounting almost to adoration. And this is understandable. For among all those remarkable Plains Indians none was braver than Crazy Horse, and none more steadfast.

The research that obviously has gone into ["Crazy Horse"] is downright astounding. Miss Sandoz has dug into every old report she could find, the government files, faded letters, and in addition she has interviewed scores of persons who might contribute something to the lore of Crazy Horse and the story of his people during the tragic years of their gradual and inevitable dissolution. She has brought to the task an indefatigable spirit and an understanding heart. As a child, in the southern part of what once was the hunting grounds of the Sioux, she knew the Indians, and all her life the stories of these people have been all about her. As any one must who has become at all familiar with the history of these people, she has much sympathy for them….

There seems little doubt that Crazy Horse was the most outstanding of the many eminent Sioux warriors—and that noble confederation produced many good ones. Sitting Bull, of course, has had more publicity than Crazy Horse, but when there was fighting to be done it was usually Crazy Horse who was in the thick of things, although this is not to cast any aspirations on Sitting Bull's courage, of which the old boy was well supplied. But this Crazy Horse—what a fighter!…

The story of Crazy Horse is eminently worth doing. Miss Sandoz writes with vigor and feeling. For these reasons it is probable that many persons will greet this book as a masterpiece of its sort. Those who fancy they have insight into the ordinarily inscrutable soul of the Indian will doubtless be delighted with this performance. But not every one will feel this way. This reviewer, for example, who yields to no one, not even Miss Sandoz, in admiration for the Plains Indians and in fascination at their history, found it exceedingly tough going. To be blunt about it, the book is hard to read. The reason for this is that the gifted Miss Sandoz tries to write and think as a Sioux of the period of Crazy Horse would think and write.

Many readers are sure to find it an awkward device. To say that there are no "white man words" for certain things is, of course, true enough but the question arises whether the author hasn't carried this theory pretty far. The point is debatable. Some will find her attempt at Indian rhythm, and her constantly recurring imagery, entrancingly beautiful; others will wish that she had set down a simple, clear, factual, objective and yet understanding account, in the King's English. The daughter of old Jules knows her Indians, all right, but when she tries to write like an Indian it all becomes a bit thick….

Perhaps she has succeeded, notwithstanding the enormity of the assignment which she set for herself. Certainly her tale is worth telling, and it does have passages of great beauty, and much strength, for all its convolutions. Here, as reconstructed by Miss Sandoz, is what Crazy Horse did, said and thought throughout his eventful career. She is scrupulously careful to adhere to the main known outlines of the record, and her poetic imagination has supplied the rest.