The Horsecatcher (Bison Book) [Paperback]

Mari Sandoz (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Bison Book

Praised for swift action and beauty of language, The Horsecatcher is Mari Sandoz's first novel about the Indians she knew so well. Without ever leaving the world of a Cheyenne tribe in the 1830s, she creates a youthful protagonist many readers will recognize in themselves. Young Elk is expected to be a warrior, but killing even an enemy sickens him. He would rather catch and tame the mustangs that run in herds. Sandoz makes it clear that his determination to be a horsecatcher will require a moral and physical courage equal to that of any warrior. And if he must earn the right to live as he wishes, he must also draw closer to family and community.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Mari Sandoz has written a beautiful story that is bright with warmth, humor, and love of life. It will provide rich and rewarding reading not only for older teens and young adults but also for grownups with a taste for uncomplicated goodness." -"Christian Science Monitor"

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (September 1, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803291604
• ISBN-13: 978-0803291607
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #391,738 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great art, depicting humanity's struggle to become human., November 18, 1999

By 

Margaret Stearns (Newfane Hill, Vermont) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Horsecatcher (Bison Book) (Paperback)

Her lifelong research, study, and familiarity with the culture of the plains indians, along with her own challenging life experiences in a pioneer family, provide Mari Sandoz with an authentic setting for the universal story of the individual search for self. Issues of morality, personal esteem, responsibility, respect for authority, self-reliance, et cetera, arise as naturally for Young Elk, as for any teenager, any time, any where. This story of a youthful misfit amoung the Cheyenne a hundred and fifty years ago has special relevance for global peacemaking today. It should be a world classic of juvenile fiction. And more, for it is extremely thought-provoking for the adult reader.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A quick read, but nothing too special..., August 7, 2007

By 

naiche (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Horsecatcher (Bison Book) (Paperback)

Mari Sandoz is best known for her fictional biography of Lakota warrior Crazy Horse. This story is about a Cheyenne youth named Elk who would rather catch horses than go on the warpath, or even the hunt. The gist of the book is that Elk's problem is he is a pacifist in a warrior society. Sometimes, however, the story stretches credulity as Elk will eat buffalo... so long as someone else kills it. He will however kill an animal or human if his life is on the line. Maybe this is based on a true story that Ms. Sandoz heard from the Indians and she added her own details, mirroring her work on Crazy Horse. Also, the writing style is sometimes awkward. The intended audience is young adults. While I don't feel that my time was completely wasted reading the book, I didn't finish it with that feeling that I must read it again someday as I have with other novels of this genre.