Customer Reviews

The Nebraska Dispatches

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In this slim volume Cartmill manages to evoke the expansiveness of the American Midwest and the historically contentious relations between Native Americans and European Americans, while grappling with the responsibility of the artist to the story that may or may not be his to tell. The writing is breezily accessible and compelling (at times even suspenseful).

This book is such an enjoyable read, I didn't want it to end; though, I do think the slim volume actually beckons the reader and is one of its main selling points. The only drawback is that some Native Americans may not feel that the author is qualified to write about Standing Bear. I am at odds with this notion. I think if a person has the heart and soul desire to believe in a subject and wants to learn sociologically about a subject and portray that subject, shed light on it and maybe even bring more awareness to it: in essence, bring on the sunlight, then my formal opinion is, why not? Then again, I'm also not Native American, so I don't have a right to say how a Native American would feel; and I also honor their feelings. Henceforth, a bit of a quagmire ensues.


Climbing out of the quagmire:

One can easily get lost in the weather reports and chuckle at the side bar headings for each dispatch. The storyline of writing a play about Standing Bear --- coming home again, making connections and asking very many questions, such as: Where is home exactly? What are the requirements of being a native? What qualifies a person to write about other cultures? What if a person wants to leave home, do they still belong to that home anymore? (ref. Standing Bear's connection to Oklahoma)

Not only will Nebraskans, Native Americans ((hopefully)), benefit from reading this delightful collage of wandering thoughts and skyscapes; even city dwellers could find something enjoyable such as Susann's decision to pack up and leave the plains and head to Minneapolis while her family freaks out and the storm clouds throw in their own opinion on the matter. Hint: there is a warm summer breeze of spirituality rippling across the plains in this book as well that is truly welcoming.

Also enjoyable is the author's casual sense of humor for things that many people take for granted such as finding reverse on a stick shift. Which I found to be hilarious. Sentences are tightly woven with threads of hilarity mixed with midwest clarity; and I like that.

Hopefully, this book will sell. It most definitely deserves a place in the sun.