The Horsecatcher, by Mari Sandoz

 

I always do a little research on the authors before writing up these blog entries, and Mari Sandoz sounds like someone I'd love to read an engaging biography of! The daughter of a pioneer, she was raised in Nebraska, and from her brief Wikipedia entry, would have had amazing stories to tell. Although not of Native American descent, she apparently admired the cultures of the plains Indians, and they feature in many of her books, including this one.

Young Elk is a young Cheyenne who is drawn to the capture and care of horses, despite the fact that it is often to his detriment. Although his village's elderly horse catcher has earned respect for his role, there is much less place for a young man who hasn't earned prestige through battle. But despite the pressure put on him by society and family, he often slips off to track and gentle horses- both wild and belonging to enemy tribes.

I enjoyed the story quite a bit, but what I enjoyed more was the author's gentle way of teaching us aspects of Cheyenne (and cross-tribal) culture without being heavy-handed. She clearly studied familiar and cultural interactions very carefully, and it helps put the reader into the story.