Book: Thirteen Moons

Author: Charles Frazier

Review:  This book is by the author of Cold Mountain.  I prefered Cold Mountain, but in both cases the author has an awesome writing style, with an encyclopedic knowledge of pioneer-civil war era.  This story follows Will Cooper, from his teen years to extreme old age.  He is an orphan and is living with his uncle's family.  Since he is a child, he does not necessarily stand to inherit his father's farm.  Rather he is indentured to an old man to become a clerk in an outpost on the edge of Indian territory.  While the book never specifies what state he is in, it is implied to be North Carolina area.  Fortunately for Will, he is adopted by the Indian Bear.  Will is intelligent, and better read than I.  He and Bear end up purchasing large tracts of land to try to maintain a cherokee homeland.  Will also is having a love affair with a neighbor girl, Claire.  The love story is ok, kind of goes nowhere.  Will becomes a soldier during the civil war, but this is primarily in the interest of his Indian friends.  He also becomes entangled in government affairs on the Indians behalf, and becomes famous as the White Chief.  Will's village is maintained during Jackson's trail of tears, and he even manages to get government stipends for tribe members years later.  Unfortunately, he loses interest in his business in later years, and almost goes bankrupt, and his love affair with Claire never quite pans out either. 

The book was a bit of a disappointment for these reasons.