I read Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom mostly based on Birchie's recommendation.
In 1872, sixteen-year-old Goes First, a Crow girl, marries a white fur trader named Abe Farwell after her Crow betrothed is killed during a hunt. Their marriage is mostly happy, with Abe appreciating his wife's ability to live on the land, hunt, and be a cool cucumber in trade negotiations. He renames her Mary and they travel doing trading things. Abe's goal is to have a ranch and he's trading during boom times to earn that money. And this is their story. It's filled with battles and bravery and lots of drunk people and descriptions of really disgusting sounding food.
I was riveted by this book. What was going to happen next? Where were they going to go? How many times would someone take off their hat to wipe their brow? Would there be more justice in Canada than in the United States?
This story is based on true events and I was super interested in the author's note about how she was uncomfortable writing this book as a white woman, but how she really embedded herself in the research. I was happy to read about how she had reached out to the family of the real Goes First, as well as other indigenous experts and leaders. Thumbs up to this page turner.
"Oh, Goes First," she said, "men are all the same. Tell them every day that they are the biggest and strongest and best provider, and they will seldom come home with a second wife." (page 61)
"I have started telling my husband he is the biggest, strongest, and best provider. He told me that it doesn't come off as very sincere..." LOL
ReplyDeleteWow, you try to compliment a guy and he criticizes your word choice just because you're parroting what you read in a novel? I wonder if his second wife will find a way to flatter him that he doesn't find insincere!
ReplyDeleteYou make a good case for polygamy! Sure, if someone else wants to cook dinner and clean the house, they are welcome to it!
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, I adored this book for exactly the reason you say. I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next.
Hahaha, well if the second wife was willing to do all the cooking, I think I would be okay with it.This book does sound really good.
ReplyDeleteOh - this sounds like a book I would really like. I'm gonna do the thing that I don't do enough - open my notebook and write the title on my list of books I want to read. (What? Why yes I am very old school, why do you ask?). I got a great chuckle out of that line in the book and your discussion with your husband. I needed that today. I think there are too many teenager/preteens in our homelife to interest any prospective new wife.
ReplyDeleteI put that one on hold when Birchie mentioned it, but have not gotten it yet, but am glad to hear that you liked it too! I enjoyed the other books I have read by that author.
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of this book a lot. I used to be super fascinated by the show Sister Wives and the whole notion of a second (or third or fourth) wife. I guess for me it would depend on the reasons for having a second wife. Like could I have a second husband? We have a joke, the husband and I that his second wife is "Spam Risk" because she calls him a lot.
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