Saga of Chief Joseph - (Bison Classic Editions) by Helen Addison Howard (Paperback)

About the Book

"In "Saga of Chief Joseph," Helen Addison Howard has written the definitive biography of the great Nez Perce chief, a diplomat among warriors. In times of war and peace, Chief Joseph exhibited gifts of the first rank as a leader for peace and tribal liberty. Following his people's intern ment in Indian Territory in 1877, Chief Joseph secured their release in 1885 and led them back to their home country. Fiercely principled, he never abandoned his quest to have his country, the Wallowa Valley, returned to its rightful owners. The struggle of the Nez Perces for the freedom they considered paramount in life constitutes oneof the most dramatic episodes in Indian history. This completely revised edition of the author's 1941 version (titled War Chief Joseph) presents in exciting detail the full story of Chief Joseph, with a reevaluation of the five bands engaged in the Nez Perce War, told from the Indian, the white military, and the settler points of view. Especially valuable is the reappraisal, based on significant new material from Indian sources, of Joseph as a war leader. The new introduction by Nicole Tonkovich explores the continuing relevance of Chief Joseph and the lasting significance of Howard's work during the era of Angie Debo, Alice Marriott, and Muriel H. Wright."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

In Saga of Chief Joseph, Helen Addison Howard has written the definitive biography of the great Nez Perce chief, a diplomat among warriors. In times of war and peace, Chief Joseph exhibited gifts of the first rank as a leader for peace and tribal liberty. Following his people's internment in Indian Territory in 1877, Chief Joseph secured their release in 1885 and led them back to their home country. Fiercely principled, he never abandoned his quest to have his country, the Wallowa Valley, returned to its rightful owners. The struggle of the Nez Perces for the freedom they considered paramount in life constitutes one of the most dramatic episodes in Indian history.

This completely revised edition of the author's 1941 version (titled War Chief Joseph) presents in exciting detail the full story of Chief Joseph, with a reevaluation of the five bands engaged in the Nez Perce War, told from the Indian, the white military, and the settler points of view. Especially valuable is the reappraisal, based on significant new material from Indian sources, of Joseph as a war leader.

The new introduction by Nicole Tonkovich explores the continuing relevance of Chief Joseph and the lasting significance of Howard's work during the era of Angie Debo, Alice Marriott, and Muriel H. Wright.

Review Quotes

"A priceless contribution."--Los Angeles Times-- (2/24/2017 12:00:00 AM)

"A stirring and dramatic biography of a great man."--Montreal Star
-- (2/24/2017 12:00:00 AM)

"From Joseph's years as a spiritual leader to the 1877 battle of the Bearpaw Mountains and surrender of the Nez Perce, Howard renders Joseph's life and times in fine detail. Her storytelling reflects a sharp journalistic eye and a knack for the grand sweep of history."--Publishers Weekly-- (10/23/2017 12:00:00 AM)

"This work . . . is a standard in the field."--CHOICE Books for College Libraries-- (2/24/2017 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Helen Addison Howard (1904-1989) was a writer of U.S. Western history whose stories and articles have been published in magazines throughout the country. She is the author of Northwest Trail Blazers. Nicole Tonkovich is a professor of American literature at the University of California, San Diego. She is the author of The Allotment Plot: Alice C. Fletcher, E. Jane Gay, and Nez Perce Survivance(Nebraska, 2012). George D. McGrath (d. 1945) was a descendant of Montana pioneers. His grandmother knew Chief Joseph as a friend.