Born Irish Growing Up As Cheyenne

Rusty has lived as a Cheyenne for three years with his adoptive father Tall Elk and his family in “Adventures of Rusty Son of Tall Elk” the sequel to “Rusty Son of Tall Elk”. Rusty is now 13 years old. He has awed Tall Elk and the Chiefs with his gift of reading, his technical proficiency, his gift for lip reading, and the wisdom he has gained from his white heritage. Often misunderstood and resented by his peers Rusty is faced with earning the respect of the young braves as he learns the ways of the Cheyenne, their culture, their customs, and their ceremonies.

Meeting head-on with a grizzly bear, horse trading with the army officers, bargaining with trappers, coaching young boys the skill of using a sling, telling stories to love-struck young Cheyenne girls, or dealing with a wagon master are all a routine part of Rusty’s on-going adventures.

As in the first story Setting Sun, his adopted sister, an Irish girl, has an important part in creating and solving the conflicts Rusty faces in his challenge to become a young Cheyenne Brave. Together they experience many narrow escapes in an era of American and Indian history when suspicion and chaos, the frantic rhythm of Indian drums, blazing fires, celebratory festivals, ceremonial dancing, guns and gun powder create and dominate a fierce atmosphere of conquest. As the white man aggressively moves in to take over Indian Territory through torment, killing, and bloodshed, Rusty is disturbed and conflicted by the deceit, revenge killing and torture.

Bertram integrates other Native American Indians, the Crow, the Sioux, the Comanche, the Blackfoot, and the Pawnee throughout the story. He includes Indian Lore as well as information on the various gun’s being traded and used by the Cheyenne. The importance of the introduction of horses into the Cheyenne way of life was informative and interesting as this related to their pursuit of buffalo herds.

“Adventures of Rusty, Son of Tall Elk” is Rusty’s story of growing up in the Cheyenne Culture and the challenges he faced as a redheaded Irish boy adopted by Tall Elk and the difficulties of proving his manhood to the Cheyenne by honoring their customs as he while have a personal struggle with accepting of the Indian tactics of waging war with the white man. It is Rusty’s search his own personal identity while remaining true to himself.

Suspense and fast action engage the reader right up to the final surprise climatic ending. A great read for the early teen reader.

Infinity Publishing, 978-0741452139

As reviewed for Midwest Book Review