Mountain Windsong: A Novel of the Trail of Tears Paperback – March 15, 1995

I wished there was a little more of the story between the two, but I appreciated the inbetween moments with grandfather and grandson. I like that the entire treaty of New Echota is there and some history along with it. Not what I expected I guess, but still quite valuable!

A touching fictional romance with enough history woven in to remind me of events I've read about in history book. Seems very well researched.

Great writing and topic.

Great Book; great price!

Mountain Windsong is a novel set against the backdrop of 1830 America and the Trail of Tears. The Cherokee Nation was the model for the Indian policy promoted by the federal government and the 1st six U.S. Presidents; the Cherokees even adopted a Constitution modeled after the U.S. Constitution. The author tells us the story from the Cherokees' viewpoint, Conley includes historical background information concerning the travesty how the Cherokee Nation was mistreated during the administration of Andrew Jackson, but also provides the reader with a sense of the Cherokees' mystical philosophy and will to succeed.

Like War Woman, Mountain Windsong depicts an extraordinarily resolute and persistent main character in Oconeechee. Against all odds, she pursues Waguli--her betrothed--and ultimately accepts the sentimental assistance of the white man known as Gun Rod in order to search for the love of her life. The story is told from various points of view--third person and first through the character of "chooj" who is very much a grandpa's boy. In addition, this text contains significant evidence of the trail of treaties with the Real People that were shattered mercilessly by US President Andrew Jackson. Robert J. Conley's name should be recited with the names of those who achieved the top rung of their craft. In his case, not only was he a master storyteller, he was also a very dedicated and responsible historian.

The story starts out strong with interspersed moments of narrative between a grandfather and grandson. The novel portions of the book are entertaining and provide insight to Cherokee life at this time. The primary documents included in the novel can be thick and somewhat annoying, but I read this for a history class so we needed them for historical veracity. The ending felt weak to me from a literature perspective. It seemed as if the author ran out of steam, but otherwise a well put book, if a bit maudlin.

"Mountain Windsong", is Robert J. Conley's first novel of The People - his own Cherokee ancestors - and it is an emotional tale of love lost amidst the horror that was the Trail of Tears when, in the 1830s, the Cherokee were forced from the homelands in the Southeast to the barren lands of Oklahoma Territory. Using the historical event as the backdrop, Conley tells the story of Waguli and Oconeechee (the daughter of a famous chief) as they are separated at the beginning of the forced march. Throughout the novel we follow the lovers as they struggle to find each other while try to survive the brutality of their situation.The story is told by LeRoy, which he is retelling from his grandfather; LeRoy had become interested in the story when he inquired about the origin of the "Windsong" he had heard on his reservation in North Carolina (a reservation of Cherokee who escaped the forced relocation).Conley does a masterful job of weaving the lovers' tale with a vibrant and historically accurate account of the Trail of Tears. Well researched and laced with the words of historical document such as a treaty signed in 1835, this novel a great window into a horrific tragedy.>>>>>>><<<<<<<A Guide to my Book Rating System:1 star = The wood pulp would have been better utilized as toilet paper.2 stars = Don't bother, clean your bathroom instead.3 stars = Wasn't a waste of time, but it was time wasted.4 stars = Good book, but not life altering.5 stars = This book changed my world in at least some small way.