Magpie's Blanket

Book excerpt: In this thoughtful novel Kimberly D. Schmidt brings to life the history of Plains Indian women and the white invasion—an account not solely of violence and bloodshed but also of healing and forgiveness. Magpie’s Blanket begins with the story of a young Southern Cheyenne woman who survived the horrific Sand Creek Massacre in 1864 only to witness a second attack on her people at the Washita Massacre in 1868. Through the memories of three generations of Cheyenne people, the novel recounts the events of the massacres and the century-late reconciliation after the townspeople’s misguided attempt to re-create the “battle” of the Washita with descendants of US soldiers.