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From Where the Sun Now Stands
Book by Henry, Will
344 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1960
6 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
Will Henry
130 books17 followersAlso wrote westerns as Clay Fisher.
Henry Wilson Allen (September 12, 1912 – October 26, 1991) was an American author and screenwriter. He used several different pseudonyms for his works. His 50+ novels of the American West were published under the pen names Will Henry and Clay Fisher. Allen's screenplays and scripts for animated shorts were credited to Heck Allen and Henry Allen.
Allen's career as a novelist began in 1952, with the publication of his first Western No Survivors. Allen, afraid that the studio would disapprove of his moonlighting, used a pen-name to avoid trouble.[3] He would go on to publish over 50 novels, eight of which were adapted for the screen. Most of these were published under one or the other of the pseudonyms Will Henry and Clay Fisher. Allen was a five-time winner of the Spur Award from the Western Writers of America and a recipient of the Levi Strauss Award for lifetime achievement.
Henry Wilson Allen was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Allen died of pneumonia on October 26, 1991 in Van Nuys, California. He was 79.
Henry Wilson Allen (September 12, 1912 – October 26, 1991) was an American author and screenwriter. He used several different pseudonyms for his works. His 50+ novels of the American West were published under the pen names Will Henry and Clay Fisher. Allen's screenplays and scripts for animated shorts were credited to Heck Allen and Henry Allen.
Allen's career as a novelist began in 1952, with the publication of his first Western No Survivors. Allen, afraid that the studio would disapprove of his moonlighting, used a pen-name to avoid trouble.[3] He would go on to publish over 50 novels, eight of which were adapted for the screen. Most of these were published under one or the other of the pseudonyms Will Henry and Clay Fisher. Allen was a five-time winner of the Spur Award from the Western Writers of America and a recipient of the Levi Strauss Award for lifetime achievement.
Henry Wilson Allen was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Allen died of pneumonia on October 26, 1991 in Van Nuys, California. He was 79.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 27, 2020
The novel I recommend for learning about the Nez Perce tragedy.
Will Henry won the 1960 Spur award for this. It's one of two books by him I recommend.
("Since 1953 the Spur Awards have been considered one of the most prestigious awards in American literature. Spurs are given for the best western historical novel ...")
https://westernwriters.org/spur-awards/
***
It's easy to read, informative historical fiction ... a Goodreads quote:
"From Where the Sun Now Stands. This Spur Award-winning novel tells of the 113 days in the summer of 1877 when Chief Joseph reluctantly led his people in a rear-guard action from the Nez Perce reservation in Oregon to Montana, across more than 1,000 miles of trackless country."
***
One of the early books that formed my perception on the treatment of Native Americans by incoming Euro-Americans.
***
Perhaps my perception biased by having been biologically conceived in the Wallowa Valley.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallowa...
The premier 'Native American' in my world is Chief Joseph. His ancestral home was the Wallowas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_J...
'From Where the Sun Now Stands' was my first fiction exposure the Nez Perce tragedy. For the events depicted, 5+ stars
(Caveat - Will Henry has written more books that are 'western's rather than HF. His Tom Horn book also might reward reading.
***
For non-fiction about the ordeal, a different version of the 'trail of tears' treks, I liked Merrill Beal.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...
***
After reading it long, long ago didn't want to read about the Nez Perce thereafter; the images too vivid. (Had similar reaction to Shaara's "civil war" ...)
***
Joseph's country - The Wallowas of Oregon are Alp-like., beautiful country.
It is an exceptionally scenic segment of Oregon, on the timbered dry side, perhaps six hours by auto from Portland.
***
copied and pasted "KIRKUS REVIEW
"A picture -- as seen by Heyets, a 17 year old -- of the Nez Perce Indian chief, Joseph, and his attempts to live with the government's orders without destroying his people. Having argued the case and retained hunting rights for his tribe, Joseph is forced -- with the betrayal of the promises to him- to join those who want to war against the new demands from Washington. But throughout the pursuit and battles, Joseph maintains his conciliatory measures never once firing against the enemy. It is as an old man that Heyets recalls the events that gave Joseph his fame as a strategist, but it is not in this role that he is shown,- rather the portrait underlines his peacefulness, his rational and intelligent approach to the issues which were otherwise handled by the war chiefs, the young bloods and the malcontents of other tribes. In detail and in able re-creation, this is in part a vindication of Indian actions, a criticism of the government's brutal treatment of the men, women and children not among the fighting groups, and a panorama of a last stand by the original inhabitants of this country."
Will Henry won the 1960 Spur award for this. It's one of two books by him I recommend.
("Since 1953 the Spur Awards have been considered one of the most prestigious awards in American literature. Spurs are given for the best western historical novel ...")
https://westernwriters.org/spur-awards/
***
It's easy to read, informative historical fiction ... a Goodreads quote:
"From Where the Sun Now Stands. This Spur Award-winning novel tells of the 113 days in the summer of 1877 when Chief Joseph reluctantly led his people in a rear-guard action from the Nez Perce reservation in Oregon to Montana, across more than 1,000 miles of trackless country."
***
One of the early books that formed my perception on the treatment of Native Americans by incoming Euro-Americans.
***
Perhaps my perception biased by having been biologically conceived in the Wallowa Valley.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallowa...
The premier 'Native American' in my world is Chief Joseph. His ancestral home was the Wallowas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_J...
'From Where the Sun Now Stands' was my first fiction exposure the Nez Perce tragedy. For the events depicted, 5+ stars
(Caveat - Will Henry has written more books that are 'western's rather than HF. His Tom Horn book also might reward reading.
***
For non-fiction about the ordeal, a different version of the 'trail of tears' treks, I liked Merrill Beal.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...
***
After reading it long, long ago didn't want to read about the Nez Perce thereafter; the images too vivid. (Had similar reaction to Shaara's "civil war" ...)
***
Joseph's country - The Wallowas of Oregon are Alp-like., beautiful country.
It is an exceptionally scenic segment of Oregon, on the timbered dry side, perhaps six hours by auto from Portland.
***
copied and pasted "KIRKUS REVIEW
"A picture -- as seen by Heyets, a 17 year old -- of the Nez Perce Indian chief, Joseph, and his attempts to live with the government's orders without destroying his people. Having argued the case and retained hunting rights for his tribe, Joseph is forced -- with the betrayal of the promises to him- to join those who want to war against the new demands from Washington. But throughout the pursuit and battles, Joseph maintains his conciliatory measures never once firing against the enemy. It is as an old man that Heyets recalls the events that gave Joseph his fame as a strategist, but it is not in this role that he is shown,- rather the portrait underlines his peacefulness, his rational and intelligent approach to the issues which were otherwise handled by the war chiefs, the young bloods and the malcontents of other tribes. In detail and in able re-creation, this is in part a vindication of Indian actions, a criticism of the government's brutal treatment of the men, women and children not among the fighting groups, and a panorama of a last stand by the original inhabitants of this country."
July 1, 2016
I give this 5 stars not so much for having enjoyed reading it, but because of the historical account it provides. The plight of the Nez Perce people on their journey to escape to Canada is one of sorrow and often times anger inducing. A tragedy, really.
"That is the way a white man remembers a battle. So many soldiers here, so many there. Such a captain here. Such a lieutenant there. This colonel in one place. That major in another. But not an Indian. An Indian remembers where his mother fell bayoneted, or his little brother has his skull smashed, or his big sister cried for mercy and was shot in the mouth."
This novel, from the perspective of an aging Nez Perce who survived the journey is a great read.
"That is the way a white man remembers a battle. So many soldiers here, so many there. Such a captain here. Such a lieutenant there. This colonel in one place. That major in another. But not an Indian. An Indian remembers where his mother fell bayoneted, or his little brother has his skull smashed, or his big sister cried for mercy and was shot in the mouth."
This novel, from the perspective of an aging Nez Perce who survived the journey is a great read.
September 12, 2020
First published in 1959, 'From Where the Sun Now Stands' is a western novel based around the events of the Nez Perce campaign of 1877, told through the eyes of a young warrior. Beautifully told, though with the inevitability of a train wreck in the telling of a historical tragedy.
July 15, 2013
Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce has always been one of my favorite great historical Americans. This is the story of his people’s last stand before being forced to surrender and sent to a reservation.
The narrator of this story is a young man, one of his nephews, in the band. This gives us a unique perspective because we hear the story from someone who sees, and describes, many aspects of what is going on. Chief Joseph never wanted to fight, he was a peaceful man. It is sad that his people had to flee their homeland, but even more sad that they were forced to surrender when they were almost to the border of Canada. The author did a good job making the characters very human, without all the usual stereotypes. Some of the names get a little confusing, but that is probably to be expected. If you enjoy learning about American history and the great people who were part of the fabric of this nation, you should like this book.
The narrator of this story is a young man, one of his nephews, in the band. This gives us a unique perspective because we hear the story from someone who sees, and describes, many aspects of what is going on. Chief Joseph never wanted to fight, he was a peaceful man. It is sad that his people had to flee their homeland, but even more sad that they were forced to surrender when they were almost to the border of Canada. The author did a good job making the characters very human, without all the usual stereotypes. Some of the names get a little confusing, but that is probably to be expected. If you enjoy learning about American history and the great people who were part of the fabric of this nation, you should like this book.
July 21, 2009
It's been a while since I've been so engrossed in a novel. I finished it in two and a half days but it would have been quicker if I wasn't by myself with my two boys for much of that time! I stayed up quite late reading. Quite simply, I'm not a western fan at all but still loved this book. The characters have good depth to them, their interactions are quite human and not idealized or romanticized, but very real. Both sides are given a depth of humanity, the Native Americans and the white soldiers pursuing them. This book even managed to still have a happy ending despite the depressing overall result of Native American treatment in this country. This book is a highly informative and entertaining look into Native American life and the diversity that existed amongst their various tribes as well as the simple beauties of their lifestyle.
December 16, 2007
Very good novelization of the Nez Perce final efforts under Chief Joseph to resist being sent onto a reservation. It is told in first person narrative by a young warrior of Chief Joseph's clan.
It is historically accurate and also provides insight into the Indian's view of what happened.
Very readable.
I recommend it to all who enjoy westerns and to all who are interested in this period in our country's history.
It is historically accurate and also provides insight into the Indian's view of what happened.
Very readable.
I recommend it to all who enjoy westerns and to all who are interested in this period in our country's history.
July 5, 2011
My Grandparents knew and were friends of Chief Joseph. My Grandmother always tought us kids to to honor our Indian ancestry. They were early traders to the Delaware, Shawnee, and Cherokee Indians. They started with William Penn's delegation to the Indians ca. 1680. Our families are mentioned in Emmitt Starr's History of the Cherokee Indians and Don Greene's Shawnee Heritage.
September 24, 2008
The story of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce indians. I had to rate this book 5 stars because it was the first book I ever read for pleasure which led to a life time of reading. I think I was 21 years old when I read it.
July 17, 2014
Very good true story of the Nex Perce trek in 1877. If I could have I would have given this 4 1/2 stars. Historically accurate, well written, full of adventure: What more could you want? Recommended to western and true adventure fans.
December 17, 2020
Beautifully written historical fiction of the flight of the Nez Perce bands in their attempt to reach Canada. Told from the perspective of a member of Chief Joseph's Wallawa band, it is heart breaking.
April 24, 2024
It dates my reads here a bit but I remember back when I started my current reading kick, the 14th book I reviewed noted I was attempting to find a good character-driven historical fiction like "The Killer Angels." Now on my 339th book, I finally found it.
In 1877, one of the last of the Indian wars was the Nez Perce War. Chief Joseph and the last group of Nez Perce clans were told to leave their ancestral lands in the Pacific Northwest that were given to them in the 1855 treaty only 22 years prior and to move to reservations in Idaho. They declined and moved north, the US Army in pursuit for no reason, and the Nez Perce fought a series of rear-guard type battles that ended with the Nez Perce finally surrendering after the Battle of Bear Paw Mountains just 40 miles from their hopeful destination in Canada.
The POV protagonist Heyets is a 14-year old who relates to us the war's background and then the 113-day journey/conflict. Henry introduces the various leaders of the tribe slowly and to strong effect because, with as little I knew about this specific conflict before reading, I actually didn't know their individual fates. Think perhaps of those readers who pick up "The Killer Angels" knowing the Union will win the Battle of Gettysburg but not knowing much about some of the generals or which characters will come out of it alive. As the story progresses and the main characters all try to bridge that chasm between being offended and reasonable, angry and patient, fight or submit, but then those interpersonal debates go by the wayside once the war starts and they share the same fate.
And despite this being a sad and at-times maddening tale there are sequences of understanding, heroism, hope, and heart that make it just a really good story. I know I compared it to "Killer Angels" above; Will Henry's prose and pacing don't work as well as Shaara's did there and "From Where The Sun Now Stands" is a bit blocky at times.
Verdict: A moving and rewarding read that is well-written in its POV sections, tense, and thrilling, especially after the first third's setup.
Jeff's Rating: 4 / 5 (Very Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG-13
In 1877, one of the last of the Indian wars was the Nez Perce War. Chief Joseph and the last group of Nez Perce clans were told to leave their ancestral lands in the Pacific Northwest that were given to them in the 1855 treaty only 22 years prior and to move to reservations in Idaho. They declined and moved north, the US Army in pursuit for no reason, and the Nez Perce fought a series of rear-guard type battles that ended with the Nez Perce finally surrendering after the Battle of Bear Paw Mountains just 40 miles from their hopeful destination in Canada.
The POV protagonist Heyets is a 14-year old who relates to us the war's background and then the 113-day journey/conflict. Henry introduces the various leaders of the tribe slowly and to strong effect because, with as little I knew about this specific conflict before reading, I actually didn't know their individual fates. Think perhaps of those readers who pick up "The Killer Angels" knowing the Union will win the Battle of Gettysburg but not knowing much about some of the generals or which characters will come out of it alive. As the story progresses and the main characters all try to bridge that chasm between being offended and reasonable, angry and patient, fight or submit, but then those interpersonal debates go by the wayside once the war starts and they share the same fate.
And despite this being a sad and at-times maddening tale there are sequences of understanding, heroism, hope, and heart that make it just a really good story. I know I compared it to "Killer Angels" above; Will Henry's prose and pacing don't work as well as Shaara's did there and "From Where The Sun Now Stands" is a bit blocky at times.
Verdict: A moving and rewarding read that is well-written in its POV sections, tense, and thrilling, especially after the first third's setup.
Jeff's Rating: 4 / 5 (Very Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG-13
January 13, 2024
This is one of those phenominal books that leave you without words.
This was the first of Will Henry's novels I've read, but I understand why he is counted amongst the best western historical fiction authors.
He manages, in plain and simple words without flowery phrases or long descriptions, to paint a picture of days long gone, to draw you into the world he writes about until it becomes your own. While reading, I felt as though I lived amid the Nez Perce tribe.
I laughed, travelled, and cried with them, and learned a lot about their 113 day treck to Montana. I cried like a baby at more than one point during this tale, for all that was lost on that trail.
This novel and the history that inspired it will stay with me a long time.
This was the first of Will Henry's novels I've read, but I understand why he is counted amongst the best western historical fiction authors.
He manages, in plain and simple words without flowery phrases or long descriptions, to paint a picture of days long gone, to draw you into the world he writes about until it becomes your own. While reading, I felt as though I lived amid the Nez Perce tribe.
I laughed, travelled, and cried with them, and learned a lot about their 113 day treck to Montana. I cried like a baby at more than one point during this tale, for all that was lost on that trail.
This novel and the history that inspired it will stay with me a long time.
March 25, 2021
Spur Award. 4.5* is more accurate. Published in 1959. Read the acknowledgements - Will Henry strove for accuracy and a balanced portrayal of these events. Going to search for 'A Life of Owhi, His Own Statement' to see if it is included in the more recent histories. Read this in parallel with Beal's 1963 University of Washington publication on the campaign. The nice thing about Will Henry is that he is both 'teller of tales' and historian. Of all of our betrayals of native Americans, this one is still the hardest one for me to read. We have such a long way to go to get to where the rhetoric and the reality are one.
November 15, 2018
outstanding book. Overall good read for anyone, a must read for anyone interested in Native American history.
May 23, 2015
My 2 stars reflects how much I enjoyed the book, not the quality or value of it. I did appreciate learning more about the nez perce and chief Joseph from the viewpoint of a nez perce young man. Every American should understand this history. I just didn't enjoy being in a war for that long.
July 8, 2012
Utter classic
July 31, 2016
An excellent historical novel that should be read by all Americans.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews