Woman Chief

by Rose Sobol

Fictional account based on contemporary writing of Woman Chief, chief of the Crow Indians who struggled for recognition as a hunter, warrior, and leader.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Native American, LGBT, Young Adult, Childrens

108 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1976

Reviews

[F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because I can't travel back in time and check, I am going on my memory (ow)to write this review of the most profoundly pro-gay book I ever read.

WOW. This was life changing.

The title character married a woman. Imagine how this blew me away when I was 9 or ten. Quietly without fanfare, the author states that "White feather" (I think, maybe "Little Feather?"), the most sought after young woman in her tribe, remained unmarried because she was in love with a woman. She confessed her love to the Woman Chief, who reasoned she'd rather be married to a woman than not be married, and the partnership began.

Ownership of your life. Acknowledging gender AND sexuality as fluid.

I am pretty sure I picked this book up because I was a child feminist and liked the title, but i'll forever be grateful for the story I didn't expect.

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometime in the early/mid-80s, I read this book which I found while volunteering at the library. At time I was reading a lot of Encyclopedia Brown books, and obvs this book was very different. It felt so unreal and so very real. I remember loving this book and feeling inspired by it.

[Diana Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this in junior high...fast read and very informative!

[Leslie Holden · Rating 5 out of 5]

It impressed me. I was entranced by the idea of a female Indian chief. I was proud of her for becoming what she was meant to be.

[Scott Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently, I began reading Woman Chief by Rose Sobol. Soon I realized I had read this book when I was a teenager. Now as an adult, with a much better understanding of history and culture, I enjoyed this book far more than my initial reading of it. I even added it to my Goodreads favorites list. Five stars!

[Ginger Poulsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that she did all the man things because she wanted to do them, but never wore men’s clothing. She was proud of being a woman with hunting and war skills.

I found it fascinating that because all the men were intimidated by her or thought she wouldn’t be a submissive wife, she couldn’t get a husband, so she married some women! Hmmmm . . . .

[Laura Suders · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful easy read. Wish there had been more detail about Woman Chief, but loved the information/narrative given.

[polly rekittke · Rating 3 out of 5]

i think this book is actually for children lol ? but i enjoyed it!

[Be Storie · Rating 4 out of 5]

lesbian icon

[Bethany Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was it exciting? Not entirely. Was it trailblazing for when it was made? Heck yessssssssss

[Danie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess it's an interesting book. It's refreshing in some ways because, for once, the author doesn't simply assume that the actual Woman Chief simply took wives so that there would be someone to do her laundry and skin her hides. The truth is that we don't know why Woman Chief took wives, and we can never know because the past is in the past.

Anyway, not a bad book, though it is obviously for young readers.

[Valerie]

Most biographies I read as a child were boilerplate, of the 'insert name here' variety--they showed all prominent people to've had the exact same life.

This stood out then, and, even though times have changed, the happy ending may still be a surprise to some. I saw it coming a mile off--but I've always been a sentimentalist at heart.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

just plain don't remember it after 24 years, but it's on a list I made at the time. I loved historical & biographies at the time.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

For young readers; a good, true story of a Gros-Ventre/Crow woman who aspired to be a warrior and actually was able to realize her dreams.

[court. · Rating 5 out of 5]

i haven't read this in maybe seventeen years, but as a child i absolutely loved it.

re-read; update to come shortly 😊

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good children's book. Abstract:"Fictional account based on contemporary writing of Woman Chief, chief of the Crow Indians who struggled for recognition as a hunter, warrior, and leader."

[Cws]

AI HF