One Thousand White Women

By: Jim Fergus, J. Will Dodd - introduction

Narrated by: Laura Hicks, Erik Steele

Length: 14 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Based on an actual historical event, this is the story of May Dodd—a remarkable woman who, in 1875, travels through the American West to marry the chief of the Cheyenne Nation.

One Thousand White Women begins with May Dodd’s journey into an unknown world. Having been committed to an insane asylum by her blue-blood family for the crime of loving a man beneath her station, May finds that her only hope for freedom and redemption is to participate in a secret government program whereby women from “civilized” society become the brides of Cheyenne warriors. What follows is a series of breathtaking adventures—May’s brief, passionate romance with the gallant young army captain John Bourke; her marriage to the great chief Little Wolf; and her conflict of being caught between loving two men and living two completely different lives.

“Fergus portrays the perceptions and emotions of women…with tremendous insight and sensitivity.”—Booklist

“A superb tale of sorrow, suspense, exultation, and triumph.” —Winston Groom, author of Forrest Gump

©1998 Jim Fergus (P)2006 BBC Audiobooks America

Critic reviews

"Fergus lets his imagination go wild and creates a journal of one of his ancestors who became one of those brides in 1875. Laura Hicks renders this imaginative work splendidly. She is vivacious and expressive as May Dodd." ( Audiofile)

One thousand white women.

Didn’t think I would like it it I just keep wondering what was going to happen next! I did like it

Fiction not Historical Fiction

Perhaps because I had thought it was contextually accurate I was disappointed when I found it was not. It’s really a romance novel written by a man defining a woman’s view. I found the women’s behavior characteristics to be defined in a stereotypical racist fashion. The black woman was strong and a good dancer, the Irish girls were gambling drinking, the southern woman was weak and pathetic, the German/Scandinavian was loutish. And of course what stirs a woman is what a man thinks is stirring.

Entertained the whole way through!

I was hooked from the beginning, and never let go till the end. I loved it!

Great story

This was a interesting book. It is not something I would normally read but it was very entertaining.

Good book to listen to while walking .

Good book to listen to while walking. It made my daily walk something to look forward to. Interesting concept.

who knew?

I originally passed on listening to this based on the title. (I know, I know) I accidentally selected it one day and got hooked by the prologue. This is a totally worthy listen and I highly recommend it to any one interested in western/Native American history. What have we done...

One thousand white women

The most interesting and touching story I've listen ed to in years. The narrator's were the very best. What a joyous 14 hours.

History never ceases to amaze me!

Would you consider the audio edition of One Thousand White Women to be better than the print version?

The audio version is a pleasure to lesson to yet reading the book is always a personal trip into the past. Voices are always different than you had imagined them!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Freedom is sometimes not what you thought it was!

Best book I have read lately

Loved this so much I read it twice! Especially enjoyed the narration, excellent! Great writing!

loved it!

some violent parts were a little hard to listen to but didn't ruin the experience. Laura Hicks is great!