Montana 1948: A Novel [B2197]

1995 PB in nice clean condition. Winner of the Milkweed National Fiction Prize. For ages YA and Up. The tragic tale of a Montana family ripped apart by scandal and murder: "a significant and elegant addition to the fiction of the American West" (Washington Post). In the summer of 1948, twelve-year-old David Hayden witnessed and experienced a series of cataclysmic events that would forever change the way he saw his family.

The Haydens had been pillars of their small Montana town: David's father was the town sheriff; his uncle Frank was a war hero and respected doctor. But the family's solid foundation was suddenly shattered by a bombshell revelation. The Hayden's Sioux housekeeper, Marie Little Soldier, tells them that Frank has been sexually assaulting his female Indian patients for years-and that she herself was his latest victim. As the tragic fallout unravels around David, he learns that truth is not what one believes it to be, that power is abused, and that sometimes one has to choose between loyalty and justice.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "What a story! Simple people standing for justice. No compromising for pride or family. The simple decency of doing the right thing."; "This book is a mini masterpiece - mini because it is under 200 pages. It is delivered with lucidity, brevity, and humanity. It is both subtle and complex, infused with layers of meaning. It was a delight to read such a masterfully crafted work. I am adding it to my favorites, and certain it will make my top ten for the year."; Short but exciting. Compulsive drama, great writing, excellent storytelling. Small town intrigue that captures a prominent family with a moral dilemma, told by a young boy protagonist."; "This was an extremely powerful book. I found it fascinating how Larry Watson was able to just let the events of the story speak for themselves. Just a straight up super powerful narrative about a series of tragic events that changed everyone's lives in the course of a few days. One of the best novels I've read in a while."