Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - April - 2007 Issue
Indians and the West from George S. MacManus Co.
Any Indian or Western catalogue must have an "Indian Captivity," so here is one perhaps even more spurious than the normal example of these dubious works: The True Narrative of the Five Years' Suffering & Perilous Adventures, by Miss Barber, Wife of "Squatting Bear," a Celebrated Sioux Chief. This is not a true captivity since Miss Barber supposedly went voluntarily. In fact, she married the Chief when he was visiting Washington. It was not so much love as a desire to perform missionary work (no jokes, please) among the Sioux. However, on removing to Mr. Bear's home in the Dakotas or wherever, Mama Bear discovered her husband already had four wives, and he treated her abysmally. To make matters worse, his tribe had no interest in her religious teachings. However, Ms. Barber-Bear did bring back some medical "remedies" from her Indian in-laws, and it was most likely the promotion of this quack medicine that led to the publication of her story, not a desire to spread truth. Wright Howes says of her story, it is "probably as spurious as are the medical remedies contained." Item 84. $125.
There are many more fascinating, and usually more truthful accounts of America's natives and Old West within the pages of this intriguing catalogue. The George S. MacManus Company may be found online at www.macmanus-rarebooks.com, or you may call Clarence Wolf and the staff at 610-520-7273.
