Winds of the Prairie

Winds of the Prairie is Joyce A

Halvorsens second novel. This

stunning book offers a prairies eye view

of early Dakota between the years of

1869 and 1901. As a state for only three

years by 1901, South Dakota speaks with

many voices. The story is seen through

the eyes of Lincoln Kenneth Cassidy

from the age 15 until his age of 57. Yet,

no voice is as clear and as demanding as

that of the prairie herself. She accepts

few novices. Only the stubborn and

brave and those who understand the

prairies ways can survive in these

lands. Born of a Lakota Sioux mother

and white father, Lincoln finds he is

torn between his familys cultures and

traditions. He idolizes the wisdom of

his white grandfather Herman Cassidy,

but is awed and frightened by the power

of his mothers uncles, the Elders from

the Lakota Sioux tribe. He doesnt

know his place and is often confused by

each ones values. Linc meets a young

man by the name of Joseph Hawk, once

a slave in Missouri. They become fast

friends. Though free to leave Lincolns

ranch, the Double-D, Joseph chose

to stay. Joseph often acts as a buffer

and protector between Lincoln and

trouble. A turning point in Lincs life

comes when, as a boy, he is asked by

his grandfather to participate in the

Double-Ds cattle drive. There are

many adventures while on the cattle

drive and he experiences challenges

which nearly break Lincolns heart.

But he survives. Later, as a man and

married with the responsibilities of a

ranch owner, Lincoln desires against

family advise to change the ranch

from that of a cattle farm to include conservation and preservation. The

original state of being of the wild

things of the prairie will have primary

importance. He sees himself as one of

the caretakers of the wild things which

are fast disappearing. When Lincs life

is turned upside down by murder, he

vows to seek retribution. The angels of

mercy and forgiveness call out on one

shoulder and vengeance and hate dance

on the other. Linc has no patience with

being merciful and seeks justice with

a gun. Always beside him is his friend

Joseph. The resolution of this story

is a remarkable twist of fate. Always,

Linc is guided by an inner conviction

that the prairie knows what is best.

Her voice speaks to him even when

he feels lost. Winds of the Prairie

is an heartfelt and moving tale about

resilience and hope of many kinds of

people during the formative years of

the State of Dakota. Ms. Halvorsens

understanding of the human heart and

condition, along with her compelling

prose, engages and crosses the

boundaries of a time period from post

Civil War to a new century that should

not be forgotten.