Dancing on His Grave: A True Story of Survival and Triumph

The book is a rough-cut masterpiece, on many levels- it blew me away. Barbara Richard has written a harrowing and brutal tale of her family's life under the rule of her father, whom she decibes as a 'narcissistic sociopath." There is redemption here, though, in her own and her sister's survival- the reader is left to marvel at the strength it must have taken to survive and create successful lives in the wake of their childhood abuse. Richard is a fine, no-frills writer, with the ability to bring a reader to a landscape - south of Wolf Point, Montana- that is almost as unforgiving, but not as cruel as, her father. Growing up here, in one of the most isolated parts of the Great Plains, would a be a story in itself. But Richard's story is a kind of epic, writ personal. If you know that country, or have seen photos of it, her story brings it to life, in all its immensity and harshness. When we think of homesteaders or ranch life in these cold, dry places, we think of how hard it is to make it, the endless work, heat and drought and cold, the danger of handling stock, the tough self-sufficiency. There is a tendency to romanticize it. But sometimes, the harshness of life in 1930s - 1950s Montana produced cruelty and madness, too. Richard has brought to the page a vivid portrait of a life as tough as any, anywhere. And the character of her father is one that will haunt your imagination forever - you know that there are people like him, and that you may have met them, smiling men just waiting to get out of sight of town before revealing themselves as monsters. Powerful stuff. I have not read the other two books, but will. Hal Herring author of; Famous Firearms of the Old West: From Wild Bill Hickok's Colt Revolvers to Geronimo's Winchester, Twelve Guns That Shaped Our History

What a story of true courage. I commend those girls in every way. Sharing their story had to be heartwrentching and at the same theraputic. God bless them.

This was an amazing story of the triumph of the human spirit over some pretty tough early childhood traumas. Also a realistic picture of life in Montana at this time.

After reading the book Dancing On His Grave, I feel very blessed not to have gone through what that family went through because of one man. Domestic Violence is very prevelant in this country and the world, why can't everyone treat others as they would like to be treated.

I know Barbara Richards and can't believe this was her life. She really should write about her life as wife and mother.Great Book