Pushing the Bear

I was pleased to receive this book in time for Christmas gifting. I bought it used, but it was brand new.

Diane Glancy's fictionalized account of the very real forced march of the Cherokee Indians from their land in Georgia and South Carolina to Oklahoma paints an unforgettable picture of the hardships the people faced. This is one of many shameful moments in our history. Several thousand people died as a result. The main character struggles to deal with the estrangement of her husband, the deaths of her family, loss of her farm and her relationship with a white soldier. This book is not a Whites-are-bad and Indians-are-good tirade, and it does, in fact, show good and bad actions of individuals of both sides. It is also not just written to make Americans ashamed of their past. But it does ask poignant questions, such as How could so-called believers of Christ treat other people like they did? Good question. How would I make out on such a trip? I do not know. Glancy explores human nature through Cherokee culture, the decent of human to animal and back. Under what conditions do we turn back into the animal, the bear? It is hard to read - literally - it is told in the first person viewpoint by over a dozen people. After the first third of the story, however, I got used to it. That is the only reason I did not give it 5 stars. But stick with it, it is worth the trip.

Diane Glancy has given us an extended glimpse into the pain, cold, fear and agony felt by the oppressed cherokee people forced to march on the Trail of Tears. I experienced the cold, the pain, the anguish, the disbelief and loss much as it must have been back in 1838. I have traveled in areas covered by the Trail of Tears and now feel a sense of those who lived thruough this horrible episode in American history. The technique using repetitive testimony by many of the characters was effective, although, sometimes repetitive or distracting. This is a beautiful book in its design and use of graphics, the use of the exquisite Cherokee language, and description of characters. I now feel a familiarity with the characters and with their culture as they were wrenched out of their homes. The book reads fast and stays in your mind well after you have finished the last page.

Having heard the story in my partly-Cherokee family all my life, this is the first telling that has put me there on the trail with the suffering of the people, native american and whites alike, who walked it. The varying voices expressing the ordeal of each day thru their eyes and being, brought this historical experience to life , especially since the various characters are given very different amounts of speaking time. Things weren't fair on the trail of tears nor were they equal. The many characters Glancy uses to speak, bring this message alive. I loved this novel and will re-read it several times.