Jim Fergus Books

May Dodd, born to wealth in Chicago in 1850, left home in her teens and through a family disgrace is imprisoned in a monstrous lunatic asylum. In 1875 Little Wolf, chief of the Cheyenne nation, comes to Washington to seal a treaty with President Ulysses S. Grant and suggests that peace between Whites and Cheyenne could be established if the Cheyenne were given white women as wives, and that the tribe would agree to raise the children from such unions. Grant secretly recruits 1,000 women from jails, penitentiaries, debtors' prisons, and mental institutions offering full pardons or unconditional release. May, who jumps at the chance, embarks upon the adventure of her lifetime, along with a colourful assembly of pioneer women. She keeps the fictional journal we read, marries Little Wolf, lives in a crowded tipi with his two other wives and their children and lives the life of a Cheyenne squaw. 'Jim Fergus so skillfully envelops us in the heart and mind of his main character, May Dodd, that we weep when she mourns, we shake our fist at anyone who tries to sway her course, and our hearts pound when she is in danger'--Colorado Springs Gazette

"Strongheart is the final installment to the One Thousand White Women trilogy, a novel about fierce women who are full of heart and the power to survive. In 1873, a Cheyenne chief offers President Grant the opportunity to exchange one thousand horses for one thousand white women, in order to marry them with his warriors and create a lasting peace. These women, "recruited" by force in the penitentiaries and asylums of the country, gradually integrate the way of life of the Cheyenne, at the time when the great massacres of the tribes begin. After the battle of Little Big Horn, some female survivors decide to take up arms against the United States, which has stolen from the Native Americans their lands, their way of life, their culture and their history. This ghost tribe of rebellious women will soon go underground to wage an implacable battle, which will continue from generation to generation. In this final volume of the One Thousand White Women trilogy, Jim Fergus mixes with rare mastery the struggle of women and Native Americans in the face of oppression, from the end of the 19th century until today. With a vivid sense of the 19th century American West, Fergus paints portraits of women as strong as they are unforgettable"-- Provided by publisher

For Ned Giles, a 17-year-old amateur photographer, a nightmare of harrowing misadventures begins the day he signs on to the 'Great Apache Expedition'. Inspired by real events that took place during the Great Depression, and set against the landscape of the Sierra Madre badlands, this is a novel of adventure, aching nostalgia and redemptive love.

"The vengeance of mothers" explores the bonds among family and community, the search for identity and belonging, during a time of tumultous change in our nation's history. What is a "native" American? Are all men and their wives created equal? How far wil Margaret and her countrywomen go to fight for what's theirs, and what's already gone?

Exploring the journey of a novelist, Jim Fergus reflects on the emotional landscape of creativity, revealing the hopes, fears, and frustrations inherent in writing. Triggered by a discussion on journalism versus fiction, he shares insights on the challenges of narrative crafting, the exhilaration of inspiration, and the commitment required for storytelling. With wit and keen observations, Fergus provides a profound look into the writer's life, appealing to both aspiring authors and seasoned readers and enhancing their appreciation for literature's power.