Ghost Dances: Proving Up on the Great Plains

Growing up in South Dakota, Josh Garrett-Davis knew he would leave. But as a young adult, he kept going back — in dreams and reality and by way of books. With this beautifully written narrative about a seemingly empty but actually rich and complex place, he has reclaimed his childhood, his unusual family, and the Great Plains.

Among the subjects and people that bring his Midwestern Plains to life are the destruction and resurgence of the American bison; Native American "Ghost Dancers," who...