Joseph Dorris – författare

It is 1862 as nine-year-old Katrine Larson heads west to a mountain valley in preIdaho Territory with her family and several other Swedish families. But when her parents and older brother are separated from the main wagon train, Katrine suddenly becomes an orphan.The Swedish families want nothing more than to create new lives in America. Unfortunately none are prepared for the brutal realities of farming in wilderness populated by Sheepeater Indians and wild gold prospectors. After Sven and Margret Olafson welcome Katrine into the folds of their family, she never loses hope of one day reuniting with her parents and brother. Katrine knows her place will be to marry and raise children, but her dreams dim as the Swedes struggle to survive amid tragedies. Although Katrine and her adoptive younger sister celebrate traditions with other Swedish children, it is a German hurdy-gurdy girl who teaches Katrine about sacrifice and love. But it is not until the magic of Swedish fairy tales and childhood romance is stripped away that Katrine is finally able to see the realities of adulthood.Katrine: High Valley Home shares an unforgettable glimpse into a young girls coming-of-age journey as she clings to hope and attempts to survive among the wilds of 1800s Idaho.

t is 1872 in Idaho Territory and fifteen-year old Samuel Chambers and his father struggle to survive a brutal winter along the Salmon River. While awaiting spring to cross the snowfields into Warrens camp and return to their gold strike, Samuel ranches at Slate Creek and falls in love. There is one problem: Samuel cannot marry unless he and his father return to Warrens and prove up their claim.When father and son finally reach Warrens, they discover their claim has been jumped. With all hopes of earning a fortune seemingly dashed, Samuel wrestles with his desire for revenge and his drive to find gold. He reunites with his Chinese friend, Chen, and peddles merchandise in order to survive. He is also conflicted by a dancehall ladys renewed interest and his love for the ranch-hand girl. With their last hope, father and son turn to hardrock mining to get the gold they need. But it is when Samuel attempts to pack gold out of the camp under the watchful eyes of road agents that Samuel unwittingly puts everyones lives in jeopardy. Now only time will tell if everything is lost.In this continuing saga based on the history of an Idaho gold camp, a young man embarks on a dangerous coming-of-age journey that reveals an unforgettable glimpse into life in 1870s Salmon River country.

Raised by the Sheepeater Indians of the Salmon River country. Erik Larson fulfills part of his boyhood vision and becomes Two Elks Fighting. After finding his sister, Katrine, and the other Swedes, he realizes that he no longer belongs in their world or in the Sheepeaters' world, and he leaves the valley. A second vision reveals evil and confuses Erik, but Erik's spirit helper tells him it was not meant for him, and he falls in love and marries Bright Shell, a Lemhi Shoshoni woman. Erik believes he has found peace by living between the two worlds as a trapper with his wife in the Lost River Range until evil strikes. This engaging novel chronicles the history of the Clearwater and Salmon River areas of Central Idaho, the Lemhi Shoshoni, the gold strikes, the Chinese merchants, and the packers who supply the camps. A constant threat are the road agents who prey on unsuspecting parties like Erik. Dorris weaves numerous historical events into the fictional lives of Erik and the Swedish settlers in Long Valley.