Counting coup: a true story of basketball and honor on the little big horn - larry colton

Now in paperback, this work by freelance journalist Colton is a brilliant account of a teenage Native American girl who fought for honor on and off the basketball courts.

8-page photo insert.

In this extraordinary work of journalism, bestselling and award-winning author Larry Colton journeys into the world of Montanas Crow Indians and follows the struggles of a talented, moody, charismatic young woman named Sharon LaForge, a gifted basketball player and a descendant of one of George Armstrong Custers Indian scouts.

In Native American tradition, a warrior gained honor and glory by counting coup -- touching his enemy in battle and living to tell the tale.

Counting Coup tells the story of a modern hero from within this tradition, but it is far more than just a sports story or a portrait of youth.

It is a sobering exposé of a part of our society long since cut out of the American dream.

Along the banks of the Little Big Horn, Indians and whites live in age-old conflict and young Indians grow up without role models or dreams.

Here Sharon carries the hopes and frustrations of her people on her shoulders as she battles her opponents on and off the court.

Colton delves into Sharons life and shows us the realities of the reservation, the shattered families, the bitter tribal politics, and a peoples struggle against a belief that all their children -- even the most intelligent and talented -- are destined for heartbreak.

Against this backdrop stands Sharon, a fiery, undaunted competitor with the skill to dominate a high school game and earn a college scholarship.

Yet getting to college seems beyond Sharons vision, obscured by the daily challenge of getting through the season -- physically and psychologically.