Dances with Wolves by Michael Blake is a novel that deals with the themes of cross-cultures, equality and respect. It also shows me the history of modern America. Reading this novel is a great adventure for me. After years of preparation, Michael Blake spent nine months writing the book and completed it in 1981. The story takes place in 1863, when the Civil War was underway in the United States. Knowing the potential amputation of his injured leg, Union Army officer Lieutenant John J. Dunbar decides to commit suicide and rides a horse to lure the enemy during a strange standoff. His act of suicide has the unexpected effect of rallying his comrades who later win the battle, thus, it was misinterpreted as bravery and earns him the sympathy and fatherly love of General Tipton who rewards Dunbar with a treat superior who saves his leg, a horse named Cisco and his desire for a place on the frontier. At Fort Hays, he is assigned to Fort Sedgewick by Major Fambrough who is driven mad and later sent away. When Dunbar arrives at Fort Sedgewick along with supplies and Timmons, his teamster, he finds Fort Sedgewick deserted. In fact, Captain Cargill's column, which was once stationed there, retreats to Fort Hays due to shortages of supplies. However, Dunbar remains. While waiting for the soldiers to return, he puts the abandoned fort in order. Timmons is killed while returning to Fort Hays. His death and the delusion of Major Fambrough's mind make Dunbar's existence at Fort Sedgewick unknown to the Union. He is a good writer and writes journals to keep track of his time at Fort Sedgewick. Dunbar accompanies Cisco in search of the Indians after some encounters with them. He comes across and rescues Stands With A Fist, a white woman who was captured and raised by... middle of paper... ger to have a full and broad understanding of the story. I will recommend the book to them. Dances with Wolves is suitable for an ESL 160 course. Its plot is easy to follow. The sentences aren't too difficult, just occasionally challenging. For an ESL 160 student like me, I learned a lot of new words from the book so as to expand my vocabulary. While there are some aspects of the book that I personally don't like, that can't stop Dances with Wolves from being a great book. epic tale of life on the prairie in 19th century America. Narrating the story in the third person, through skillful applications of figures of speech, Michael Blake talks about cross-cultures, equality and respect in the book. His looking at the history of the Indian and White Army from a new perspective gave me a better and broader understanding of the story. Reading this novel is truly a great adventure for me.