''Dances With Wolves'' is a 1988

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

novel by Michael Blake. Originally written as an unsold

spec script A spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned and unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or ...

, it was converted into a novel at the behest of

Kevin Costner Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Kevin Costner, various accolades, including two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Primeti ...

; it was adapted into a film of the same name, directed by Costner, in 1990. Set during the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, the protagonist, U.S. Army Lieutenant John Dunbar, is sent to establish an outpost in the unsettled West but finds himself stranded when his wagoner is killed. Isolated and increasingly haunted by his memories of war, Dunbar abandons his post and settles with a tribe of

Comanche The Comanche (), or Nʉmʉnʉʉ (, 'the people'), are a Tribe (Native American), Native American tribe from the Great Plains, Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the List of federally recognized tri ...

people he has befriended, soon taking the name "Dances With Wolves". The novel and the film later came under criticism for similarity to

Elliot Silverstein Elliot Silverstein (August 3, 1927 – November 24, 2023) was an American film and television director. He directed the Academy Award-winning western comedy ''Cat Ballou'' (1965), and other films including ''The Happening (1967 film), The Happen ...

's '' A Man Called Horse''. On September 4, 2001, Michael Blake published ''The Holy Road'', a sequel to ''Dances With Wolves''; the story is set eleven years later, and deals with the increasing conflict between the

Plains Indians Plains Indians or Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies are the Native American tribes and First Nations peoples who have historically lived on the Interior Plains (the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies) of North ...

and the white man, with tragic outcomes.

References

1988 American novels American novels adapted into films Novels set during the American Civil War {{1980s-war-novel-stub