num_pages: 224
description: This beautifully written historical novel from one of the West's most popular writers tells the true story of the friendship between Valentine McGillicuddy, a young doctor plucked from his prestigious medical career and newly married wife to serve in the army during the Great Sioux War, and the great chief Crazy Horse. When Crazy Horse finally agrees to surrender to the United States, mistrust and treachery on both sides foster further conflict, and he is gravely wounded. McGillicuddy declares the chief his patient and struggles through a long night to keep him alive.Set in the sprawling Great Plains during the most tragic period in its history, this tale of bravery, justice, and love weaves a tapestry of time and events into the account of a single day--the last in the life of Crazy Horse--to reveal the secrets surrounding America's past.
language: English
title: The Contract Surgeon
titlecomplete: The Contract Surgeon
genres: Fiction, Westerns, Historical Fiction
ratings_count: 241
awards: awardedAt: 946713600000
name: National Cowboy Hall of Fame Western Heritage Award
category: Western Novel
publisher: Harper Paperbacks