The Red Road presents the oral histories of Sam Buffalo, also known as Samuel Mniyo, and Robert Goodvoice, with editorial comments and annotations from Daniel M. Beveridge. Additionally, the book includes the artistic renderings of someone whom the editor believes to be Jim Sapa, also known as James Black. Beveridge explains, “This book is like a rope made up of four strands, representing four voices” (6). Together, the contributors narrate Dakota history and culture, tradition and ceremony, speaking with the knowledge gleaned from seven generations of the Dakota people. While the authors clearly state that they “do not claim this to be the one and only story of the Dakota people,” The Red Road is far-reaching and quite personal, making it an important addition to the existing Dakota scholarship (7).In many ways The Red Road is hard to categorize. It has the organizational style of a reference book and, at times, the structure of a historical monograph. Yet the reader can clearly hear the voices of Sam Buffalo and Robert Goodvoice in each story as they share the wisdom of their elders with the Dakota people and the public. Buffalo and Goodvoice address many topics, but much of their commentary focuses on two of the Dakota’s essential traditions, the Red Road (a spiritual journey) and the Holy Dance. The decision to print information about these two traditions is not without controversy, however. Specifically, the editor notes that discussing the Wakán Waċípi (Holy Dance) ceremony may be considered taboo by some members of the Dakota nation. On the other hand, the Wakán Waċípi was last held in 1934, and the songs and ceremonial meaning of the dance are in danger of being lost as those who experienced the dance, or remember hearing about it, have become part of a dying generation. For these reasons, Sam Buffalo and Robert Goodvoice recorded their stories with Daniel Beveridge, hoping that “this book will be for the younger generation of Dakota to look at, to learn about who they are and where they came from” (53). It includes history lessons about the Dakota’s first contact with Europeans and about the War of 1812 as well as reflections about the loss of religious practices, matters of faith, and the struggles of contemporary life, making The Red Road appealing to a vast audience.At times, The Red Road has the feel of a modern-day Black Elk Speaks as Sam Buffalo and Robert Goodvoice narrate stories of the Dakota people’s history and traditions. However, unlike the earlier problematic, albeit classic, memoir, Beveridge remained “committed to recording Sam’s [and Robert’s] material as faithfully as possible” (8). When necessary, in-text annotations from the editor clarify or explain the nuances of Dakota life, but beyond these editorial additions, the stories alone compose much of the narrative. For those unfamiliar with Dakota history and tradition, The Red Road can be difficult to follow. The oral histories of Buffalo and Goodvoice are rich with detail on numerous aspects of Dakota life, from the genesis of the Dakota people to the taste of sun-dried buffalo meat. Despite Beveridge’s inclusion of time lines and a brief historical overview, the book lacks the familiar structure of a traditional historical narrative—which is exactly the point. Written for the Dakota people, the book purposefully does not conform to the expected standards of a historical monograph. Instead, The Red Road is a reference, a memoir, a history lesson, and a spiritual journey written for the next generation of the Dakota nation and published for all who are interested to enjoy.