This is the true story of Little Hawk, Raymond Kaquatosh. It describes his life from his birth in 1924 through the years following his discharge from the Army. Little Hawk was raised on the Wisconsin Menominee Reservation. His is a story of gratitude.

Raymond Kaquatosh's memoir is a recounting of experiences and life lessons learned.

I liked his reasons for naming his wolf Kernel.
"Now I had to think of a name for him. Corn to the Indian is like bread to the white man--'the staff of life.' When the seed of corn is planted and combines with the Earth, it starts to grow. This wolf was a seed of friendship, so I called him Kernel." (p. 87)

Recurring themes:
-"When life is progressing well, beware of the unexpected." (p. 88)
-"No white man will make me cry."
-"We shall meet again, it's only a matter of time" (p. 15)

What a telling statement!
"Prejudice is not uncommon in our society. It's prevalent among the lower social stratification--or should I say, the undeducated, the misinformed, the ignorant." (p. 247)

Though the author said that no white man would make him cry, the following passage brought tears to this white woman's eyes.
"We cannot be in the past or the future. We must accept life as it is and never complain about trivial things. There is so much to do and so little time. When my last breath is taken. I will be with my wolf again. Then we will be at peace forever and roam the heavens for all etermity." (p. 257)

This is a very spiritual book. I felt like Raymond's Indian heritage demonstrated the life lessons taught by Deepak Chopra. Raymond's actions teach us to let go of the past, stop worrying about the future, and to live in the moment. Moreover, his memoir is an amazing treatise on gratitude. This was a great read! (less) ( )

I just loved it. If I could give it 10 stars I would. Ray tells us about his life on the reservation, his time in the orphanage, as a young man in the marines, and later in life when he moved to my home town. I wish I had known him, but I will meet him someday. "It's only a matter of time!"

I received this book for free from LT for an honest review. ( )

Wow! This memoir is detailed and developed fully. A set period piece with interwoven history helps set the tone for the reader and draws a feeling of what life truly was like for author and locals and those living during these times. ( )

This memoir would be interesting for male high school students, especially those who need motivation to read. Warning: there are swear words, but nothing high schoolers haven't heard already. If you are enamored of Native American culture, you will not get the words of wisdom you are seeking. This book sticks to the facts, and life was not always pleasant or easy. While there are a few times when Kaquatosh refers to participating in ceremony, or that he knew more, he does not spill it to the general public. At least half the book deals with his war years, and it was a man's world.
He ends his tale with his marriage, with a focus on his connection with a wolf, why he sees himself as a lone wolf, and his connection with flying. ( )

Books chronicling great lives and momentous events often dominate our literary selections but sometimes we just want to read an account of a life that, though ordinary to the author who lived it, is fascinatingly different from our own. “Little Hawk and the Lone Wolf” is one such refreshing diversion.

Author Raymond Kaquatosh was born on the Menoninee Reservation northwest of Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1924. He writes of growing up during the Depression with no running water, Model T Fords and a 1929 Chevy, the death of his father, a friendly encounter with John Dillinger, boarding at the Indian schools and his long time relationship with Kernel, his pet wolf.

Kernel is central character in the book. A missed shot by the boy and a withheld attack by the lone wolf opened the door to a gift of food, a building trust and a relationship that would benefit both. Kernel would protect Ray who would in turn stand up for his pet.

Boys do grow up and Ray found life beyond the reservation. Although by today’s standards an underage driver, the enterprising young Indian bought a car and became an informal taxi driver for lumberjacks working in the area. The coming of war opened new opportunities for Ray who joined the Marines. His status as an Indian made him a target of animosity and forced “volunteering” and got him into plenty of scrapes in which he distinguished himself and after which he never ratted on his opponents, some of whom he later befriended. The sections about his time in the South Pacific, including fighting on Peleliu,, are among the most interesting combat veteran accounts that I have found. Like many young men of his day he had his share of romantic delights and disappointments before finding the “right one.” This determined man would become one of the first Menominee to earn a pilot’s license.

This book consists of a series of chronologically sequenced anecdotes that tell his saga. It is a quick and easy read. I would describe Kaquatosh’s writing style as charmingly amateurish. Amateurish because, although it employs proper grammar, it lacks the polish found in many books written “by X with Y”. Charming, because you get the idea that this is really Ray’s story in his own words. The reader comes to appreciate the influences of Indian and Christian spirituality, the author’s path through Native and White cultures and admire his spirit as he makes his way in the world. This is no scandal sheet in which he claims abuse and unloads a lifetime of resentment. It is a memoir strong of a man who “took the blows and did it my way.”

I did receive a free copy of this book for review. ( )