Set in the 1840s and 1950s, the time of the Cherokee removal and of conflicts between the Eastern and Western Cherokees after they settled in Indian Territory, The Singing bird relates the adventures of missionaries to the Cherokees who participate in the removal. Focusing on the tangled relationships among the missionaries - particularly the kindly, religious Daniel and his promiscuous, selfish wife, Ellen, the "Singing bird" of the title - the story conveys a sense of the United States inflicting injustices and broken promises upon a peaceful people. The fictional characters mingle with such historical figures as Sequoyah and Sam Houston, embedding the novel in actual events. -- Back cover.