Winner London Book Festival Best General Fiction
Winner Great Southwest Book Festival
Winner Florida Book Festival Best General Fiction
Mom’s Choice Award
Runner Up Great Southeast Book Festival
Runner Up Great Northwest Book Festival
Runner Up New England Book Festival
Honorable Mention Paris, Los Angeles, New York, and Great Midwest Book Festivals
Sensational story of two young men approaching adulthood in the wake of the Great Depression and the challenges of the oncoming WWII. George and Schmitty encounter an old man with an antique motorcycle which seems to invoke the spirit of its previous owner – a soldier killed in WWI. Schmitty plans a cross-country trip to Sturgis and Mt. Rushmore to ponder his future, which brings unexpected results. With his and George’s futures weighing in the balance, they both make life-changing decisions which they will carry with them for the remainder of their days.
Robert Zapp, President (retired), The Bank of Kentucky –
“Action, mystery and romance, The Indian has something for everyone. Barry Kienzle’s attention to detail is sure to impress even the most persnickety reader. A captivating story from start to finish.”
Karen Kuhlman, Northern Kentucky columnist –
As the winds of World War II began to swirl, twenty year old Schmitty hopped on a 1915 Indian Big Twin motorcycle in 1940 and set out alone in search of his destiny. Kienzle takes readers along on this fly-by-the-seat-of–his-pants journey that leads Schmitty through the brave pasts of other men to his own future; a future defined by adventure, love and true courage in an era marked by uncommon valor. Kienzle’s extraordinary ability to perfectly capture the lives and times of ordinary Americans during the 1940s will make this story a favorite among readers who remember those days and will serve as a primer for those who have yet to discover them.