Sitting Bull and the Paradox of Lakota Nationhood

Library of American Biography

by Gary Clayton Anderson

A biography of the warrior, prophet, and chief of the Sioux tribes who led his people's resistance to the advancing white man during the second half of the nineteenth century.

Genres: History, Native American, Biography, Nonfiction

173 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

A specialist in American Indians of the Great Plains and the Southwest, Gary Clayton Anderson is a professor of history at the University of Oklahoma.

Reviews

[El · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West covered a vast amount of information spanning many years and many different bands within various tribes, this slim book focuses on Lakota chief Sitting Bull and the political and cultural sides of the Lakota. There are similarities between the two books, but obviously this book is more focused on this topic.

Interesting enough, albeit a tad on the dry side. Anderson explains in his introduction that there is plenty of sentimentalization surrounding Sitting Bull, and that wasn't his goal. He wanted instead to tell a less biased account of his rise to chiefdom, and for that he accomplished his goal.

It's a short and quick enough read, though not a lot of new information.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I paid $3 for this, maybe I learned $3 worth from it. Maybe. I think my biggest issue with this is it’s patronizing tone. All through this there were just little tweaks of language that really irked me. The youth coming of age traditions in Lakota society were treated as too mystical, & the final nail for me was a contemporary of Sitting Bull is quoted as being surprised that Sitting Bull was upset when his baby dies. Then the author says “but Sitting Bull DID love his children”. One word betrays the author & comes off just as dehumanizing as the quote from 1870. Anyway I wasn’t a fan.

[Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a perfect book, but does the job necessary. Is a very good while being brief look at Sitting Bull. If you want in depth, find another book. If you want just the highlights, this is your book.

[Jefferson Coombs · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short book is like a Sportscenter highlight package on the life of Sitting Bull. Gives a good outline of his life.