The Killing of Crazy Horse in U.S. History Reading Group

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Jan 11, 2014 Shawn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book was a gift for Christmas and I truly enjoyed it. It was actually a book I looked forward to getting back into after a day at work. Mostly because I find the topic endlessly fascinating but also because I enjoyed the author’s meandering style. I do, however, have some disagreements about some of his conclusions and overall tone which I will address later. First, he chose a terrific topic full of mystery and endless opportunities for speculation. The killing of Crazy Horse was a terrible This book was a gift for Christmas and I truly enjoyed it. It was actually a book I looked forward to getting back into after a day at work. Mostly because I find the topic endlessly fascinating but also because I enjoyed the author’s meandering style. I do, however, have some disagreements about some of his conclusions and overall tone which I will address later. First, he chose a terrific topic full of mystery and endless opportunities for speculation. The killing of Crazy Horse was a terrible and unnecessary event and the actors and motives behind it have been debated for more than a century. The author does more than describe the event, he delves into the characters and personalities involved in the Great Sioux War and follow the events roughly from The Fetterman Fight to the immediate aftermath of Crazy Horse’s death on September 6, 1877. He includes many details only tangentially related to the circumstances of the killing. For example, I am not sure why he spent so much time on the relationship between Phil Sheridan and George Crook but I love the broad picture of the times so I took it as a plus. The general reader may get confused at times. I feel well versed in the historical narrative so I understood where we were in the story despite the nonlinear presentation. As the story continued on the author’s wanderings lessened. The conclusion was heartbreaking and expertly told. I have to give it five stars. So what are my disagreements? The author has the tendency of all historical biographers to place the focus of their topics to centrally and decisively in the flow of history. The Battle of the Little Big Horn was not won solely by Crazy Horse. Indeed, as Donovan and Connell argued, Gall was far more heroic. He also places the origins of the war solely on the land grab for the Black Hills. He hints at the intratribal conflicts but never explains them or sees them as the smallest factor. The hostile Sioux would eventually have needed to been dealt with at some point as there was chaos and bloodshed on the Northern Plains involving not only whites but Crow, Pawnee, Arikara, etc. Crazy Horse was certainly an active participant in this bloodletting. Indeed, I think he makes Crazy Horse more popular with his contemporary Sioux than was the case. Red Cloud and Spotted Tail certainly had reasons for some type of order to be restored. By the end of this book you understandably sympathize with Crazy Horse, perhaps more sympathy than a man who killed more than thirty five people (according to his father) in war and raiding would deserve. McMurty said it well when he said the man was incapable of feeling empathy for any outside of his particular band. Crazy Horse had many admirable qualities but it was a hard and difficult time. ...more

Like · see review

Oct 29, 2013 Amy Teegan marked it as to-read

Like

From the Bookshelf of U.S. History Reading Group…

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

What Members Thought

U.S. History Reading Group