Oklahoma Books

At a time when the Catholic Church in England was drawing and quartering heretics, a tradition which Henry the 8th carried on after he broke with Rome, the Spanish explorers in the new world were slaughtering, burning alive, and tearing apart with dogs Indians whom they sought to enslave or whose gold they wanted. de Soto was indeed a monster but he was our (Western civilization's) monster. Clever, brutal and determined, how did he and others like Cortez and Pizzaro bring it off? They had superior technology: steel swords and pikes, horses and armor. They had the secret weapon of disease. And they used trickery. But it doesn't add up especially in Mexico and Peru. Duncan's book leaves out disease. He doesn't mention whether, like in Mexico, disease preceded Pizzaro's attacks in the Andes leaving the Incas decimated and disoriented. Otherwise were the Incas so stupid and/or outgunned as to not be able to stop the few hundred Spanish who attacked them. de Soto and Pizzaro seemed to have a winning strategy: use trickery to kidnap the Cacique and pretend to ransom him for total surrender of gold, slave laborers and women. In addition, promise his enemies or conquered peoples a strategic alliance until they were no longer needed and then turn on them. Why did it work and work more than once? It doesn't add up in my mind. Did the Inca just miss opportunity after opportunity? Spanish military technology wasn't that much better to overcome such great odds.
Then again de Soto was some Christian. He tortured and slaughtered without the slightest shame or guilt. He whored and made sexual slavery a concomitant of conquest. Certainly the Spanish in reconquering Spain and maintaining dominance in the low country in the face of the Reformation were quite violent, but not as systematically nor to the extent of the Conquistadors. Then there was the Inquisition with the stake and torture but not so extensively nor frivolously.
Back in Spain Las Casas and Dias bemoaned de Soto's behavior. But like most frontiersmen, neither Crown nor Church could control him. When Cabeza de Vaca was governor of Uruguay Conquistador in Chains: Cabeza de Vaca and the Indians of the Americas, he reigned in brutal exploitation of Amerindians and was imprisoned by the colonists. It was the same in the cross Appalachian frontier. As much as England and, later, the Federalists tried to institute a paternalist policy towards the natives and their land, they could not stop, the Davey Crockett's and land speculators (among whom were Washington and Jefferson) from driving the Indians out.
So de Soto in Central America is a conqueror, slaver, and encomiendero, and in Peru a conquistador who, though booted out, leaves with unimaginable wealth. This is not enough for him. Spurred by a reference of Cabeza de Vaca that there was gold to the north of Cabeza's wanderings in Florida, de Soto uses his fabulous wealth to make an entrada in La Florida. There he ravages his way through Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and on to the Mississippi River. Finding no gold nor prosperous civilization to exploit he does not give up and go home but continues into Arkansas finally returning to the Mississippi to die apparently disillusioned. He persisted though it was obvious a thousand miles earlier that La Florida possessed no treasure. Ignoring the protests of some of his men, de Soto turns his back on potential sites for agricultural colonies wanting only riches.
Again his strategy of technology, cunning, and recruitment works despite the fact he gets mauled a couple of time. Still the natives are not able to do more than lose at a ratio of more than ten to one. Although a number of different Mississippian mound peoples seem like they could overcome de Soto, they manage not to. And although some withdraw into the forests, most end up hosting him with food, women, and bearers. The variety of towns/village dwellers in the Southeast and South, some of whom exercise control over wide area and numbers of vassal people, is amazing. Where we usually think of North America being inhabited by hunter-gatherers, we find instead relatively prosperous farmers and societies with rulers and gentry. It is hardly a primitive world. How it prospered and why the societies declined is not clear in Duncan's book. It doesn't seem we know why. de Soto's rampage may have been one element. But there was also decline in places before he arrived. And there were precipitous collapses in his wake. Some members of his entrada returning a mere twenty years later found villages unrecognizable. Was it just de Soto's disruption (occasionally suggested by the author) or was it the grim reaper of small pox (again not sited as a cause). The Southeast of the U.S. the British and French found a hundred years later was populated by hunter-gathers who had no recollection of their predecessors.
de Soto's strategy of living off the land, which Duncan says was borrowed from European wars, works while de Soto's army sojourns among fairly advanced agriculturalists, but fails when he comes to the edge of the prairie. The Indians who ventured forth from the woodlands into the prairie to hunt buffalo neither grew enough to feed de Soto's men nor surrendered as the more settled people eastward had done. With no gold evident and no food de Soto retreats back to the Mississippi where he and his men hang on. After his death the transmissippian Indians harass the Spaniards who then to try to walk it Mexico but get stopped by the Texas drylands. They finally build boats for travel down the river and across the Gulf back to New Spain.
Reading Duncan's book gives rise to lots of speculation as to the relative brutality of the Spanish versus, the English, French and Dutch. de Soto must have been among the worst, but I am not sure. In a modern world he might easily have run a gas ovens. But then where does he fit with Rwandas and the bombing of Vietnam and Cambodia? A good question. A good book. It leaves one to think about the holier than though attitude of North Atlantic folk when they criticize others for human rights violations. Have we fully owned our past? I don't think so. Thank you David Duncan for giving us some of our past back.

Charlie Fisher, author of Dismantling Discontent: Buddha's Way Through Darwin's World

An interesting book that firmly pushes the idea that Soto was a murderous butcher intent on destroying whatever and whomever was in his was as he sought gold in the New World.

David Ewing Duncan takes us from South America to Spain and finally North America with Soto leading the way at all times. We're with Soto and his men as the entrada into Florida starts well but ends, three years later, with the remaining men scurrying off to Mexico after a decidedly unpleasant time spent in the Southeastern USA.

A little more about what happened after Soto's death would have gone a long way. Not bad, though.

This book is a biography of the life of Hernando de Soto That is a point which sometimes is disappointing because we often have to leave some exciting events in history as de Soto departs to other places. This is exceptionally true at the end of the book. In between the beginning and end is some very disturbing truths about the conquistadores's savage treatment of the native Americans they encountered in the New World. Author Duncan deserves credit for telling it like it is while knowing that his subject becomes less and less of a heroic figure with every ghastly detail. It is still hard to fathom the incredible destruction of the Incan empire by the small force of Pizarro's men.

The author spends a fair amount of time evaluating the available evidence which is helpful. The second half of the book is an excellent view of SouthEast America that our own immigrant culture knows little about; partly because de Soto's men had so severely impacted it that it was essentially gone when our ancesters first encountered it.

The story of de Soto is essentially the tragedy of a dynamic life cut short, of a quest that fell short, and of a discovery of wealth that went overlooked. De Soto's focus on gold caused him to overlook a world that would surpass the importance of "wealthier" parts of the New World. Unfortunately, the book ends with the death of de Soto in present-day Arkansas. By giving us a single paragraph to tell what happened to his men after that, we come away feeling as stranded and lost as they were.

David Duncan has written a full and detailed account of the life of Hernando De Soto, and although the Florida expedition that consumed the last few years of his life is what he is best (only?) remembered for, it's interesting to see the man during his earlier life and how it made him what he was. Born in Spain in 1500, little is known about his childhood. He went to Panama as a teenaged soldier and rose quickly through the ranks, becoming a leader in the conquest of Nicaragua. One chronicler has stated that De Soto (Duncan drops the De when giving his name, but it's so uncustomary that it looks and sounds unnatural) had great skill in "slaying Indians." He went with Pizarro to Peru to conquer the Incas and then returned to Spain a very wealthy man. From Charles V he was able to get the governorship of Cuba and the right to claim Florida. With 600 men he landed in Florida somewhere near Tampa Bay and began his conquest of what would later become the southeastern area of the US.

De Soto's methods were brutal (thus the word "Savage" in the book's title), though typical of the Spanish conquistadores. Natives were either a means to material riches or would be slaughtered; best would be first the one, then the other. Anyway, the expedition wandered north through Florida to the panhandle (Tallahassee is the only sure place anyone knows with certainty that De Soto actually visited, thanks to archeological finds made a few blocks from the state house) and then through the heart of Georgia and South Carolina, west through North Carolina, south through Alabama to near Montgomery, then west again through Mississippi, where on May 8, 1541, he "discovered" the Mississippi River, perhaps just west of present-day Walls or near Friars Point (the mouth of the river had actually been discovered and mapped by unnamed sailors decades earlier). For the next year the expedition roamed through Arkansas before turning back to the Mississippi, where De Soto died (perhaps poisoned, though Duncan admits the evidence is skimpy to non-existent) on May 21, 1542, and was entombed in the river. (In a half-page epilogue, Duncan brings the expedition, reduced by then to 300 men, safely to Mexico 18 months later.)

The tragedy of this expedition, as Duncan makes clear, is not that the "material riches" so long sought after were never found, but that so many "real riches" (the rich, fertile land in particular) went unappreciated. Duncan believes that De Soto wasn't interested in gold by then anyway (he was already fabulously wealthy); what really drove him was an insatiable ambition to be the greatest conquistador of them all. Duncan's biography is interesting and vibrant, and offers the reader a clear picture of the man and his times. The research is thorough and wide-ranging and includes official documents and first-hand accounts. Duncan sees De Soto as neither a hero nor a villain, only a man consumed by the need to succeed. And in that he certainly wasn't a unique individual in the annals of history. Highly recommended.

Although Hernando De Soto: A Savage Conquest in the Americas is a biography, it reveals as much about the hideous cruelty the Spanish inflicted upon indigenous peoples as it does about the great conquistadors. In doing so, author David Ewing Duncan allows the reader to balance the triumphs of Soto with the vast human destruction he left in his wake. Neither an apologia nor a polemic, this book stays close to the facts and represents the best in popular history.

Meticulously researched and beautifully written, De Soto unfolds like a riveting novel as it follows the explorer from his impoverished youth to his anti-climatic death near the Mississippi River. To anyone interested in the European conquest of the Americas (or in the decimation of the Indians and their cultures) this book is a must read.

In addition to Soto, the author chronicles the achievements and savageries of such other notables as Cortez, Pizarro, Balboa, and Coronado. The book cleverly references and analyzes the works of American and Spanish historians, including those who were present as the conquerors murdered, raped, pillaged, enslaved, proselytized and bravely explored in South, Central and North America. Where there is a disparity in the record Duncan examines the conflict and suggests the account he considers the more reliable. At times the contemporary American Soto enthusiasts and the Spanish historians who are referenced throughout the book prove almost as intriguing as their subject matter.

Given the tremendous undertaking this work represents, Duncan manages to produce a highly readable and lively book. Even if the author can't help but reveal his personal revulsion at Soto's blatant inhumanity, Duncan also is objective enough to acknowledge flashes of true heroism and bravery. The Soto that the author presents is a historic Indiana Jones figure who descends into a Conrad-like Heart of Darkness.

The book cleverly incorporates maps, charts, paintings, and other graphics into the text. Further, although it may be tempting to skip the footnotes due to the length of the text, the reader is well advised not to do so. Buried in these footnotes are clever thoughts, insights and explanations.

This book richly deserves five stars and a second look by anyone who skipped it when it was first released.

Every so often a new author plumbs old tales with fresh insight, interpretation and newly discovered research and does so in a way that his analysis intertwines biography with the totality of the historic events and times that were the person's life. Such is the case with John Lubetkin's Jay Cooke's Gamble. As the book's subtitle describes, who would have thought Sitting Bull directly contributed to a severe US financial panic. But that is exactly what happened: Jay Cooke's Northern Pacific Railroad touched off a Sioux War that caused the Panic of 1873.

Seeking a new challenge after financing the North's portion of the US Civil War, Cooke embarks on a new undertaking that is nothing less than the construction of a second transcontinental railroad, a northern route stretching from Duluth, Minnesota to Seattle, Washington. In the process he reignites war with the Sioux, rescues George Armstrong Custer from obscurity, creates Yellowstone National Park, sets off a wave of Northern European immigration, pushed frontier settlement 400 miles further westward, halted western Canada's drift into the US orbit, triggered the Panic of 1873 and spurred JP Morgan's rise.

This is an absolutely wonderful story, excellently crafted, beautifully written and supported by quality maps. It manages to fit the construction of the Northern Pacific within the environment it transcended, the West, with the East, the area within which it was managed and financed. It includes ugly politics, shady dealing, illegal activities, larger than life personalities, Indian warfare, dishonesty and all of the other negatives one could expect from a swashbuckling story that spans not only a continent but the Atlantic Ocean as well. Lubetkin's suspenseful narrative describes events played our from Wall Street to the Yellowstone and Germany's Paletine while vividly portraying the soldiers, engineers, businessmen, politicians and Native Americans who alternately seek to build, stop or destroy the construction of the Northern Pacific.

A good tale well told make no mistake: This man can write!

Jay Cooke's Gamble covers important background into the North pacific Railroad's history. It does not focus much on the actual railroad operations, but rather the financing and surveying behind the scenes. The author writes in a very readable style and does his subject justice.

The reader will be transported to a time when railroads determined settlement of the American interior. But before the roads could be built, the land had to be surveyed, and in this case the land was also still occupied by natives who wished to preserve their traditional way of life. The reader will encounter a cast of characters ranging from the venerable Jay Cooke himself, to General Geoerge Armstrong Custer, and all the important NP company engineers and surveyors in between. Some were drunkards (the author appears to have a strong bias against alcohol), some prone to mismanagement, and some, like Cooke, never set foot in the land where the action took place. All of this makes for a very entertaining and informative read. One statistic does stand out as being a possible typo: the author on page 274 states land in Bismarck, Dakota was selling for as much as $8000/acre. That figure appears high.

But this is a very good book. One hopes the author will continue on and write the history of the railroad after Cooke's demise and the Northern Pacific's ultimate completion and beyond to its eventual merger with the Great Northern and CB&Q.

This is one of those special books that is virtually impossible to put down once you start reading. Written in a highly readable, narrative style that puts the reader in the time and place being depicted, this book is the story of Jay Cooke's attempt to build a second transcontinental railroad, known as the Northern Pacific. Present readers may recognize its successor, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad that just happens to be the largest private landholder in the United States. An integral part of the story is the creation of Yellowstone National Park, the forced Canadian-British effort to build the Canadian Pacific transcontinental railroad, the Panic of 1873, the instigation of the Great Sioux War, and most interestingly, the link between Cooke and George Armstrong Custer that brought him back from the South and, as is said, the rest is history. This is a worthy addition to both national and regional history.

Mr. Lubetkin's work is well researched and well written. He's able to weave a narrative together that brings the beginning of the Gilded Age to the Indian Wars and railroad construction... frankly, I had never made the connection between the Northern Pacific and Sitting Bull until I read this book.
However, the final conclusions made me question the depth of the research. Lubetkin identifies the completion of the Northern Pacific several years later, and its competition with the Great Northern, whose surveyors "found" Marias Pass. There is no mention of the railroads' cooperation and attempted merger, nor the landmark Sumpreme Court case concerning Northern Securities and the creation of the ICC. Oh yes, and with reference to the previous review of the map quality, it would have been nice had the book included a larger map or two of the entire proposed routes.
I still believe Pierre Berton's The Last Spike (Canadian Pacific) to be the standard against all railroad construction history books should be measured. If Berton rates a 10, this book is an 8.

Author John Lubetkin has done an excellent job pulling together a widely diverse stockpile of sources and developing in-depth and unique look at the ill-fated attempt to construct the Northern Pacific Railroad in the early 1870s as America's second transcontinental rail link. Other books in the past have extracted the best-known portion of the series of events that constitute this story, namely Custer's 1873 Yellowstone Expedition as recounted in biographies of Custer and Sitting Bull as well as works from the late Larry Frost and John Carroll. The strength of Lubetkin's work lies in its all inconclusive disection of Jay Cooke and his Northern Plains Railroad dream which in no ways detracts from the military events that many of us find so compelling.

In the late 1860s, Cooke had reached the apex of America's banking world, having financed the Union war effort in the Civil War, funding that was crucial in the ultimate victory. He backed the dream, dormant since its 1864 charter, of creating the Northern Pacific Railroad running from Duluth, Minnesota across Dakota Territory, through Montana, Idaho, and ending in the Pacific Northwest.

The author's engaging style and in-depth research combine as he takes us back in time to the full context of the Gilded Age. We witness the brilliant Cooke as he ably finances his dream through repeated bond sales but the reality of what was being paid for soon begins to take its toil--poor management, gross overspending and corruption by those under Cooke, the unanticipated engineering challenges of laying a railroad through Minnesota's boggy, swampy terrain and, ultimately, the will of the the Lakota in resisting the railroad through their prime hunting grounds.

History is fortunate that former Confederate General Tom Rosser was the chief engineer on the 1871 Whistler Expedition and the 1872 Rosser-Stanley Eastern Yellowstone Expedition as well as served at the start of the 1873 Expedition where he was reunited with former West Point classmate, Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer. The author has delved deep into Rosser's diaries and correspondence from the manuscript repository holdings of the University of Virginia. For those like myself with an interest in the Indian Wars, the large section of this book devoted to these expeditions will prove compelling. An entire chapter is devoted to the 1872 Battle of Poker Flats and is absoluelty fascinating, especially the description of Sitting Bull's calculated act of courage of sitting on the ground, smoking his pipe as soldier's bullets failed to hit him as the battle concluded.

All of this culminates with the 1873 Expedition which proved necessary since staunch Lakota resistance prevented the 1872 foray from completing the survey. The author argues that Eastern newspaper coverage of the intractable Lakotas begin to slowly but surely unnerve Eastern investors who became more and more concerned over the feasiblity of a railroad through hostile territory, a concern that would explode in September 1873 with the worst possible results. The military responded to the 1872 difficulties by sending Custer's 7th Cavalry to the Northern Plains, thus giving the 1873 survey an offensive capability lacking in the infantry companies. This act also placed Custer and his regiment into the heart of the most untamed portion of the country where Custer's 1876 demise would carry him and the 7th Cavalry beyond the realm of history and into legend. Separate chapters on Custer's August 4, 1873 battle near the Yellowstone/Tongue River confluence and the larger battle a week later near the Big Horn/Yellowstone junction do full justice to these events as well as ably demonstrate Custer's ability in Indian warfare. Readers will be somewhat surprised as well as enlightened by the more positive picture of General David Stanley, Custer's superior on the expedition, as he has generally been written off as a hopeless drunk. As this book reveals though, he was able to command effectively when the situation demanded and there is far more to him than my previous knowledge had encompassed.

The book concludes with the return of the 1873 Expedition, the final survey complete but its results of little use until the end of the decade when the railroad was finally completed by a Northern Pacific under different management. For in September 1873, judgement day arrived for both Jay Cooke and Company as well as the U.S. economy as a "Panic" was unleashed on Wall Street, numerous banks, including Cooke's, failed and work on the Northern Pacific ground to a halt, dragging the nation into the depths of a depression that at least one economic historian has judged as second only to the 1929-1932 Great Depression. The author makes the argument that the reports of Custer's two battles, despite their small size and the success of Custer and his regiment, were the last straw in undermining investor confidence in the safety of the area that the railroad was trying to cross.

Excellent and numerous maps by Vicki Trego Hill are included throughout this book and their quality is such that even the most difficult to please cartographer will be satisfied. If there is anything that the author can be faulted on, it is for not including more of the William Pywell photographs from the 1873 expedition but I have to remind myself that this book is on the entire Northern Pacific Railroad effort, not just the Custer expedition. For those wishing to view these photographs as well as gain additional, in-depth, excellent insight into the 1873 Expedition, see Lawrence Frost's CUSTER'S 7TH CAVALRY AND THE CAMPAIGN OF 1873, out of print but available wherever fine rare books are sold, including Amazon as of this writing.

THis book is excellent!!I enjoyed it at my most .I understood what the author was going through because i myself went through a stage of blonde har affairs

This book is lyrical, magical and touching in a very deep sense. Highway makes you see and feel the way the northern Crees must have felt when children were sent to residential schools for 10 months of the year and would come back in the summer ashamed to speak their language. Highway also conveys the Indian spirit in his book by laughing at sad issues making them all the more poignant. Overall a masterpiece of structure, language and psychological portraiture.

I recommend this book highly. It successfully descibes the idyllic childhood of two brothers, and how this childhood, and a Canadian aboriginal culture's attempt to adapt on its own terms to Euiropean-based culture are heartlessly ended by forced assimilation, land expropriation, and horrifying abuse. The story follows the two brothers from conception in the 1950s into their 30s in the 1980s. Once they leave home to go to a religious residential school, the tone of the story is of an ever-returning, inescapable sadness, which nothing--not flamboyance, not artistic creation, not sex, not consciousness-altering substances, not numbness, not attempting to reintegrate into aboriginal culture, not helping children of the next generation--can allay. The book had a powerful effect on me. I'm not sure whether or not it is a masterpiece, and thus deserving of 5 stars. Much of what it was telling me was so surprising, so shocking, or so emotional, that on first reading, I am unable to look at the book with enough detachment to make that call. Read it and see what you think.

When does a novel of fiction become 'too' autobiographical? Is there a line in the sand that cannot be crossed, a line that seperates the purely imagined from stark reality? If there is such a line, celebrated Canadian author Tomson Highway dances on its edge many times over, in his alternately humourous and harrowing novel KISS OF THE FUR QUEEN.

FUR QUEEN tells the truly sad tale of Champion and Ooneemeetoo Okimasis, Cree brothers growing up in Northern Manitoba. At an all-too-early age, Champion and Ooneemeetoo are torn from their magical life, thrust headlong into Canada's then-enforced policy of subjecting native children to Catholic residential schools. They are renamed Jeremiah and Gabriel, force-fed a life of Christian beliefs, subjected to monstrous acts by the priests, and removed from any conception of their people's history, language, and traditions. Slowly maturing into young men, Champion (Jeremiah) begins a career as a concert pianist, while Gabriel pursues a life in dance. As they struggle to cope in a world that increasingly alienates them from their past, their heritage re-enters their lives in unexpected and sometimes tragic ways.

Highway is a gifted writer, as evident from the multitude of awards he recieved for his plays THE REZ SISTERS and DRY LIPS OUGHT TO MOVE TO KASPUSKASING (both incredible plays, by the way). His presentation of the realities of Native-Canadian life has been lauded for its sense of humanity in the face of horror, as well as for showing a world that many people would rather ignore, or refuse to believe exists. So it is with FUR QUEEN. Highway's slow evolution of the narrative is masterful, travelling from the nostalgic remembrances of a child's idyllic life to the brutalities that face Native-Canadians in the 'evolved' city of Winnipeg. His inter-twining of Cree mythology with modern prose serves to more fully involve the reader in the Okimasis's daily struggle. At times, the writing becomes a bit confusing, slightly hallucinatory, but this disparity aids the reader in understanding the warring factions that exist within the minds of Jeremiah and Gabriel. We are all products of our upbringing, and nowhere is this more evident than in the confusion and self-loathing that threatens to consume the brothers at every turn.

But when does it become too autobiographical to qualify as fiction? Granted, almost all authors could be accused of importing elements of their lives into their work, but Highway pushes the envelope. He, too, grew up in Northern Manitoba, and was forced, along with his brother Rene, to attend Catholic school. There, they were both abused at the hands of their religious teachers, in a ongoing chapter of Canadian history that must surely rank as one of its most shameful. Rene grew up to be a dancer, while Tomson slowly evolved as a writer, much as Jeremiah does. And all the while, both were subjected to the casual and blatant racism that Native-Canadians face daily.

Yet perhaps this is besides the point. Whether one's story is thinly disguised as 'fiction' or not does not alter the powerful nature of the story itself. By attributing a fictional aspect to the narrative, Highway may be better able to import the more fantastical elements that lurk behind the realism, adding the omnipresent Fur Queen as a fairy godmother of sorts, a personal angel that guides the Okimasis family through their tribulations. And whether autobiographical or not, FUR QUEEN constantly guides the reader into unexpected places.

Are there better novels out there? Yes. Highway sometimes loses control of the story, and his experienced hand at dialogue is sometimes thwarted by the more descriptive nature of a novel. Despite this, KISS OF THE FUR QUEEN is an important novel, one that should be told many times over. The story is far too familiar for those in similar circumstances, and far too imcomprehensible for those lucky enough to have had a choice in where their lives would take them. By confronting the issues, as Highway does fearlessly, we can see where we've been, and maybe we can affect change as to where we're headed.

Once again, as in his plays 'The Rez Sisters' and 'Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing', Tomson has held me spell bound through this multi-leved spiritual journey. It is a symphony that transcends music into the printed word. The themes, fugues, melodies, will take you on a journey that bridges reality with the spritual essence of Indian culture. Meegwetch Tomson!

this book was a pleasant surprise written by tom horn himself it reads like a good movie horn although he had only a rudimentary education is a very good writer the book is full of his adventures and colorful characters of the apache wars with GERONIMO he explains the nuts and bolts of tracking indians in the southwest usa it is ajohn wayne movie in print

This is a well written book covering the early days of Tom Horn's life. Tom Horn lead a very interesting and exciting life and he conveys that to the reader very well. Although the book does not cover his exploits as a stock detective, this book still raises doubts about whether Tom Horn was guilty of the offense for which he was hanged.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone having an interest in the old west. This book was definitly a great addition to my library

As with all autobiographies this book provides us with a fascinating picture of the adventurous life of Tom Horn. Yet it is the death of Tom Horn that has been the subject of great controversy to the present day; hanged for the murder of a fourteen year old boy, on evidence that was highly questionable.

This book is refered to as a vindication, and though many have disputed this, in some subtle ways it is. Whilst reading this narrative of Tom Horn's years as a scout and interpreter, at no point could I envisage him being the kind of man to kill a boy from ambush. He portrays himself in his autobiography as hard working, fearless, trustworthy, and as a man who served his country well. Though with any autobiography the reader has to accept an elemant of bias, it appears at times as if Tom Horn tries to minimize his own heroics and exploits. To this end the book serves its purpose.

What is most astounding about the book is where it finishes. Tom Horn makes no attempt to explain the events leading upto his conviction and execution. This is both surprising and baffling. Surly most men in his position would have taken the opportunity to plead their innocence. Not so with Tom Horn. He seems content to let the readers make their own decision, by things reported in the newspapers at that time. Maybe he was just confident that people would believe him to be innocent despite much of what was being written.

This edition of the book was supplemented with letters written to and from Tom Horn whilst he was imprisoned. These are valuable as they offer an insight into Tom's state of mind during this period. In a couple of these letters he does choose to explain a little of the events leading up to his arrest, to certain associates

Tom Horn's personal narrative is just as fascinating for what it excludes, as for what it includes. It also provides an excellent look at other celebrated and infamous characters such as Al Seiber, Geronimo and the Apache Kid. For those interested in the life of Tom Horn, or the role of government scouts/interpreters, the book will hold much interest. It is also recommended that readers have some basic knowledge of Tom Horn - particularly his latter life - for a greater understanding.

This is an exceptional autobiography that details the life of Tom Horn prior to the tragic incident in Wyoming. The book is NOT a vindication. The material added by John Coble is clearly identified, and were his personal attempts to vindicate Tom Horn. Written in jail and on his way to the gallows, Tom Horn wrote only about his life as Indian Scout and Intepretor, because this is how he wished to be remembered! "Life of Tom Horn" reflects upon his childhood, and the early adult events that shaped the most glorious and enjoyable years in the prime of his life. He probably deserved the Medal of Honor for the Apache Wars. Details of his life as a miner, Pinkerton detective, rodeo champion and mule skinner for the Spanish American War were left out, probably intentionally. His reputation in Wyoming was so thoroughly distorted and trashed by journalistic sensationalism fueled by ongoing range fueds, that it probably wasn't worth addressing. (He is still hated today by many.) I feel he believed that good would prevail and find him innocent. Time wasn't on his side when he wrote this...

The book is a fabulous historical accout of life in the southwestern frontier. The details of his life as indian scout are easy to put into perspective and supported by many factual historical accounts of the time. If one has a map and photographs of the southwestern United States and Mexico, it becomes even easier to put into perspective. The book is also a great resource for anyone researching Geronomo and the Apache wars.

To this day, Tom Horn's innocence or guilt is embroiled in controversy. Some family members still carry a burning hatred for the man, others admiration and love. Visit the Historical sections of the Denver or Cheyenne Library's, so you can read newspaper accounts of the politics of the range fueds and wars in Wyoming during Tom Horn's time, and come to your own conclusions. After the Apache Wars, Tom Horn became a drifter of various jobs or "careers," typical of many cowboys of that era. He always tried to do the right thing and worked, for the law, not against it. At over 6 feet tall, muscular and lean, he was imposing, but soft spoken, and a loner. When he went to Wyoming, he "walked softly and carried a big stick." The big stick being his reputation as indian fighter and killer, although there's no proof he murdered anyone. He always maintained his innocence, and remained defiantly brave to the very end.

This book was written by Tom Horn while waiting in a Cheyenne, Wyoming Jail to be hanged. It is a very colorful account of the Government Scout, Arizona Territory Lawman, and "foster son" of Geronimo himself. While it is a very one sided story that almost pleads with you to believe that Tom was blameless, it gives a VERY unique look into the solitary life of a scout and hired gun in the real old west. "A Must Read"

Although I enjoyed this book and I liked Maggie and her personality the one thing I did not like was that this book was a lot like Carolyn Brown's other book Emma's Folly. Emma and Maggie both had to enter in a marriage that was loveless. Maggie was forced to marry Everett because they were in a barn together and Emma because she was running away from her father.
I enjoy books that have to do with arranged marriages or forced to get married but these two books pretty much had the same plot.

Maggie's mistake was in marrying the town's wealthy Southern doctor. Not that it was her idea or her fault. Her pa just read the situation wrong was all. Doc fit her criteria for a husband about as well as a silk bonnet fit a prize sow. Maggie didn't want all that much from life, just a man who could dance -oh, how she loved to dance! - and one who could make her laugh. Uppity Doc Dulanis can't do a reel to save his life, and laugh? Does the man even know how? Follow this mismatched pair as they try to untangle the skein of misunderstandings, lies, and silent pride. The story is charming and one you can share with your twelve year old daughter or your ninety-two year old grandmother.

Maggie's Mistake is the third in Carolyn Brown's series of historical romances set in Oklahoma, Indian Territory, following the land rush. In each of these stories, Ms. Brown builds the town of Dodsworth family by family, story by story in a way that makes it come alive for her readers. Some came with money, others arrived with just the shirt on their back and a willingness to work - much as it really happened. Follow the historical trail, with Emma's Folly, Violet's Wish, and Maggie's Mistake. There are at least two more books to come in this series.

Everett Dulanis isn't the only one who falls in love with Maggie Listen in MAGGIE'S MISTAKE. Readers will tumble head over heals for this charming, wild Nineteenth Century woman. If Maggie thought before she acted, she'd be a lot better off. Fortunately for Carolyn Brown's readers, Maggie is a free spirit with a distinct mind of her own who acts before she thinks. She can handle a six shooter, run a home and perplex the men she charms like no other woman in Dodsworth, Indian Territory. Read MAGGIE'S MISTAKE and fall in love.

Maggie Listen is one of the most delightful heroines you'll ever meet. She's completely natural and loves to dance.

Everett Dulanis is wrong for her. He's in love with another woman, cannot appreciate Maggie--and, worst, has no desire to dance.

But Carolyn Brown brings them together in this wonderfully written and thoroughly enjoyable novel. Both Maggie and Everett change and grow and finally fall in love. Will they find out before it's too late? Well, this is a romance so of course they do, but not before a lot of fun takes place.

The book starts off with a bang (almost)Maggie's Dad points his shotgun at the good Dr. Everette. He makes the Dr. and Maggie get married immediately. Their lives turns upside down from there. He begins to notice the wonderful qualities in Maggie but his head is still stuck on his plan of marrying a southern belle who seems perfect at the time (but as you read and see Caroline)you will see what he missed in his plan. She can't see her own worth and worthiness to be loved by anyone (It just goes to show what you say to someone can leave a lasting impact). They slowly develop a relationship unawares and fall in love. Family and friends begin to become manipulative to help them to realize how in love they are with one another. To find out how it ends I suggest you take the time for an enjoyable read.

Apparently this book, 'My Life on the Plains' was taken from magazine/newspaper articles Custer wrote on himself. As such, it is clearly self-appreciative but, still, it's an invaluable document written by one of America's most controversial figures. He descibes himself as an Indian figher par excellence...but...he relates nothing of his courtmarshal following the raid on an Indian village. Despite the success he describes in the raid, an isolated troop was abandoned and died to the man.

This is reminiscent of the fight at the Little Big Horn where he reportedly told Reno that he would ride to Reno's support once Reno struck the south end of the village. He didn't. Custer's troop rode north, probably to cut off what he thought would be the retreating Sioux. Reno quite probably was used as an unknowing diversion. Reno managed to extracate himself with heavy casualties. Custer, of course, road into 'glory.'

A very telling story embedded in Custer's chronicle is one that he, quite amazingly, tells on himself. In his first encounter with a buffalo he is determined to shoot it. He abandons his soldiers in a wild ride over the plains drawing close to the panicked animal. Several times Custer has the opportunity to shoot but doesn't because he's having so much fun. Finally, miles from his troop, he decides to shoot the buffalo. At the moment his pistol fires, his horse jerks his head in front of the barrel and the horse--not the buffalo--fall dead.

I think this story tells everything we need to know militarily about Custer. He was a big kid, unfit for command.

Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico

Custer's autobiography, covering a very limited period of his life, is a remarkable document, first, as an important piece of historical information regarding the events covered, and second as an intriguing look at one of the most mythologized figures in US history. Being Native American on my mother's side, I was prepared to thoroughly dislike the man, but I was pleasantly surprised by the individual I met in the pages of this book.

Custer is an excellent writer and storyteller, and his famous prankish sense of humor shows up on several occassions. The man had the ability to laugh at himself and was willing to tell tales on himself, which goes a long way to endear him to the reader. It's a powerful contradiction of the Myth of Custer, conventionally portrayed as a stupid, arrogant, racist, and humorless figure. It's hard to continue viewing him as the symbol of American Evil when he goes to battle against the Indians dressed in his bathrobe. (They attacked at night, darn them. He didn't have time to put on his uniform.)

The comic relief is absolutely essential -- Custer's eyewitness account of the atrocities committed by Pawnee Killer will turn the stomach. Unlike every other author covering the Indian Wars, Custer presents the information in a straight forward matter and neither glosses over it nor demonizes the Indians. And, to the man's credit, he understood very clearly that the mutilated bodies he had to identify and bury were the work of a particular individual who happened to be an Indian, and did not let it prejudice him against the entire Native American race. The same cannot be said for most of his contemporaries. Custer clearly understood that Indians, like anybody else, were people who had to be judged according their individual actions, and not stereotyped and condemned in whole. In short, whatever his shortcomings might be, he does not deserve to be the poster boy for American Racism Against Indians.

Custer, the man, is far more complex. He detailed his part in the first assault on Black Kettle's village; being the tracker assigned to trail Pawnee Killer, he knew that Pawnee Killer's trail did not go to Black Kettle's village and that Black Kettle and his people were peaceful Indians. When given the order to attack anyhow, he and other officers protested. General Hancock, the commanding officer, threatened them with court martial -- in those days that an order was immoral was not grounds for an officer to refuse to carry it out; a principle that was not established in the US Army until the public outrage over the massacre at Mai Lai during the Vietnam War. Custer caved in and did as he was told. If he had not, his military career would have been over. Certainly Custer was culpable of moral cowardice, but that is entirely different from the myth of reckless disregard for the humanity of others that clings to his name.

In short, the real Custer is a fascinating, articulate, funny, tragic, complex, flawed, and ultimately human individual. His eyewitness account of the Indian Wars and his role in it are a riveting read. Anyone who has found the usual 19th century authors dreary beyond belief will find Custer's writing lively, wry, unflinching, and far more educational than his contemporaries.

This book is a partial memoir of General George Armstrong Custer, of Little Bighorn fame. This work does not cover Custer's campaigns against the Cheyennes and Sioux, however, nor does it detail his flamboyant career in the Civil War. Instead, this book is literally an account of Custer's life on the plains, and covers his experiences with the Kiowa, Comanche, Arapaho, and Cheyenne Indians of the plains of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Despite the fact that this record is so incomplete a picture of Custer's life, however, this book is very valuable in that it covers the very controversial winter campaign of 1868-1869, which climaxed in Custer's attack of Black Kettle's village on the Washita River.

Custer had a remarkable gift for storytelling, and his prose, though flowery and often somewhat extravagant (as I envision the man himself), is crisp and engaging. In addition, this book provides a valuable look at the life of an army soldier campaigning against the Indians after the Civil War. The book may be very biased, and it may in fact contain many points of exaggeration, but it nevertheless is a valuable resource for any study of the Indian Wars.

No one can read My Life on the Plains without coming away with a changed view of Custer as a military leader and an important historical figure. I often tell people that Custer was a great writer and direct people to read this book. I am occasionally met with laughter and suspicion--except by those who take my advice and read it. Amazingly well-written, and very descriptive.

This book is a partial memoir of General George Armstrong Custer, of Little Bighorn fame. This work does not cover Custer's campaigns against the Cheyennes and Sioux, however, nor does it detail his flamboyant career in the Civil War. Instead, this book is literally an account of Custer's life on the plains, and covers his experiences with the Kiowa, Comanche, Arapaho, and Cheyenne Indians of the plains of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Despite the fact that this record is so incomplete a picture of Custer's life, however, this book is very valuable in that it covers the very controversial winter campaign of 1868-1869, which climaxed in Custer's attack of Black Kettle's village on the Washita River.

The question of whether Black Kettle and his band were hostile at the time they were attacked, as well as the question of whether innocent women and children had been wantonly slaughtered in the attack, is one of the driving forces behind this book. In it, Custer attempts to describe life as he lived it on the Plains, and attempts to paint a picture of the army that would persuade people back East that his Seventh Cavalry had acted in good faith, both in the battle and in the rest of the campaign that year. Custer had a remarkable gift for storytelling, and his prose, though flowery and often somewhat extravagant (as I envision the man himself), is crisp and engaging. In addition, this book provides a valuable look at the life of an army soldier campaigning against the Indians after the Civil War. The book may be very biased, and it may in fact contain many points of exaggeration, but it nevertheless is a valuable resource for any study of the Indian Wars.

Twenty year old Jessica Clinton and her younger brother and sister are orphaned when
their parents die in a car accident and are invited to go and live with their Uncle Fred,
on the outskirts of the small town of Chickasha in Oklahoma.

But before they arrive, Fred is found beaten and left for dead, going into a coma.

It isn't the first time strange things have been happening in and around the ranches
and farms nearby. Brush fires that don't seem to be accidents, animals turning up ill
or injured and sometimes dead. The properties attacked have one thing in common,
the owners were all descendants from Native American tribes.

A shaman insists that the troubles are because of a terrible wrongdoing in the past and
that evil spirits have come to wreak revenge.

Jessica finds herself drawn to Daniel, the Cherokee foreman on one of the ranches, who is
convinced the happenings are man made. But who is doing it and why?

Daniel and Jessica try to find out what is going on before anything worse can happen,
putting both their lives in danger and then someone winds up dead... Is there a connection
between this death and one that happened years ago? And just what doeslocal real estate
agent Lucas Martin have to do with it? What is he hiding? And why is the sheriff so convinced
that the death was suicide and not murder?

A good mystery with a dash of adventure and romance thrown in for good measure, Oklahoma's
Gold is a fast paced book, which leaves you on the edge of your seat.

Interesting characters abound, including Miss Emma the feisty sixty-odd ranch owner who is
as determined to help Jessica and Daniel as she is to run her property almost single-handedly.
She doesn't take no for an answer, even if her nephew is the incompetent sheriff.

I felt that the love story with Jessica and Daniel though was a little clichéd. When they
first meet, they are constantly arguing and you just know that because of that they will end
up together; it just seemed a bit contrived to me. However, the book's main focus is with
the mystery element, so it doesn't detract too much from the overall plot.

A good read.

Reviewed by Annette Gisby, author of Drowning Rapunzel and Shadows of the Rose

Oklahoma's Gold
Kathryn J.S. Long
Publish America, Frederick, Maryland
ISBN: 143714625 Pages: 198

Oklahoma's Gold is an easy read with a smooth flowing storyline. It captures the reader with Indian myths, romance, mystery, and suspense. Ms. Long introduces characters that are engaging and believable. Her writing style has clarity and depth, while the story is fast paced, and entertaining.
Jess, the eldest of three children, relocates the family to her uncle's ranch in Oklahoma following the death of their parents. When they arrive and find their uncle in a coma after a mysterious beating, Emma, a friend of their uncle's, befriends them. From the time they arrive through to the last page, suspense abounds.
This book will appeal to the romance lover as well as the mystery fan. It is well written and entertaining. We recommend it with no reservations.

Lola Pierce
Chariot Rider Reviews

--reviewed by Tammy Proctor

Jessica Clinton, a young college student, is thrown into a whole new world after the tragic death of her parents. With two younger siblings in tow, Jessica moves the broken family to Oklahoma to live with a long lost uncle. There she finds Oklahoma's Gold. She also finds attempted murder, intimidation, and much mystery.

With this premise, local author Kathryn J. S. Long grabs her readers by the heart strings. She tugs the strings with a tale of romance and mystery. In her first novel, a page-turner, Long doesn't release her readers until the very end.

Long's characters are heartwarming and it's difficult to put "Oklahoma's Gold" aside until you know the orphans are going to finally be safe.

Just as the town of Chickasha is a new adventure to the Clinton kids, Long introduces her audience to a new surrounding that features Native Americans, Hispanics, cowboys, and a conniving real estate broker.

With hopes of a new life, the Clinton kids grudgingly take Uncle Fred's offer to live with him on his ranch. However, upon their arrival, they learn Uncle Fred is in a coma. Someone tried to beat him to death. Jessica is plunged into a mystery as well as endangering her own life.

Long is a Green High School teacher and through "Oklahoma's Gold" she has provided a novel that can be enjoyed by teens, especially girls. However, "Oklahoma's Gold" is a story that all ages will enjoy because another central figure of the novel is Emma, a headstrong woman who befriends Jessica. As the mystery unfolds, so do details of Emma's life.

*Reprinted with the permission of The Suburbanite

Oklahoma's Gold is an enjoyable read for any fan of the mystery genre. Ms. Long does an excellent job of developing her main characters and I felt an invested interest in their lives. Additionally, the Native American culture is woven nicely into the story.

The story revolves around Jess Clinton, a fiercely independent young woman who has recently lost her parents. She moves with her younger siblings to Oklahoma to live with her Uncle Fred. Upon their arrival they discover Uncle Fred was the victim of a recent attack. This is just one of many strange recent occurences in the small town of Chickasha. The most enjoyable moments of the story happen as Jess begins to unravel the mystery of who is disrupting life as normal in Chickasha. Furthermore, it is fun to watch the relationship between Jess and Daniel develop as she begins to realize she does need the support of others.

For those who've lost someone, lost everything ... or just lost their way, "Oklahoma's Gold" is a book that will take you on a mysterious journey into the heart. Whether it's the loss of family or the freedom to live without discrimination, Kathryn J. S. Long gives readers glimpses into the lives and hearts of her characters. Set in the rustic Oklahoma town of Chickasha, mysterious twists and turns in an otherwise serene setting of ranches, heart-warming characters, secrets and Native American cultures culminate in a race to solve a series of suspicious attacks before something worse happens.



After her parents are suddenly killed in an automobile accident, Jess Clinton faces an uncertain future in the small town of Chickasha, Oklahoma. With little concern for her own grief, she's determined to take care of her twin brother and sister but must do so without the help of any family. Her only next-of-kin, Uncle Fred, is in a coma as a result of a mysterious beating that throws Jess into the thick of things - along side Daniel Ross, Cherokee foreman of the Dusty Rose Ranch. She turns away from her attraction to him in order to preserve her heart from further pain. Befriended by her uncle's neighbor and close friend, Miss Emma, Jess, Daniel and the old woman find themselves caught up in danger and ghosts of the past. Greed, revenge, and prejudice threaten this unlikely trio and help them to realize that love is worth the risk.



While the book moves at a solid pace, the author seems torn between building Jess and Daniel's romance and the mysterious events taking place leading up to the final scene. The intermingling of the past with the present is intriguing but the connection and the actual Native American "spirit" is somewhat unclear. Ms. Long also misses an opportunity to show the story in more vivid colors with detail of the Cherokee and Choctaw, their customs, beliefs, and their presence in Oklahoma.



While the characters are enjoyable and, for the most part believable, the most memorable ones were more minor characters, with the exception of Miss Emma. Finally, the twins, Deek and Missy, are absent much of the time and I kept wondering where they were and why they seemed to disappear for long periods of time.



Despite these minor distractions, "Oklahoma's Gold" offers up a good mystery with a surprise ending that satisfies.

A reader will get a very good background of events leading up to the Sand Creek Massacre, the people involved, the mind-set of the era, and the fallout from the massacre. It was an interesting read.

Very little is known about this massacre, except that over one hundred Indians of Black Kettle's Cheyenne tribe were killed as they were co-existing in eastern Colorado. Some Indians were indeed renegades but not from this tribe. Early in the morning, a troop of mostly volunteer soldiers from the Colorado militia raided Black Kettle's village and killed braves, women, and children. They then mutiliated the corpses. Hoig describes the situation that led to the massacre very effectively.

Hoig has written many other good histories of the southern Plains Indians. These Indians were victims of the territorial expansion of the United States. Many settlers wished them dead rather than supporting their upkeep on reservations. This shows the sade tale of broken promises.

I rated this book 4 stars for the incredible amount of information regarding the time period revolving around the massacre. Any fan of western history or native american history should read this book. The only thing about the book that I did not like was that it appeared that the author continuoulsy gave reasons of provocation on Colonel Chivington's actions against Black Kettle and his people who were trying to live in harmony with the settlers and the army. Im not saying the author is a Chivington apologist by any means and did a great job with the facts, but maybe my own contempt and feelings toward Chivington and Anthony got in the way. There are many contributing factors to what happened but the bottom line is Chivington hated the Indians and wanted them dead. I recommend the book....especially if you live or plan to travel the eastern Colorado area.

I have been a student of Native American history for more years than I care to remember, and each time I finish reading a book on the subject I ask myself the same question.Why ? This book unfortunately reflects all others on the subject, for the white mans GREED. Of course with hindsight, we all agree it should not have happend, certainly Sand Creek should not have happened, hindsight or no, Hoig has written a really moving epitaph to the Cheyenne Nation, and whilst history may be written by the victors,there will always be people searching, and often finding the truth, sure the Indian may not have been perfect, but nor were the white europeans who were prepared to annihilate whole cultures in their greed for land, gold etc. A well written book which any student of Native American culture should not be without.

The Sand Creek Massacre was one of the most heinous acts to ever be committed against the American Indian culture. This is an atrocity that has been quietly tucked away in the back of the American consciousness and I feel that Stan Hoig has done it justice by bringing it to light in this wonderfully revealing book. Mr. Hoig pulls no punches in his expose (as the government and military pulled no punches in their attempts to annihilate an entire race of people) and I must applaud him for his efforts. Parts of this book will bring your eyes to tear, others will redden your face with anger, and others will numb your mind with horror at the brutal acts of murder and mutilation that were committed in the name of greed and hatred. This is a book that should be required reading for all Americans so that they may understand just whose blood this country was built upon. Never have I read a historical account so compelling. White Antelope, my brother, I hope that the truth of this book helps you to rest in peace!!

This could easily have been one of those dull-but-important books but it's not. Elizabeth Seay is a skilled writer and a knowing and compassionate observer who takes readers on an interesting and informative journey through a world little explored and all too neglected. Though ostensibly about the struggle of Native American languages to survive, the book at heart is about the universal and essential role that languages play in defining not just cultures but unique ways of seeing and expressing the world. Thus their loss is a loss for us all. Seay captures this through keen storytelling and a sympathetic but never patronizing rendering of her characters and their struggles, against poor odds, to keep these languages alive.

A good read. If you've an interest in Native American culture, Oklahoma, linguistics or language, this is the book for you.

As much as I admired the author?s conviction and skill, ?Searching for Lost City? seemed to me a missed opportunity. By taking such an elegiac and despairing tone, Elizabeth Seay manages to depress the reader without conveying much of the beauty and complexity of Native American language and culture. Her quest, as exemplified by the title, is to find something lost?large communities of people speaking Native American languages in Oklahoma. Very early in the book the reader is told this is a near-hopeless task, and the tone of the book takes a fatal downward plunge. Her extensive reporting and research are apparent, but I struggled to motivate myself to keep reading. Why not celebrate the language communities that do exist, even if you have to leave Oklahoma? That said, this book did beautifully describe a part of the country that few go out of their way to visit, and Seay made a convincing case for Oklahoma as an underappreciated landscape with a fascinating history and mix of people. Overall, well done but a major downer.

This book was a joy to read. It felt like I was reading Seay's journal of her adventures in seeking Native American speakers in Oklahoma. I never would have thought I'd be interested in the subject matter, but the book, given as a gift, was truly fascinating. It was written beautifully, with detailed descriptions of the people,the landscapes and the her feelings of seeing it all. I learned a great deal from a serious book that read like a novel. She made it all come alive. I highly recommend this book!

Seay is a wonderfully descriptive writer, and this book is refreshingly nonacademic -- especially considering the subject matter. She read the right works and talked to the right people. However, her unrelenting negativism is hard to swallow. This is definitely a "glass half-empty" book. I've had the pleasure of meeting many of the people mentioned in the book and was astonished by the unflattering portraits she painted of them and their work - sometimes just insulting. Several things people told to her in confidence do not really seem appropriate to be published. The vast majority of this book revolves around Cherokee, when there are over 30 Native languages spoken in Oklahoma. Despite the dour tone, I'm glad the book was written but would only recommend it to people with little or no familiarity with the Native American world.

So, you've made it through a year of college-level classical Greek -- Attic, or perhaps one of those texts that starts out with Homeric Greek. Now you're ready to read the Iliad, the single greatest work of western literature. What you now need is a good solid school text, with vocabulary, grammatical appendices, and copious notes. This is the book for you. I used this as an undergraduate years ago and still cherish my hardcover copy. This is a new, paperback edition, presumably the same old standard-issue Benner. I know of none better. I've seen lots of school editions of the Iliad, many pre-dating and some post-dating Benner, but none compare with this edition for overall utility. Is there anything as exciting as reading the Iliad in Greek? It seems curious, perhaps even paradoxical, that a 2700 year old poem is as pure and as fresh as the morning dew, more alive and vibrant than anything that has been written since. For those who are coming to the poem for the first time, you can't do better than to have an old schoolmaster like Benner take you through the best parts of the poem with lots of helpful guidance.

This is a good resource for all the books of the Iliad; however, someone just beginning to read Homer or any original text may need more help than Benner provides. Consider either Iliad I by Pamela Ann Draper or Iliad I by Simon Pulleyn. Draper is better on nuts and bolts grammar and has the vocabulary on the facing page. Pulleyn has the vocabulary in the back of the book, but is better on literary and historical issues. His introduction is excellent: wide-ranging but concise; written in clear, stylish, non-academic prose. These texts cover only Book I. This is a good thing since it allows both authors to limit the vocabularies and Pulleyn to provide a complete commentary on that one book.

This text is probably the best choice for those who have spent a year learning the basics of Homeric (or Attic) Greek and want to experience some payoff for all the hours spent conjugating second aorists and declining endless varieties of third-declension nouns. The selections consist of long excerpts (five books of the Iliad are included in their totality) of the best parts of the Iliad. As a whole, the selections comprise a sort of "Essential Iliad" inasmuch as they convey the scope of the entire poem from the wrath of Achilles to the burial of Hector.
My only gripe with the editors' choice of what to include is with the omission of Hera's deception of Zeus.

Along with the selections is a commentary which helps elucidate those words and phrases here and there that are likely to cause the relative beginner trouble in construing the sense. In general, the commentary is quite good, though it does let the reader down from time to time. It won't, for example, explain to you what the connective particle in line 8 of Book One means even though no beginner will know what to make of it. Thus, a bit more help could have been given, particularly in the area of particles.

In addition to the commentary, there is a vocabulary comprising all the words used in the excerpts. This is a real bonus, since rifling through big lexicons can be tedious, particularly for a relative beginner. Also, all hapax legomena (words used only once) are listed at the bottom of every page of text.

All in all, then, Benner's Selections From The Iliad is a must-have for those who want to expand upon an elementary understanding of Homeric Greek.

I have a great sentimental attachment to Benner's Selections, as it was with this textbook that I first read Homer in Greek. I loved the selections, etc.!

However, as students have later come to me with their Homer reading projects, I've placed this side-by-side with the notes in M.M. Willcock's "Iliad of Homer: Books I-XII" and "Iliad of Homer: Books XIII-XXIV," and it just doesn't measure up. Willcock's work is fresher (1978/1984 vs. 1903), and he gives better and fuller help with Homer's language. (Also, he happens to be the more sensitive reader of Homer's poetry.)

If there's a reason to stick with Benner, it's that it's cheaper and gives excellently chosen selections (grammar overview + text + notes) in one volume, as opposed to Willcock's two-volume format covering the entire Iliad. Also, you've just got to love a book (=Benner) that begins, "This edition of the Iliad includes the books commonly required for admission to American colleges..." Also, Benner has a wonderfully written and complete glossary in the back, whereas with Willcock you need also to buy a good Homer lexicon (that is, Cunliffe's "Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect," which is much better than Autenrieth's brief work IMHO).

Allan Rogers Benner provides us with a wonderfully complete book that would allow anyone with at least a moderate knowledge of Attic Greek to explore the world of Homer in the original (as of 300-or-so BC) text.
The text is set up in such a way so as for a beginner in the Homeric language to work their way through without much trouble: the book starts with an enlightening commentary on the state of the language itself as we have it in addition to contextual and historical analysis. The text itself uses a font which is more than large enough to recognize all of the accents and breathing marks as well as the iota-subscript. He has selected passages from some of the more important parts of the epic, Books I, III, IX, XVIII, and XXII are all even contained in their entirety for example, and there are also passages from numerous other books. Additionally, Homeric hapaxes (words that only appear once) are glossed on the bottom of the page. After the text, there are almost 150 pages of notes to aid in the understanding of trickier passages, and there are also Attic equavilances of archaic Homeric forms. Benner also provides a very brief overview of Homeric language both morphologically and syntactically that is ideal for reference should one encounter an unfamiliar use of an optative, for example. And lastly, and most importantly, there is a complete glossary in the back to avoid the unfortunate shuffling between books often required of beginning classicists.
Overall this book is absolutely ideal for an introductory college-level course in the Homeric dialect, and very well deserves to become the standard such text used. This book is also perfect for someone who would like to work on their own on reading the Iliad in Greek, provided of course they have at least some background in Attic forms and syntax. Benner deserves high praise for his work and efforts, as he has truly produced one of the greatest texts for Greek students at the intermediate level.