Rating: 
Summary: A Beautiful and Compelling Biography
Review: This is a highly unique biography and is a well-deserved classic in the world of literature. Sandoz did not write the standard Native American story from the point of view of the outsider (that is, the white conquerors), but created a book that feels as if it was written by the Indians from their own world view. Sandoz had the great advantage, in the 1930s, of interviewing still-living oldtimers who really knew Crazy Horse, and her combination of first-hand Indian accounts and meticulously well-crafted prose makes for an extremely compelling story of the last years of Indian freedom. In fact, this is not so much a biography of Crazy Horse, but a much larger story of the Lakota (Sioux) people in which he is the central character. The book does not include much historical detail, as that would be the white man's method of writing, so for such information on late Sioux history you would have to look elsewhere (such as *Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee* by Dee Brown). However, we do get a book full of beautiful and poetic prose such as "there was a star with a long white tail to speak of good things," and consistent use of Indian terminology such as "burning cup" for whiskey or "soldier chief" for army officers. This style of writing does make the reading of this book stiff and long-winded in places, but Sandoz must be commended for her very unique and moving methods. In the end, Crazy Horse himself comes across as a troubled loner among his people, a bit manic-depressive but a strong leader and warrior, and he remains as dark and mysterious to us as he was to his friends and enemies. And as usual for Native American histories from this period, the end of the story gives us the depressing loss of the people's freedom and the noble but hopeless efforts of a great leader to save his people. Concerning the special 50th anniversary edition of the book, you can ignore the rather sycophantic introduction by Stephen B. Oates, but the stunning cover painting by Ed Lindlof is almost worth the price of admission alone. [~doomsdayer520~]
Rating:
Summary: Crazy Horse is one of the TRUE heros in American history
Review: This is one of the first books I have read in a while where I wasn't able to put it down. The story of Crazy Horse's life is so compelling, and inspiring. His commitment to fighting for the rights of his people even in the face of defeat is a quality contemporary America could learn a lesson from. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Crazy Horse is one of the TRUE heros in American history
Review: This is one of the first books I have read in a while where I wasn't able to put it down. The story of Crazy Horse's life is so compelling, and inspiring. His commitment to fighting for the rights of his people even in the face of defeat is a quality contemporary America could learn a lesson from. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: A thorough understanding of a complex Lakota mystic/warrior.
Review: This is probably the most comprehensive biography of an Indian leader that I have ever read. The research is painstaking. The book was written in novel form and makes for an excellent read. Although there are no pictures of Crazy Horse, Ms Sandoz' first hand information from people who knew him creates an indelible snapshot of the man. He was a mystic, a visionary, a defender of his people, a modest man, who wore no fancy regalia, who never bragged after he had accomplished something great. His own people were ambivalent about him, and called him the Strange One or the Silent One. Moreover, he had fair complexion with light hair and brown eyes. He wanted desperately for his people to speak with one mind and with one heart. But the divisions within the Lakota people were simply too strong. What is most interesting is the tension between Crazy Horse and Red Cloud. Red Cloud is not painted in a positive light in this book. He is shown as petty, jealous and desperate to show up Crazy Horse. Wherein Crazy Horse was a 'natural' at everything he did, it was not so with Red Cloud who was forced to live under the specter of Crazy Horse's natural aptitude, particularly in matters of war. As a matter of fact he was one of the Lakota that held Crazy Horse down when he was fatally stabbed in 1877 by a white guard at Fort Robinson (Crazy Horse's vision as a young boy had prophesized his murder at the hands of his own people). Red Cloud is much lauded for being the only Native American to beat the cavalry soundly (Fetterman fight). In fact, it was the brilliant strategist Crazy Horse that won that fight. He had learned the ways of the white man in terms of war tactics and applied them brilliantly. Crazy Horse was certainly not without his faults, the matter of running away with another man's wife springs to mind. The Author is scrupulously fair in her assessment of him and of the time in which they lived. In the end Crazy Horse was not able to unify his people - he had his followers, and Red Cloud had his. The book is elegrantly written, paints a thorough picture of a tragic time in American history as natives ultimately fell into poverty, starvation and despair. The buffalo was gone. As noted in the preamble to the book, Natives of Turtle Island, were the victims of 'historical inevitability'. Ho.
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: This is unlike anything that I've ever read before. I can't say that I quite knew what to make of it when I started reading. Somewhere a couple of chapters in, this book just grabs you and you start realizing what an amazing piece of writing and history it is. The whole thing is told in the voice of the native american people. I'm blown away by this book!
Rating:
Summary: A Flawless Biography of a Unique American
Review: What can you say about a shy, slender, half-blind woman, about five feet in height, who slept on the open prairie, lived with Indians on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation, interviewd the likes of Black Elk, He Dog, Short Bull, Red Feather and others who personally knew Crazy Horse, who had already struggled for years as a writer before penning the ultimate biography of America's first authentic hero? From page one of "Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of the Oglalas" there is a sense that something spectacular is being recorded for posterity, never again to be witnessed by a living being. We are fortunate that Mari Sandoz lived during a time when the legend of Crazy Horse was still able to be told by those who knew and lived with him, but even more fortunate is that this amazing biography was written by an artist of the highest order. The story of the great Lakota warrior who refused to let his heritage be destroyed by the white man, will make you weep and wish you could have ridden with him on that open prairie.
Rating:
Summary: A Flawless Biography of a Unique American
Review: What can you say about a shy, slender, half-blind woman, about five feet in height, who slept on the open prairie, lived with Indians on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation, interviewed the likes of Black Elk, He Dog, Short Bull, Red Feather and others who personally knew Crazy Horse, who had already struggled for years as a writer before penning the ultimate biography of America's first authentic hero? From page one of "Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of the Oglalas" there is a sense that something spectacular is being recorded for posterity, never again to be witnessed by a living being. We are fortunate that Mari Sandoz lived during a time when the legend of Crazy Horse was still able to be told by those who knew and lived with him, but even more fortunate is that this amazing biography was written by an artist of the highest order. The story of the great Lakota warrior who refused to let his heritage be destroyed by the white man, will make you weep and wish you could have ridden with him on that open prairie.
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