The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn Review
This is my first book on the battle and Philbrick brings it to life with great clarity. No one debates the importance of the event or the inability of history to reveal what actually happened but the author does an incredible job delivering a compelling narrative from fact, witness confusion, and credible supposition (much like speculating on the Franklin expedition).
One thing Philbrick cannot avoid is that "true prodigy of war - charismatic, quirky, and fearless" - none other than Colonel George Custer.As the author points out "Custer was more of a cultural lightning rod than a historical figure, an icon instead of man." But he does chip away at the hyperbole and saint-making that has made Custer a significant figure in American history. On the other side of the battle is, of course, Sitting Bull. He too has been oversimplified in many ways but Philbrick shares him as a spiritual and sympathetic leader who carried the burden of the loss of his way of life. These two eventually died alongside family members with Sitting Bull losing a son and brother at his later death and Custer dying at the battle with two brothers, a brother-in-law, and a nephew.
The book is replete with other interesting facts like; 40% of the 7th Calvary were born outside the US, one gold mine in the contested Black Hills yielded an estimated billion over the next hundred years, the practice of Counting Coup, though Custer was called "Long Hair" by his adversaries he was actually going bald, Custer finished last in his class at West Point yet experienced a meteoric rise in stature and rank when in battle, and Custer's brother Tom who died in the battle was the only soldier in the American Civil War to twin two Medals of Honor.
Given that this was one of the greatest defeats in American military history, analysis and debate will carry on and on. I especially enjoyed learning about Custer's subordinate officers Frederick Benteen and Marcus Reno who may or may not have reacted well tactically when confronted with their leader's obvious strategic flaws of underestimating the strength of the enemy and by splitting his forces. As the author points out the battle "is much like an unsolvable crossword puzzle: a conundrum that can sustain a lifetime of scrutiny and debate."
The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn Feature
- ISBN13: 9780670021727
- Condition: New
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The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn Overview
The bestselling author of Mayflower sheds new light on one of the iconic stories of the American West
Little Bighorn and Custer are names synonymous in the American imagination with unmatched bravery and spectacular defeat. Mythologized as Custer's Last Stand, the June 1876 battle has been equated with other famous last stands, from the Spartans' defeat at Thermopylae to Davy Crockett at the Alamo.
In his tightly structured narrative, Nathaniel Philbrick brilliantly sketches the two larger-than-life antagonists: Sitting Bull, whose charisma and political savvy earned him the position of leader of the Plains Indians, and George Armstrong Custer, one of the Union's greatest cavalry officers and a man with a reputation for fearless and often reckless courage. Philbrick reminds readers that the Battle of the Little Bighorn was also, even in victory, the last stand for the Sioux and Cheyenne Indian nations. Increasingly outraged by the government's Indian policies, the Plains tribes allied themselves and held their ground in southern Montana. Within a few years of Little Bighorn, however, all the major tribal leaders would be confined to Indian reservations.
Throughout, Philbrick beautifully evokes the history and geography of the Great Plains with his characteristic grace and sense of drama. The Last Stand is a mesmerizing account of the archetypal story of the American West, one that continues to haunt our collective imagination.
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Customer Reviews
A Compelling Version of Custer and the Last Stand - HardyBoy64 - Rexburg, ID United States
What I loved about this book was the readability of the prose. Structurally, the presentation is not completely chronological, which interested me very much. This history book, then, is presented with a contemporary literary structure and Philbrick's narrative voice is compelling and dynamic. I appreciated very much his ambiguity of the historical events as, like a good historian must do, he carefully weighs the different accounts of the battle and considers the likelihood of each version. While I enjoyed the author's "Mayflower" very much, I connected more with this book and I consider it to be one of the best history books I've ever read. I must read other books by this author/scholar. Highly recommended!
The Last Stand - Daniel W. Wilson - Indian River, MI US of A
Always enjoy Mr Philbrick's books and this no exception, old story of Custer's last stand but freshly retold.
Clash of nations and personalities - Neil The Unreel - MD
History is constantly being rewritten and in this case - Amen! Just reading the research notes is almost 100 pages. Few books are as well-researched and fewer as well written. All of the leaders of the Seventh Calvary sound like characters out of "Bonfire of the Vanities" by Tom Wolfe. They are all out for themselves and suffer from petty bickering. Custer was an egomanic, but also a brillant leader of men in combat. The book gives a clearer picture of Custer and the battle than anything I have ever read. I took a Native American History course and Custer was the focus of study. He was out to win the glory of the battle and died as an American West icon. The real villian of the story was a nearly always drunk Major Marcus Reno. Captain Frederick Benteen played his fair share in the military disaster, but rallied the men and saved many, despite taking a nap in the middle of a battle.
If there is one undisputable noble hero from the story, it is Sitting Bull. Not only are both sides of the battle examined, but all personalities are dissected. Sitting Bull was not only a brave military leader of his people, but a dominating politican. The aftermath of the battle and the demise of the Plains Indians is also detailed. The Last Stand chronicles the battle, the personalities, the politics and the end of the Wild West. A great read.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 05, 2010 18:34:09
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