So I don't really care for U.S. history much. I find it boring. I know this is a character flaw, I guess. But this year the UIL Social Studies competition will focus on a book that I found fascinating. Admittedly I don't usually read the assigned UIL book but this year I opened the book to read the first page or so and I couldn't stop. It was that good.
The book, Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne, is an excellent read. Gwynne relates the last years of the most powerful Indian tribe in American history, the Commanche. He focuses particularily on Quanah Parker, a Commanche who was actually half anglo. His mother was kidnapped at an early age by Commanches. She married a chief and later gave birth to Quanah who was destined to be the last great war chief of the Commanches. She herself was eventually returned to white "civilization" where she tried desperately to escape back to the tribe she loved.
I grew up in Indian Territory (Oklahoma and Kansas) and so Indian stories usually put me to sleep since I've heard most of them. But Gwynne does an amazing job making the dust of the Llano Estacado come alive. Most of this book was a revelation for me. His book pulls no punches as it describes rape, torture, scalping and bloodshed on the plains. Most of the story takes place on areas I'm familiar with spanning the Red River down into Texas where I live now.
Quanah eventually met Teddy Roosevelt, spoke at the State Fair of Texas and became a celebrity on par with Geronimo who he called a friend. His story is both tragic and poignant. Well, if you want a better review than mine check out the New York Times Review HERE. But I would definitely add it to my reading list whether you like history or not.
