Empire of the Summer Moon - book review

We often mention books in our posts, but we've never devoted a post to a single book. We both just finished reading this title and it definately seems worthy.

Empire of the Summer Moon (S.C. Gwynne) is the story of Quanah Parker and the Comanches, the notorious tribe that terrified Texans and pioneers in surrounding regions in the mid 1800's. Thoroughly documented, yet written in a fresh exciting style, the book includes the origins of the Comanche reputation as supreme horsemen and warriors, the history leading up to the young Quanah's rapid rise in power, and follows the war chief 's life to his his eventual death.

Quanaha's mother, Cynthia Ann Parker, was kidnapped by the Comanche as a young girl and as much as can be known about her life as the wife as a Comanche chief are included, revealing some little known facts about the Comanche culture. The impact of seemingly unrelated events, such as the Civil War, on the Comanche and the settlers in the region draw a well-knit picture of the nation's history.  It's fascinating reading, and there's much here that should inform our dealings with tribal cultures today.

A great read any time, but especially while traveling in the Texas and Oklahoma areas, where you'll recognize so many of the place names and geographic features described in the narrative. If you tend to avoid historic non-fiction thinking it's dry and boring, this book will change your mind in a hurry!