Book Review

Just for something different I am going to do a book review of Empire of the Summer Moon by S. C. Gwynne.

I like murder mysteries and thrillers but am always looking for a good non-fiction book to read. Sometimes I will start one and about half way through find it is too boring to finish. So, this is a good one! Here are a couple of good things about it:

1) Mr. Gwynne illustrates both sides of the "rise and fall of the Comanches." You don't come away feeling totally sympathic toward the Americans (or Mexicans or Spanish) or the Comanches. (Note: after rereading this comment I will have to amend it by saying that Mr. Gwynne portrays how unfairly and stupidly the Americans and the American government acted toward the Comanches. Whether you consider this a fact or an opinion, I guess, is debatable!)

2) Inside of the timeline of events are fascinating facts that he has thoroughly researched, so the book does not become dry.

Inside the story of the rise and fall of the Comanche Indian tribe is the story of Quanah Parker and his mother, Cynthia Ann Parker, the famous white girl, who at the age of 9 was captured by the Comanches and, years later, ransomed back. We see the Texas Rangers and how they began and became skilled by copying fighting tactics of the Comanches.

Most of all is a wonderful picture of the Comanche Indians, how brutal and terrible they were, but yet how sad the whole picture is of their defeat and move to reservations. We don't meet Quanah until about halfway into the book, but then we learn a lot about him.

Still, you have to enjoy history to like this book. There are lots of facts about Texas history. I do recommend it.