What I'm Reading

This was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2011.  It's a fascinating account of the Comanche nation in the 1800's.

A Comanche warrior could, from 50 yards with his bow and arrow, strike an object the size of a door knob 4 out of 5 times. He could unleash an arrow with such force from 10-15 feet away that the arrow could go completely through the body of a 2000 pound bison if it didn't hit bone.

This is a fascinating account of the character of the conflict between the Comanches, other Indian tribes, and the settlers in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Colorado.  There was plenty of blame to go around on all sides. The entire story is consistent with the biblical view of mankind being fallen. No side had a monopoly on virtue.  But what is clear is that the modern mythology that the native Americans were poor innocent lambs is...absurd.

Well worth reading.

Empire of the Summer Moon - S.C. Gwynne

Empire of the Summer Moon spans two astonishing stories. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. The second entails one of the most remarkable narratives ever to come out of the Old West: the epic saga of the pioneer woman Cynthia Ann …

S.C. Gwynne