Customer Reviews

Geronimo: A Biography

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This is a very thorough book on Geronimo, the Apaches, their hard life in the southwest, relations with whites, their many army oppoenents, reservation life and and atrocities on both sides including relations with Mexicans. The book starts with an explanation that Apaches actually stand for a generic name for many tribes such as the Warm Springs Apaches, the Chiricahuas, Mescaleros, etc. The author discusses the great Chiefs before Geronimo such as Cochise and Mangas Coloradas. Surprising to learn that initially the Apache got along well with the stage line until an incident ocurred involving a young Lt. attempting to get the return of a hostage by seizing Cochise and and others as hostages. This was primarily because of the Army's inability to distinguish one group of Apaches from another. The book recalls the bloody total war between whites and the Indians, the efforts of agents such as John Clum, frustration with the selections of reservations and poor rations, problems with alcohol (Tiswin), the capture and frequent escapes to freedom by the Apaches and their incredible ability to survive in what appears to be hostile land. Geronimo takes the lead in resistance with his tribe of Chiricahuas that over time is pared down due to constant battle and pressure from both north and south of the border. Great detail on General Crook's use of Apache against Apache and the rise of Lt. Gatewood who is the frequent contact of Geronimo. Incredible description of Geronimo's stronghold in the mountains of the Sierra Madre. Total war on both sides with bounties up to $100 for each of their scalps and no quarter by the Apaches. Tremendous book on Geronimo who is finally defeated not by his admirable adversary Crook but by the egotist General Nelson Miles and the reduction of Geronimo's band to 35. Miles caps it all off by not recognizing Gatewood's accomplishments and sending Geronimo packing for far longer than he agreed to. You will be surprised to learn where Geronimo is buried.

Please ignore the first review. Alexander Adams' biography of Geronimo provides a well researched presentation of the struggles of many noted Apache leaders in their efforts to cope with a succession of foreign invaders. The book documents America's near total disregard of peace agreements. Adams' efforts to present a Native viewpoint of events is not itself biased, though he does point out bias (against indians)in the contemporary reporting of Geronimo's time. The themes are somewhat repetitive because Adams documents the succession of broken promises, and outright lies, that were visited upon one after another of the Apache leaders. It acurately places US and Mexican dealings with Geronimo's people in context as a shameful chapter is U.S. history. As to being dull, well, if a description of a repetitious American policy of ethnic cleansing seems dull, so be it. Rather than being biased, Adams avoids use of a double standard, but does point out, for example, that there was an outcry when women and children were killed by indians, but that the same (or worse)was ignored when US or Mexican troops,... or ranchers, or miners, did the same. Maybe such even handed treatment would seem like a double standard to one steeped in Eurocentric descriptions of history. And, well, it does describe how a (white) raid on a peaceful, treaty abiding rancheria, tended to make the attacked Apaches' break their agreement to remain at peace. But is that treachery, or self defense? Its prose may not match Evan Connell's Son of the Morning Star, but it is very worthwhile reading.

(Unabridged tape version) I was curious about Geronimo, so I picked up this book. It started well, setting the stage for Geronimo's rise. Adams lays out the geography and politics of the time very well. But then the story begins to get very dull.

Every battle and every agreement is painstakingly set up. The author notes that the white man shamefully broke every promise (Geronimo was a clever tactician when he broke promises). After a few of these, it gets a little dull. No, very dull. That may, in fact, be the history of the Southwest, but it doesn't mean that it is interesting reading.

Good setup, poor payoff. I would recommend finding another biography.