Customer Reviews

A Good Year to Die: The Story of the Great Sioux War

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4 star:		(1)
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Rather than concentrate on one battle or campaign, Robinson sets the stage for the reader to follow the movement of all the actors playing a role in the drama across the seasons of the war. I used this book as an orientation to the conflicts of 1876 prior to a trip to Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas to visit battle sites while on vacation. My trip was greatly enriched by reading this volume first. You can find more concentrated studies of particular engagements and the biographies of the participants that will offer deeper insights into the war, but for one overall narrative that provides the reader with the flavor of the contemporary army and Indian experience, here's my choice.

The depiction of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, especially that based on eye-witness accounts is riveting. It shows how different this battle was for the Lakota from the type of fighting they were used to, and what a feat it was for Crazy Horse to have pulled them together to fight in the manner of the white men, even if it was for one time only. The feeling I came away with was that Custet had learned the style in which indians fought, just in time for Crazy Horse to learn to fight like the Cavalry. Both were brilliant military minds.

This is by far the best book on the Army's conflict with Native Americans since "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee". It treats the material as a campaign rather than a series of seperate battles, so that Little Big Horn is treated as part of a whole. The author also describes the personalities and deeds of several Indian characters, not just Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. This is an eye-opening recounting of an important part of US history and a look at one of the greatest guerilla forces ever to wage war against the American Army.

I have read several books about the Sioux Wars so i wasnt really sure i wanted to read another one, but Mr Robinson's book is fantastic.He writes taking in consideration that the reader doesnt know anything about the topic so he explains with good accuracy terms and places like no other author. The author is bold and right on the money when it comes to point a finger at somebody, like for example the stupidity of the Army officers.I found that the interviews and research the author made for this book are very good, especially from the indians perspective.The only thing i didnt like is the fact that Mr Robinson doesnt go into details when it comes to Crazy Horse.I would have loved to read more about Crazy Horse part in this Wars.Otherwise this is an excelente book!

I thought this was a well written book, which gives good detail of the war between the Indian and the new American in the Sioux area of the Dakotas, Wyoming and Montana. It does not key in on one player but gives you all the key players during the times concerned. I also want thank the supplier who sent the book in excellant time and a book which was in excellant condition.