Customer Reviews

A Sorrow in Our Heart: The Life of Tecumseh

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"A Sorrow In Our Heart" is definately one of Eckert's best historical novels, right next to "The Frontiersmen" and "Dark and Bloody River". It, of course, tells the story of the Shawnee leader Tecumseh, who has been hailed by many as the greatest Indian leader of all time. Tecumseh came closer than any other before or after him to saving his people from total destruction by the whites on the eastern frontier in the early 19th century. In the end, Tecumseh's death is not just a loss in the Indians' long struggle against the Americans, it signals the death knell for their way of life, as their defeat in the War of 1812 sealed their fate on the North American continent. A great and a wonderfully entertaining book, history has never been so hard to put down.

Eckert's A Sorrow in Our Hearts is nothing short of a masterpiece, and will assuredly stand the test of time, perhaps as no other "Native American" history book before it. I have read many hundreds of books on Algonquin history, and nothing I have seen comes close to A Sorrow In Our Hearts in being fair to the individuals involved. Eckert's portrayal of Tunskwatawa as a misguided opportunist may irritate some, but it holds together as the most credible explanation of how things turned out. I turn to this volume over and over again and it never ceases to amaze me the amount of useful information that it contains. It maintains a high level of historical accuracy without losing the mystical feeling of standing in Tecumseh's presence, seeing the world through his eyes, and the bracing sense of strength, courage and upliftment that those around him must have felt. If there were a sixth star to award this book, I would not hesitate to add it to my review.
I have stood by that battlefield where he died and heard the accounts of his demise and burial from a descendant of those who were there and I sense the greatness of the man, and somehow Eckert has managed to do him justice through a medium that is not always compatible with the Algonquin way, and it makes me feel that sorrow to which he refers. We all must die sooner or later, but Tecumseh was still a young man (younger than I am now) when he died at the battle of the Thames. When I am buried, let them lay me to rest with only a well worn copy of Eckert's A Sorrow In Our Hearts in my hands.
Evan Pritchard
Professor of Native American History, Marist College
author of Native New Yorkers, The Remarkable Legacy of the Algonquin People of New York;
No Word For Time, the Way of the Algonquin People, etc.

GROWING UP ON THE BANKS OF THE OHIO, I'VE HEARD EVERY LEGEND THERE IS CONCERNING TECUMSEH. I USED TO WALK TO THE SHAWNEE BURIAL MOUNDS WHICH ARE AN ARROW SHOT FROM MY PARENT'S HOME IN SILOAM, KY. I OFTEN TRIED TO IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE TO LIVE BACK THEN. WHILE NO HISTORIAN WILL EVER BE ABLE TO DECIFER WHAT IS TRUTH AND WHAT IS FOLKLORE. ALLAN W. ECKERT IS ABLE TO SEND YOU BACK IN TIME AND PLACE YOU AMONGST THESE HISTORICAL FIGURES. AND WHILE THIS WORK IS FICTIONAL IT IS ALSO BASED ON REAL CHARACTERS. ALLAN W. ECKERT IS TRULY AN ARTIST. WITH THE PAGE AS HIS CANVAS AND FACTS, MYTHS, AND LEGENDS, AS HIS INKS. HE PAINTS AN EXCELLENT PORTRAIT OF THIS LEGENDARY SHAWNEE'S LIFE.EXCELLENTLY WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED.

A review and recommendation by Elizabeth Brock

A Sorrow in Our Heart: The Life of Tecumseh is a riveting biography of one of the most important men in the United States' history. However, those who want to read about Native Americans only to be politically correct should look elsewhere.

Eckert seems unafraid to write accurately about the history of our country. He glorifies neither the Native American nor the white man. He graphically describes savagery of both Indians and whites. Eckert's impartial account of how both sides partook in the spiral of revengeful, horrific acts can be difficult to face, but it is a testament to his willingness to delve into both the glory and ugliness of the past. Eckert's impressive list of other titles and his willingness to identify and explain in this book mistakes he made in previous books assures the reader that he is dedicated to documenting the truth. Eckert's passion for accuracy and meticulous documentation (as evidenced in 172 pages of Amplification Notes) of how he arrived at his account of actual events are fascinating in themselves.

This book unravels layer by layer. The author thoroughly explores the Ohio River Valley, the expansion of the United States, the mysticism of Tecumseh as a Shawnee leader and prophet, the treachery of sibling rivalry, the paradox of Tecumseh and William Henry Harrison's mutual enmity and admiration, and the stunning contributions of native peoples to the culture and vocabulary of America. (He also weaves in some incredible accounts of the tenacity of the legendary frontiersmen Simon Kenton and Daniel Boone.)

The reader's persistence in overcoming the book's volume and the difficulty of so many Native American names is well rewarded by the gains in knowledge and appreciation for the people and events that shaped North America during the turn of the 19th century. The reader's time is not wasted.<P

I have a new hero. I recently came across this excellent biography of the great Indian leader Tecumseh, and I'm stunned. First, by Tecumseh. This brilliant warrior and visionary understood that civilization is insatiable, and that one must never make peace with the culture that uses any means necessary to kill the indigenous, and to kill the land. This is a powerful account of necessary resistance to the depredations of the dominant culture.
I'm stunned also by the writing. Allan W. Eckert is an extraordinary writer, and tells Tecumseh's story beautifully and movingly. The book is very hard to put down.

I highly recommend this biography for older children (15+) or anyone interested in the early American history. It is about Tecumseh, a Shawnee warrior in the Ohio territory in western America during the period from 1768 to 1812. He was witness to the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

The book reads like a colorful novel with plenty of "amplification" notes for extra historical detail. Life was rough in those days for Indians and settlers. There was a lot of distrust on both sides. During this time England, France and America are vying for control of the new world and the various Indian tribes were in the middle of it all. Much of the story takes place in locations familiar to many of us; Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois for example.

It is the story of Tecumseh's amazing life and his efforts to unite native Americans to defend all Indians against the white settlers and their government. It is brutal at times.

The narrative is told from the perspective of the Indian. But I found Eckert to deal pretty evenly with both sides. That was one of the reasons I enjoyed the book so much. Indians and whites both had their fair share good and evil characters. Hope you check it out!

Here is a quote that I really liked:

"So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home."

Chief Tecumseh, Shawnee Nation

The book is competently written. But the wealth of detail creates the nagging impression that the story is too well crafted. Other biographies of Tecumseh acknowledge the difficulty of finding details in the chief's life, yet this book fills in details to the extent of including dialogue. As a documentary-style "recreation" it certainly fulfills its role and for someone looking to discover what it was like to live during this period, the author delivers very well in that regard. But researchers would need to read other Tecumseh biographies in order to find the balance required for their work.

Having read Wilderness Empire, Blue Jacket and The Frontiersmen, A Sorrow in the Heart, ranks as the author's finest contribution in helping modern Americans come to an understanding of the geography, historical context and people - both common and uncommon, who shaped the history of the Old Northwest. In my youth I canoed long stretches of the Little Miami River, had hiked from Old Town to the George Rogers Clark Memorial and had bicycled the warriors trail. I am going back to Ohio this Spring, with my copy of this book, to trace the life of a man whom I knew in the most general of terms but now, as an adult, place in my pantheon of true heroes. I credit this book for my rediscovery of these men of uncommon courage and my deep admiration for this Kispokotha Shawnee. Eckert paints sweeping portraits of events and men in a manner that celebrates their strengths, exposes their foibles and always,treating them as the men they were. A must read!

Years ago I walked with Tecumseh when I read A Sorrow in Our Heart. Not wanting that experience to end, I soon after re-read the book. Walking along the river, I see Tecumseh; seeing the stars at night, I watch for the shooting one, the panther passing across, for Tecumseh. As I see the memorials for Whitley, the "Indian killer", I see Tecumseh. The memorials for Harrison's men at Battleground push me across the swamps to the east to the town Tecumseh built and the Prophet caused to burn after singing battle cries across the swamps to the west where we too have stood on Prophet's rock.

So many books read, so many books forgotten. But A Sorrow in our Heart brings together many of the bits and pieces that remain from the time when the land where I live forever changed hands. A people living in balance with nature were so at odds with a people trying to constantly change nature to suit their purposes.

The warfare that became such a political issue is at last presented from both sides and helps us understand the deep need for revenge so many felt, explaining to us why the battles continued until one side was nearly annihlated. The atrocities were very real, but not all from one side as made very clear in this book. Revenge is a cancer all of its own. Eckert does present Tecumseh very favorably, as one with the power to rise above and be a diplomat as well as a warrior, but references of Tecumseh from those living in his time indeed present him as a person deserving of the place in history Eckert has finally given him. The native culture is presented to us not as a utopian past, but in a wide enough coverage to let us see differences in politics, morals and lifestyles which comprised the fabric of a people whose future would at the least be forever changed and at the worst forever ended. It is only natural from our understanding of history that times of such upheaval bring forth extraordinary leaders out of necessity. That is the case here. Heroes and heroines arise from need. Tecumseh is the one for his time and his people. He senses the importance and consequences of his actions in the book which I do not believe was contriving too much fictional license from Eckert. I have read extensively of this time period and Eckert compiled and conveyed information superbly. For those wanting a very readable account, the need is met. For those wanting a more thorougly reasearched historical account, reading the endnotes concurrently will more than satisfy the most insatiable appetite for facts.

At last the wounds are old enough for perhaps both sides to see and accept some of the whys and question a lot of the injustice. Eckert's thorough use of sources should help people realize the depth of the injustice. The mark of a good book is one which lives on. It has been years since I have read A Sorrow in our Heart but it is always there in view. The writings within arise as I see our muddy waters; watch our plowed ground erode away; hear people struggle with how to deal with prisoners, land use, wildlife management; and wonder what the planet will be like for future generations. For Tecumseh lives on in our hearts although our sorrow is deep. He brings to us a conscience and a reverence which brings hope to our future. One cannot understand American history without this book in their heart.

This is an outstanding book about the greatest leader (white, black, or Native American) to ever step foot on the North American continent. The author uses an incredible amount of research to trace Tecumseh's life from birth to death. Eckert's narrative style of writing makes the book very enjoyable to read. I have read many biographies of Tecumseh and this is by far the most detailed and probably the most accurate. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Native Americans and their history especially if you live in the Ohio valley. The fact that I now know the history of the area makes me proud to live there. I also recommend any of Eckert's other books. He is an amazing author.