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on April 29, 2017
This is one of the most heartbreaking and terrifying books I have ever read. I hope that it becomes a staple of reading lists for American history classes. It is an incredibly well told story of a staggering real world evil in an America only two or three generations removed from our own. You should read it. It won't take long - it is, though it feels crass to say so, a genuine page-turner. And I at least will likely wrestle with it for a long while. Man o man.
on May 7, 2017
I'll keep it simple.
I'm horrified and ashamed of the atrocities people will commit to gain extra cash in their pockets. This story needed to be told, and it fascinating the amount of detail that went into describing the horrors of that period of time. Certainly a lot of jumping off points into further readings from history.
Reads quickly, easily, and is highly thought provoking. Worth the time. I highly recommend it.
One aspect that had it been included, would have really helped solidify some of the information is a time line with events and people. There are so many people involved, and so many connections and mysteries, that I was beginning to forget when something happened and who was involved, or how someone was related, or what their role was. Its not that I forgot, but I would love to refer back to that in conversations about the book. I suppose I could have taken notes, but that didn't occur until later. And so I just leave that as a suggestion. A couple of pages at end of book with a quick who's who.
I'm horrified and ashamed of the atrocities people will commit to gain extra cash in their pockets. This story needed to be told, and it fascinating the amount of detail that went into describing the horrors of that period of time. Certainly a lot of jumping off points into further readings from history.
Reads quickly, easily, and is highly thought provoking. Worth the time. I highly recommend it.
One aspect that had it been included, would have really helped solidify some of the information is a time line with events and people. There are so many people involved, and so many connections and mysteries, that I was beginning to forget when something happened and who was involved, or how someone was related, or what their role was. Its not that I forgot, but I would love to refer back to that in conversations about the book. I suppose I could have taken notes, but that didn't occur until later. And so I just leave that as a suggestion. A couple of pages at end of book with a quick who's who.
on April 22, 2017
This one I couldn't put down. What an incredible period in Oklahoma history that I never learned about until now. The author captures an era of lawlessness and greed in frontier life and shares a piece of history that almost remained untold. Thank goodness David Grann didn't let this one die. I really enjoyed this book and hope this story is included in future history classes. A cautionary tale demonstrating the level of greed and heartlessness that can sometimes take hold in people's hearts.
on May 3, 2017
This book would be a fascinating read for anyone, but as an Oklahoman, I couldn't put it down. As I'm reading, I'm trying to see if I recognize any names and can glean insight into why one family that I know in Pawhuska is the 17th largest land owner in the US and got their start with a Trading company in Hominy and numerous businesses in Pawhuska. This family has now made a killing from the blog, kitchenware line/etc-popular on the Food Network. I don't know if they did anything shady back in the day, but after reading the book I can't imagine they had no part in it, given they owned a bank, and would have had numerous ties to the financial situation of the Osage. If no ancestor of this family was given guardianship over an Osage, I'd be shocked. The book explains what that entailed. Also, public record shows that in that family, the husband, brother and cousin have received over 100 speeding tickets in the past few years, and 40% of them have been dismissed by the county judge who frequents their home. Shocking that small town Oklahoma still has a different set of rules for the rich. How much have things really changed in the past 100 years in that regard? Grann gives a few stories at the end that show the murders of the Osage was much more wide spread than anyone thought. He says he doesn't want to name names, given that the alleged perpetrators can't defend themselves. I'd love to see what information he has. Every white family in Pawhuska, OK could have been innocent of the atrocities a hundred years ago, but it seems highly unlikely. Sad how later generations can financially benefit from ill-gotten gains, at the expense of the Osage. What the Osage endured is a tragedy and I'm glad Grann is exposing it, as so few Americans and Oklahomans are familiar with the story. I hope it shines a light on the inequities still taking place in the area. Fascinating read, and a reminder that things are often not as they seem.
on May 2, 2017
Growing up in Oklahoma I have always heard about the murders of the Osage for their oil rights. Jefferson was an absolute pig, as was Hoover. Natives have been so mistreated and still are to this day. Read this book and hold on to your heart because this will break it.
VINE VOICEon May 11, 2017
Not an easily forgotten tale of a little-known period in our history. I had never heard of this story before nor of the Osage tribe. Thoroughly researched and written, this dark chapter in history will resonate through the years. Worthy of a Pulitzer, this book is a standout.
on May 3, 2017
Great book. An easy read, well written. What a sad chapter in American history displaying greed and corruption in our legal and political systems. While "justice was done", not everyone received the justice they deserved. The ending was disappointing in that the FBI didn't move forward with other investigations and this displayed a major failing of the leadership within the FBI..
on May 3, 2017
David Grann has now established himself as a preeminent purveyor of popular nonfiction with this reexamination of a long forgotten chapter of our nation's bloody history in dealing with the Native indigenous population. The book reads like a novel with Old West desperados, prohibition gangsters and stoic lawmen vying for the oil money of the suddenly rich Osage tribe. Author Grann's extensive research even solves a century old crime and the haunting photographs complete the tale. To reveal more would deny readers the pleasure of discovering this neglected story for themselves.
Author Grann brings to life a series of horrible crimes against the Osage Indians, the FBI's attempt to solve them in new book.
HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICEon May 24, 2017
When the Osage Indians were exiled to (there's no other word for it when you displace a people out of sheer greed or because you've taken their land) to Oklahoma, the U.S. Government didn't anticipate that they would be sitting on a gold mine--the area was rich with oil and gas. This allowed a poor Indian community to suddenly become something more as oil barons dangled lucrative contracts to drill on the Osage land as the demand for oil and gas rose.
As is often the case, the federal government decided that the Osage Indians weren't up to handling their own affairs (no doubt driven by prejudice) and brought in guardians some of whom went on to loot the fortunes these people were sitting on. Corruption and greed inspired some residents to begin murdering the Osage Indians in the area to gain access to the very fortunes they were supposed to protect.
J. Edgar Hoover decided that these killings would be a perfect showcase for his new agency the FBI and appointed one of their top agents former Texas Ranger Tom White who discovered an insidious plan by a snake pit of people to take away the fortune that the Osage had killing over two dozen of the tribe.
David Grann's excellent book Killers of The Flower Moon takes us behind the scenes into the investigation and sets up the circumstances under which these individuals were killed in what was a tight knit community. Grann's book makes these events from the early 1920's seem vibrant and alive rather than a dusty case buried in the past.
The irony is that, of course, human nature hasn't changed and these type of crimes could be committed anywhere even in the United States today as we see a rise in white nationalists and the naked, blatant greed of the wealthy in an attempt to disenfranchise people. It's a sad comment on our society today that these events, with a change of the players, could be reported in the current news.
As is often the case, the federal government decided that the Osage Indians weren't up to handling their own affairs (no doubt driven by prejudice) and brought in guardians some of whom went on to loot the fortunes these people were sitting on. Corruption and greed inspired some residents to begin murdering the Osage Indians in the area to gain access to the very fortunes they were supposed to protect.
J. Edgar Hoover decided that these killings would be a perfect showcase for his new agency the FBI and appointed one of their top agents former Texas Ranger Tom White who discovered an insidious plan by a snake pit of people to take away the fortune that the Osage had killing over two dozen of the tribe.
David Grann's excellent book Killers of The Flower Moon takes us behind the scenes into the investigation and sets up the circumstances under which these individuals were killed in what was a tight knit community. Grann's book makes these events from the early 1920's seem vibrant and alive rather than a dusty case buried in the past.
The irony is that, of course, human nature hasn't changed and these type of crimes could be committed anywhere even in the United States today as we see a rise in white nationalists and the naked, blatant greed of the wealthy in an attempt to disenfranchise people. It's a sad comment on our society today that these events, with a change of the players, could be reported in the current news.
