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Books : A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn - the Last Great Battle of the American West |
List Price: $26.99Amazon.com's Price: $17.81 You Save: $9.18 (34%)Prices subject to change.
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.82
EAN: 9780316155786
ISBN: 0316155780
Label: Little, Brown and Company
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 544
Publication Date: March 24, 2008
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Sales Rank: 7279
Studio: Little, Brown and Company
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
In June of 1876, on a desolate hill above a winding river called "the Little Bighorn," George Armstrong Custer and all 210 men under his direct command were annihilated by almost 2,000 Sioux and Cheyenne. The news of this devastating loss caused a public uproar, and those in positions of power promptly began to point fingers in order to avoid responsibility. Custer, who was conveniently dead, took the brunt of the blame.
The truth, however, was far more complex. A TERRIBLE GLORY is the first book to relate the entire story of this endlessly fascinating battle, and the first to call upon all the significant research and findings of the past twenty-five years--which have changed significantly how this controversial event is perceived. Furthermore, it is the first book to bring to light the details of the U.S. Army cover-up--and unravel one of the greatest mysteries in U.S. military history.
Scrupulously researched, A TERRIBLE GLORY will stand as ta landmark work. Brimming with authentic detail and an unforgettable cast of characters--from Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse to Ulysses Grant and Custer himself--this is history with the sweep of a great novel.
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
I finished this book last nite. Gads, what did we do? How was this extermination of the Indians allowed by a loving god, let alone by us Christian white people? I wonder we can live with ourselves. I know it's easy to judge the dead, the times and dangers were so different,..still I can't believe our policy, even our glory, was to kill women and children and old men. As a Republican white middle class guy,..after reading this book I just feel tremendously ashamed. Like I committed a murder and never got punished for it. I want to make amends for what we did to the native americans. I want to take my family to Little Big Horn Park, ..I want to show my kids the whole story from both sides. Thank you, author, for an exceptional labor of love in this very moving book.
Rating:  -
Terrible Glory -- good name for a terrible book. If you are looking for someone pimping for Custer and Benteen this is the book for you. Custer can do almost nothing wrong and Reno can do almost nothing right. According to this book Reno was drunk most of the time during the Little Bighorn battle -- except Reno saved most of his command and Custer lost all of his. Save your money.
Rating: -
"Courage, boys, we've got them." These are reported to have been among the last known words of George Armstrong Custer as he lead 210 men of the U.S. 7th Cavalry into combat with more than a 1,000 Sioux and Cheyenne warriors.
"A Terrible Glory" is James Donovan's 388-page account of the principle Indian and non-Indian characters and their actions in the events leading up to, during and after the legendary Battle of the Little Bighorn on 25 June 1876. Donovan documents his fast moving, well crafted but almost matter of fact narrative with 83 pages of footnotes and a 24-page bibliography. There are also generalized maps showing troop movements and the location of events (most of which, apart from the largest one reproduced three times - on both end pages and just after the title page - being too small to easily read) and 48 photographs of American soldiers, civilian, Crow and Arikara army scouts and Sioux war chiefs.
In addition to his detailed telling of the 25 June combat itself, among the more interesting aspects of the story as told by Donovan, in my opinion, are:
1. The role and character of Custer's civilian, Crow and Arikara scouts: they all warned Custer that the Sioux gathering was the largest assembly of Indian warriors they had ever seen and advised him - to no effect - that it was too dangerous for him to engage such a large force. All reportedly acquitted themselves well according to their assigned tasks and the army's expectations. ... Read More
Rating:  -
This is a well-documented reference that provides an interesting insight into the political workings and influences within the U.S. army at this time in history. It also provides a sad awareness of the utterly irresponsible actions of the U.S. government, and the "White Man" in general, as it pertains to the treatment of the native Indian tribes of North America------a sad tale of how "The end justifies the means." seemed to be the operational motto for the U.S. government.
Rating:  -
I am 3/4 of the way through this book. Yes, it reads well. Yes, there are some errors and even some questionable use of source material (in my opinion). But still, it is a good story that Donovan tells. But it should be read in conjuction with other books on the topic and not as the final word. And Donovan does slant things against Reno. Yes, Reno may be guilty of not fulfilling his duty that day (and quite honestly, not being a war veteran, I don't feel completely comfortable criticizing the guy) but the following is a clear example of how Donovan clearly has it in for him:
p. 461 (bottom)-- Captain Thomas French told a New York Times reporter that Reno had been DRUNK during the hilltop fight and had hidden himself from the command..." NY Times, January 19, 1879.
Now here are the actual words from that newspaper clipping:
"Capt. French, of the Seventh Cavalry, who is credited with great bravery at the battle of Little Big Horn, and a coming witness before the Reno Court of Inquiry at Chicago, stated today that he saw nothing of Major Reno from the evening of June 25 until noon of June 26; that Reno was out of sight, and that he (French) could not find any one who did see him; in other words, that Reno slunk away in a hole and left the command to Benteen."
Please, will someone tell me where French said Reno was drunk?
Again, the book must be read with caution and with so many footnotes, many that are hard to confirm without seeing the ... Read More
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