Sunday, May 15, 2016

proof/editing Book Review - Sitting Bull


The Bull Who Would Not Sit

While there are many history books we study today who tell a tale of the Battle of Little Big Horn from the side of the United States and its loss, there are few who tell the side from the victor who refused to stand down, Sitting Bull.  Gary C. Anderson’s biography entitled Sitting Bull and the Paradox of Lakota Nationhood might just fill in this gap.  The title of the book would suggest this book is not just about Sitting Bull, but suggests an interesting paradox will be illuminated.  Anderson details for the reader the contradictions regarding how hard and long the Lakota had to fight to be established as independent from the government, and the contradictions that are visible when they are finally pronounced as a “nation.”  Even though the government eventually made this pronouncement, they historically continued to fail to recognize them as such.  They actually withheld the pronouncement until such a time when the Lakota Nationhood was least capable of acting as a nation.  Thus, the paradox.  Anderson felt there was much sentimentalism already surrounding Sitting Bull, which wasn’t his goal.  He wanted to tell a less biased account of his rise to chiefdom and what was accomplished under his leadership of his people to attempt to simply survive as they always had.
As the U.S. government used its army to attempt to reign in the “hostile” members of the Lakota people and bully them into adapting to their own culture, Sitting Bull refused to allow this to occur.  He fought against the U.S. Army in many battles as a result of the attempts to use Manifest Destiny to claim the lands moving west.  The U.S. wanted gold, they wanted to expand their railroad, and the Indians were in their way.  By the massive slaughtering of the buffalo, the tribes were depleted of their food source and died off.  By the use of Manifest Destiny to take over the lands and their treaties forcing them to register or be considered hostile, the government continued to press west, with no concern for the claim of the land the Indians had always populated.  Most tribes refused to fight against the government and were unable to defend themselves against their overtaking of their lands.  While others were sitting down and allowing this to occur, one leader refused to comply.  Sitting Bull used his strong, spiritual leadership abilities to battle against the U.S. and their forceful ways of taking the land belonging to his nation.  He refused to sit back and allow this to occur.  Anderson stresses the historic Battle of the Little Big Horn was won not so much as a mishap by Colonel George Armstrong Custer, but more so due to the past successes of the Lakota Nation and the leadership of Sitting Bull, himself.  Finally, a story told from the other side.  Anderson stresses how Sitting Bull’s stand against the American government and its armies has left an impact that has shaped the culture of many Native Americans’ way of life.  While he does not give an in depth look at the life of Sitting Bull, he provides many highlights which make the reader want to know more.  While his political and cultural sides are discussed, there are many areas left unexplored in this short, quick read.
While that may be a plus if you are looking for just an overview or what occurred during a specific time period, it could be a negative for many readers.  Some readers who may not be well-versed in American history may feel as if they are missing the background necessary to get a full understanding of the ideas Anderson is attempting to convey.  The condensed life of the Lakota Sioux during the time of Sitting Bull’s leadership is only covered.  This leaves the reader having to possibly refer to other references in order to get a full understanding of what happened before and after.  Many areas are only touched on by Anderson and not explored as in depth as some readers may desire.  As the title encourages someone to wonder what the “paradox” is going to be, Anderson does not get to that subject until the very end.  This leaves the reader wishing they had that information at the beginning so that they are better able to relate it to all of the material they are reading.  Some may have to go back and re-read the book to get a better understanding of this issue in Anderson’s layout of this writing. 
Whereas individual readers have various purposes for the desire to know more about Sitting Bull, this short read is a start to get an overview and a thirst to know more about his leadership and his attempts to lead his people to independence.  Highlights of his relationship with the U.S. government and his battle to defend their land are covered well, while Anderson also discusses aspects of their culture, such as the Ghost Dance, and Sitting Bull’s importance in that culture.  This biography discusses a crucial conflict in history, the Battle of Little Big Horn, from a new and different interpretation as normally seen.  Anderson felt Americans should acknowledge the willpower, leadership, determination, and courage of a man like Sitting Bull before he and his impact on Native American and American history are forgotten and lost, like much of other history.  This book would be recommended for the reader who wants to know more about the specific time period of the reign of Sitting Bull and the story of his people from their view point.  It is not recommended for the reader desiring an in depth look at the overall life of Sitting Bull.  The reader might want to have other resources available to understand many issues only touched upon, and explore those as well. 


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