The opening and certain assertions made in this book should be addressed, especially regarding the lack of sufficient native perspective and the offensive language used without clarification. This book is definitely one to avoid.
This book is definitely not for me! I couldn't even make it through the first chapter. It's a shame, but I just don't think I can trust the content of this book. It's a complete waste of both time and money.
This book takes a viewpoint from a white cowboy and focuses heavily on sensationalized accounts of "Indian" acts of violence, while lacking substantial factual information. I would strongly recommend skipping this one.
The book 'The Heart of Everything That Is: The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend' can be seen as promoting racism and a Eurocentric perspective. It serves as a clear demonstration of the significance of having Native history narrated by Native individuals who possess a deep understanding and respect for their own culture.
At times, it was a bit challenging to keep up with the story, but overall, I found 'The Heart of Everything That Is: The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend' to be a fantastic and captivating read.
This book serves as a powerful testament to the unjust actions of our government and the white citizens who supported them, as they forcefully took Native American land without making any effort to understand their culture or respect their legal practices and property ownership. The treaties that were made were nothing more than empty promises, as they were torn up and disregarded whenever greed-driven miners or settlers sought to claim what wasn't rightfully theirs. This inevitably led to the forced displacement of native peoples in the name of progress and civilization. It comes as no surprise that the tribes fought back fiercely under the leadership of individuals like Red Cloud. While the acts of native warfare were undoubtedly brutal, the U.S. Army failed to achieve any glory through their indiscriminate murder of non-combatant natives. As a retired army officer, I find their actions during that period to be deeply shameful. Personally, I have no sympathy for the miners, settlers, trappers, hunters, and others who lost their lives while attempting to take land that rightfully belonged to the native people. After all, the fight against injustice and the pursuit of freedom is what defines the American way.
As a researcher and author specializing in Plains Indian culture and history, I couldn't even bring myself to finish listening to this book. I don't even know where to begin with the numerous flaws. The research, if any was done, seems woefully inadequate as the author presents blatantly false statements. I'm actually contemplating requesting a refund, which would be a first for me. It's truly unfortunate because Red Cloud's War is an incredibly fascinating and unfortunately overlooked conflict, but the audiobook version falls disappointingly short. The author and publisher should feel ashamed for reducing such a meticulously researched and debated subject to a mere caricature.
All the positive reviews seem to come from individuals who have little to no knowledge about the era, let alone the Powder River country or the Platte during the 1860s. It's not their fault, really. The narrator's enthusiasm and animation do a good job of selling the so-called "history." However, there's a vast difference between introductory history and what can only be described as a cartoon version of history that you might find on the History Channel. Unfortunately, this audiobook falls into the latter category.
This audiobook is truly unique as it delves into the perspective of Native People, shedding light on the immense efforts made by the US government to unlawfully acquire their land and essentially eradicate them, much like they did with the buffalo. It's the first and only book I've experienced that provides such crucial insights.
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