Customer Reviews:
History paid for.......2007-09-24
History paid for.
The fundamental fact that Peter Matthiessen didn't mention in his detailed account of the American Indian Movement, the so called "Reign of Terror" at Pine Ridge in the early 1970s, the brutal murder of two severely wounded and defenseless federal agents and the trials of Leonard Peltier and his co-conspirators, is that while researching, interviewing and writing ITSOCH, he was under contract to share the profits with Leonard Peltier. That guaranteed him unlimited access. Hardly objective reporting.
Matthiessen did however go through great lengths to provide a tremendous amount of detail even if the bulk of it came from the usual suspects themselves.
In the end though, he was also convinced of Peltier's guilt. He shunned Peltier's only real alibi, that someone else, a Mr. X, whom they all knew and Matthiessen skeptically interviewed. Matthiessen was "Taken aback by this unexpected story." And when it came down to the basic facts of the killing of the two FBI agents he said "If there is another persuasive explanation of the location and position of their cars, I cannot find it."
Matthiessen also reported that one of Peltier's key attorney's, Williams Kunstler believed Peltier was guilty as well: "I know Bill Kunstler (another of the AIM lawyers) thought they killed the agents, but he believes that they were innocent whether they did it or not."
But it must be inordinately embarrassing for Matthiessen, The Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, Peltier, and his supporters to know that someone of the stature of Alan M. Dershowitz, the distinguished Harvard law professor, said that Matthiessen "is utterly unconvincing - indeed sophomoric - when he pleads the legal innocence of the individual Indian criminals. The American Indian Movement - like every militant fringe group - contains its share of violent criminals who seek to glorify their predatory acts under the flag of the movement." "...(and) not only fails to convince; he (Matthiessen) inadvertently makes a strong case for Mr. Peltier's guilt. (New York Times, book review March 8, 1983.)
Because it provides much detail, ITSOCH is a good reference for comparing prior statements of the participants in the murders of special Agents Jack Coler and Ron Williams to their later contradictions and subsequent claims, all of which have changed over the years. It does serve as a good foundation and litmus test to further demonstrate Peltier's guilt.
Best History of AIM.......2007-03-26
This is a sweeping history of the American Indian Movement and Indian activism in the 1960s and 1970s. It covers the major events such as the siege of Wounded Knee and the arrest of Leonard Peltier. It examines in detail the Oglala Sioux reservation at Pine Ridge and its chairman Dick Wilson and his battle with AIM and Russel Means. Other AIM leaders such as Dennis Banks are examined as are the various trials sourounding AIM activism. Those are the books strengths, its weakness is that it does not give a good overview of the state of Native Americans in the U.S in thsoe two decades, concentrating instead on the places where activism took place and where shots were fired. However their were another hundred reservations where such things did not take place, including large reservations such as the Navajos and it would have be nice to learn more about politics and economies in these places.
Remarkable read........2007-03-24
This is an distubing yet fascinating book. Matthiessen has such a gifted way of putting the reader into the reality of the situation. Not a book for a reader who believes that the government is all good and correct, or maybe it is. Justice for 'face saving' and 'revenge'.
Terrible events and wonderful writing!
An infuriating portrait of injustice.......2006-09-19
I'm often deeply suspicious of writing as political as one finds in this book - I greatly admire Matthiessen's writings on travel, nature and Buddhism, but found his novel "At Play In The Fields Of The Lord" a bit ham-fisted in its' approach, even when I agreed with it's sentiments.
But after a few reads, several years apart, IN THE SPIRIT OF CRAZY HORSE stands as a great, damning document - it's a piece of work that is impressive and massive, and will leave you infuriated.
The entire work is built around the trial and conviction of Leonard Peltier, and rather than simply recount the events or press an agenda, Matthiessen goes to meticulous lengths to contextualize and cover every side of the background. The history of the Sioux Lakota is covered extensively, as are the social conditions (health, income, education, and the infamous violence) on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The AIM (American Indian Movement) emerges on Pine Ridge, and it should be noted that the reservation is officially two counties - Shannon and Jackson, which were administered from elsewhere in the state, and run by Bureau of Indian Affairs appointees, instead of by an elected government (the case in most US counties). These appointees' extreme and unorthodox tactics in administering the reservation dovetailed nicely with FBI surveillance and subversion of suspected subversive groups, including AIM, and the paranoia generated set the stage for the firefight and subsequent trial.
Matthiessen expends considerable effort in the attempt at giving both sides a space to speak, not extremely successfully from an objectivity standpoint, but well enough for the purposes of this book: Matthiessen also unearths and publishes a vast array of court transcripts and legal documents; a certain point of view does begin to emerge, and Matthiessen admits where his sympathies lie, but generally, this is a book in which the FBI and various individuals within the government of South Dakota hang themselves with their own words. And they do this consistently, over hundreds of pages, and when afforded many opportunities by Matthiessen to justify or clarify themselves, they fail to do so repeatedly.
Such Machiavellian governmental machinations were an unfortunate part of the political landscape during the Nixon era (this has not necessarily changed with the passage of time); this is one of the most devastating documents of that ruthlessness (see William Shawcross' SIDESHOW for a second, scary glimpse at this political tendency), and Matthiessen - through meticulous investigation and research - goes out of his way to be fair. Give this dense and - at times - difficult book some patience; the history lessons and legalese do have both a point and a payoff - this is a far more infuriating document of injustice than any simple agenda-based hatchet job could ever be.
-David Alston
What a great book!.......2006-09-09
Having assumed that I had read countless volumes of Native American history, here I find another compelling book that brings anger and frustration. All I can say is that I am on a mission to learn more and more about Mr. Peltier. Many books that I have read before this one did not shed the kind of light on him that was deserved. I have to admit that other AIM followers had different views of him and it only makes me courious, and again I'll find another story. But that is the greatest thing about our American History, it has never been written with the truth at the heart of the writers pen. I can only hope that one day Mr. Peltier will be free, and whatever occurred during that day of confusion will be the truth, but by then it will only be another 100 years of history gone wrong. We will probably never know the truth.
Book Description
Crazy Horse was as much feared by tribal foes as he was honored by allies. His war record was unmatched by any of his peers, and his rout of Custer at the Little Bighorn reverberates through history. Yet so much about him is unknown or steeped in legend.
Crazy Horse: A Lakota Life corrects older, idealized accounts--and draws on a greater variety of sources than other recent biographies--to expose the real Crazy Horse: not the brash Sioux warrior we have come to expect but a modest, reflective man whose courage was anchored in Lakota piety. Kingsley M. Bray has plumbed interviews of Crazy Horse's contemporaries and consulted modern Lakotas to fill in vital details of Crazy Horse's inner and public life.
Bray places Crazy Horse within the rich context of the nineteenth-century Lakota world. He reassesses the war chief's achievements in numerous battles and retraces the tragic sequence of misunderstandings, betrayals, and misjudgments that led to his death. Bray also explores the private tragedies that marred Crazy Horse's childhood and the network of relationships that shaped his adult life.
To this day, Crazy Horse remains a compelling symbol of resistance for modern Lakotas. Crazy Horse: A Lakota Life is a singular achievement, scholarly and authoritative, offering a complete portrait of the man and a fuller understanding of his place in American Indian and United States history.
Customer Reviews:
Crazy about the book........2007-02-22
A thoroughly enjoyable, beautifully written and informative true story.
This book opened my eyes to the life and times of not only the Lakota Indians but to the hardships of the Native Americans in general.
A worthy first book by Kingsley Bray and I patiently wait for his next.
Not what I expected.......2007-01-04
As of this writing I have completed the first four chapters but wanted to put down my initial impressions. Sadly, I am somewhat disappointed. I was expecting the text to contain an analytical study of the life and times of Crazy Horse in which the author presented multiple views and reminiscences relating to Crazy Horse and tried to arrive at a reasonable conclusion. However, what the author has done is present unsubstantiated details as facts in the text and even tries to tell us what Crazy Horse was thinking during certain events. How can he know this? This is really what Mari Sandoz did, but updated with a lot more details added to the story.
Another example is in chapter 4. Bray supplies a quote and declares the speaker to be Man Afraid of His Horse. But in the footnote at the end of the book, he states that the quote came from an unidentified speaker, but in his opinion, it was Man Afraid. My opinion is, he should have written the words "perhaps spoken by Man Afraid of His Horse" in the text of the book. As it is, others will now quote Bray and follow his lead, until the speaker becomes Man Afraid in future books, with the "perhaps" being all but forgotten. Maybe I'm too sensitive to this, but it irks me.
Overall, this book is fun to read, but has not, at this point, met my expectations.
Update--
I have now finished the first 8 chapters.
At the close of chapter 6 Bray makes it clear he is suffering from hero worship when he writes: The career of the Lakota people's greatest warrior had begun.
Perhaps "one of the greatest" would have been more realistic.
On page 77 he states that the Lakota declared "open war" on the Americans [1864]. He goes on to state that it was a "major offensive." Further down the page we find that this "open war" and "major offensive" never amounted too much more than stealing stock and killing an occasional straggler. He should have put this entire episode into better perspective and pointed out that despite the big talk, their initiative was rather lacking and uncoordinated.
On p. 78 he states that the emigrants and militia were "trigger-happy." Well, after reading the preceding pages and understanding the danger then existing, this "negative" [as the author presents it] comes across as perfectly understandable. You'd have been "trigger-happy" too, under the same conditions, not knowing who was friend and who was foe.
Based on the above examples, Mr. Bray appears to be losing all objectivity. And considering the amount of work that he put into this book it is really too bad. I don't mean to sound too harsh. But this manuscript could have used some more editing and critiquing.
01-16-07
I have now finished the first 10 chapters. Bray likes to write things like "Crazy Horse's warriors," without explaining how he knows this. On pp. 113-114 he provides a quote by Louis Simonin (The Rocky Mountain West in 1867) and CREATES a scenario that involves Crazy Horse and Man Afraid of His Horse. He is certainly reading into it, as the original mentions neither man. This is called creative writing and there is LOTS OF IT in this book.
Another MAJOR complaint about this book is the author's failure to provide a chart to help the reader keep track of all the bands, leaders, and their relation to one another. It is almost impossible to follow unless you start writing it down yourself at the beginning. This is a major distraction. He just keeps throwing names (both bands and people) at the reader like it was nothing.
This book could have been a masterpiece and the last word on Crazy Horse. I think Bray should go back and rework the book.
A more appropriate title for this book is "Speculations on the Life of Crazy Horse."
2-1-07
I am not commenting on every detail of this book. But I frequently spot-check footnotes for accuracy. This exmaple is typical of this book and why this book crosses the line of history and novel (which is not how it is marketed): On p. 220 Bray quotes John G. Bourke (author of On the Border with Crook). Bourke, p. 415 (Bison Book edition), relates a very brief story about Crazy Horse and his participation in the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Bray takes this story and places it at a precise point in the battle and even supplies the scenario in which it occurred. None of this is alluded to in Bourke's account. Bray takes constant liberties with his source material. Creative, sure...but is it history or one man's imagination? This is very dangerous from an historical perspective. If this book was presented as a novel, it would be a great one and get 5 stars. But as it is, I can only give it 2.5 to 3. And the book is not user friendly. I don't like having to keep flipping to the back to read the footnotes. And I find all the Lakota political goings on quite impossible to follow. It actually comes off as rather snobbish.
3-1-07
It took a long time, but I finally finished this book. Bray is consistently overly wordy and this book could have been 100 pages shorter. Many of his paragraphs could have been condensed. Overall, it was a lousy editing job, assuming the book was read/edited at all.
Also, for some reason Bray fails to speak about why Crazy Horse was so obessesed with going on a buffalo hunt once on the reservation, as if this would set everything right in his life. It wasn't so important for the other leaders and headmen, but for Crazy Horse this was of MAJOR importance. Everything was riding on it. Bray fails to attempt to analyze this very obvious topic. Also, towards the end of the book there is a footnote where he says to see an old Chicago newspaper account for alternative details to Crazy Horse's death, as if this is such a simple thing to do. In a book that is already too long with repetitive sentence structure that only serves to bog down the reader, would it have mattered to include this bit of useful information?
Having said all that, this is the best book currently available on Crazy Horse, it's just not the best book that could have been written. Unfortunately, it will probably be a long time, if ever, that someone attempts to do this again.
Crazy Horse: A Lakota Life (Civilization of the American Indian).......2007-01-04
Worth the read for those who want depth on this subject. I would term it more a political history of the Great Sioux Nation than a biography of Crazy Horse although he is the central figure. Mr. Bray's research deserves great respect and reflects years of work. But the conclusions he reached from that research should be regarded as one perspective, and not the final word on the subject. There are some great differences of opinion in Indian Country on the genealogy presented here. Having said that, in terms of grasping an understanding of the subject matter I highly recommend it.
Satisfying insights not to be found elsewhere........2006-12-12
CRAZY HORSE: A LAKOTA LIFE provides a fine survey of the famous leader who has become an icon of Native resistance. What is less known is that he was feared by tribal foes as he was honored by his friends: this survey corrects idealizations of his nature and life and uses a rang of sources outside of the usual biographical world to reveal his personality. These other sources were interviews of his contemporaries and modern Lakotans alike, and provide satisfying insights not to be found elsewhere.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Book Description
On the sparkling morning of June 25, 1876, 611 men of the United States 7th Cavalry rode toward the banks of the Little Bighorn in the Montana Territory, where 3,000 Indians stood waiting for battle. The lives of two great warriors would soon be forever linked throughout history: Crazy Horse, leader of the Oglala Sioux, and General George Armstrong Custer. Both were men of aggression and supreme courage. Both became leaders in their societies at very early ages; both were stripped of power, in disgrace, and worked to earn back the respect of their people. And to both of them, the unspoiled grandeur of the Great Plains of North America was an irresistible challenge. Their parallel lives would pave the way, in a manner unknown to either, for an inevitable clash between two nations fighting for possession of the open prairie.
Customer Reviews:
A new perspective.......2007-08-23
I have been a big fan of Ambrose and have read most of his books. I grew up in Montana and was aware of "Custer's Battlefield". The name was changed from Custer's Last Stand to the Battle of the Bighorn. Very appropriate.
Ambrose opened my eyes to the policy of the government as it related to the "Indian Wars". He does a great job in positioning both Custer and Crazy Horse throughout their lives and how they were destined to meet in SE Montana.
This book helps me understand how the Native Americans were treated and mistreated during the opening of the west.
If you are a history fan, I encourage you to read Stephen Ambose's works. His details allow you to put yourself in the shoes of an observer to history. Check out Undaunted Courage if you want to see the world through the eyes of Lewis and Clark.
Great introduction to 2 somewhat parallel lives.......2007-06-10
I went into this book primariliy interested in crazy horse, yet by about half way through i was captivated with custer. Many of Mr. Ambrose's detractors say he stretches the facts. This could easily be true, i am in no way an expert on either crazy horse nor custer. Yet when i walk away from this book i dont remember many facts but more so feel as though i have a sense of who these two individuals were and how they operated in their respective worlds. If i was writing a dissertation on the topic i probably wouldnt cite this as a source, at the same time i think this is a great introduction book to crazy horse, custer, and the indian wars. Overall its a captiviating and fun read, enjoy!
Crazy Horse and Custer.......2007-01-09
Excellent book-goes into depth about both of their lives and the parallels between them.
Death in Battle - Death in Peace.......2006-08-30
They are books like those written by Stephen Ambrose which keep the flame of my interest in reading of times and events of long ago burning. Some have accused Ambrose of taking too many liberties with the facts. To those I would say, Bah Humbug! This book is well written and worthy of the readers time, unless, of course, you are a "fact-checker", in which case the original sources, to the extent they even exist, might be more to your liking. For Orginary Joe's, like me, Mr. Ambrose has provided a good deal of reading entertainment and information. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be transported in time and place to the high plains during the Indian Wars.
Interesting.......2006-08-04
Great study of two complex personalities. I never realized what a mysterious figure Crazy Horse was, and his integral role at the Little Big Horn. Ambrose, as usual, does phenomenal research and his gift of prose make this book a pleasure.
Book Description
As the peerless warrior who brought the U.S. Army to its knees at the Battle of Little Bighorn, Crazy Horse remains one of the most perennially fascinating figures of the American West. Now Joseph Marshall—a masterful storyteller, historian, and descendant of the same Lakota community that raised Crazy Horse—goes beyond that image in this one-of-a-kind portrait of the legendary leader. Drawing on extensive research and a rich oral tradition that is rarely shared outside the Native American community, Marshall gives us a uniquely complete portrait of Crazy Horse, from the powerful vision that spurred him into battle to the woman he loved but lost to circumstance. The Journey of Crazy Horse celebrates a long-standing community's enduring culture and gives vibrant life to its most trusted and revered hero.
Customer Reviews:
Crazy Horse comes to life!.......2007-10-08
As a history instructor at a junior college, I highly commend Mr. Marshall for his first class work on the esteemed Crazy Horse. Based on the centuries-old tradition of oral history that is passed down from one generation to the next, Marshall relies on the many traditions of his youth and adulthood.
He has created a work that goes far beyond the idolization of heroes of the past. He presents Crazy Horse as the magnificent leader of his day but the author also tells of a mortal human being with strengths and weaknesses, as all leaders have been throughout history.
Marshall takes us to a time and place in our minds that is both vivid and revealing. The author has written a masterpiece, providing maps and an index explaining the various names given by the Lakota of the months and how they coincide with the Eurocentric definition of the calendar year. This was most helpful.
Marshall closes his book with a very moving story that I hope is not lost on American Indian readers of his book. The insights of his last chapter are so needed today.
"The Journey of Crazy Horse is the fourth book by Marshall that I have read and his works are gems. I highly recommend any and all of Marshall's books and I plan to continue reading his entire collection of works. He is a superb writer and captures the reader. He was also featured in the film productions "How the West was Lost" and the PBS special "The Native Americans."
Mr. Marshall, never put that pen down!
Too lacking in analysis and references .......2007-09-03
This book is too lacking in the analysis of Crazy Horse's political and military strategy, it lacks references (its prime source is Indian word-of-mouth) and it is too much an hagiography. Nevertheless a decent introduction to the man and, much more importantly, his predicament.
THE JOURNEY OF A GREAT MAN ! (the life, loves, and battles of Crazy Horse).......2007-08-27
The Journey Of Crazy Horse (2005) is a biography/history of the Lakota Sioux legend, from the perspective of a Lakota Sioux historian and storyteller. Joseph M. Marshall III was raised on a Sioux Indian reservation and Lakota is his first language. He has collected an oral history passed from Lakota generation to Lakota generation, and combined that history with his own research on this fascinating, but reticent warrior, to give us a personal look at a man who has been a symbol of pride and excellance for generations of Native Americans. It's all here, from his lively and free boyhood days in the North American plains to the Battle Of The Little Big Horn and his eventual capture and death at the end of a soldier's bayonet. Light Hair, as he was originally known (he later took the name Crazy Horse, also his father's name) was a man who lived with a wounded heart. He had lost his birth mother as a young child, and the love of his life, Black Buffalo Woman, was politically influenced into marrying another, who she eventually left for Crazy Horse, but returned to the marriage when violence erupted over the matter. As the white man advanced from the east, and made his way into Sioux territory, some of the Indians exchanged their way of life for "land", cattle, and other goods that were offered to them. Crazy Horse would have nothing to do with it, and resisted that comprimise right up to the very end of his life. Revered by his own people and the whites as a great and courageous warrior, his humility and compassion were also legendary. With colorful images and authentic emotional narrative, The Journey Of Crazy Horse reads like a historical novel, but also provides an education in the the life of this remarkable 19th century Lakota Sioux warrior and his people, as they bravely fought to maintain their way of life. A book everyone should read.
A great biography.......2007-05-15
Mr. Marshall's history of Crazy Horse and the upheavals in the Lakota culture make for a spell-binding book. It is very interesting to view history from a Lakota perspective, as opposed to the white-written history books many of us were force-fed in school. The people who lived on the plains in the 1800's were not the "savage and untamed" monsters depicted in many history books, just as the white forefathers (Washington, Jefferson, etc.) were not the "holy saints" they were portrayed as being. Mr. Marshall shows how words can be twisted to suit an agenda; Indians killing white soldiers in battle was called a "massacre," while white soldiers killing women and children in cold blood was called a "great victory." Indians defending their land and way of life were said to be "uprising," while whites invading the Indian lands were said to be "taming the wilderness." Be prepared to have your eyes opened as you read this well-written and fascinating book!
WORDS CANNOT TELL HOW GOOD THIS IS.......2007-04-23
I don't listen to books on CDs preferring to read the book; but in this case my local library had only the CDs. Not only am I enjoying this book via CDs but I've ordered the hardcover copy for my home library.
To listen to this author read his own work is almost a magnetic experience: one is just drawn to what he has to say and the manner with which he says it.
I've read on the 'west' for years and have always wanted to hear the Indian viewpoint of many matters and can now do that. My major in college was anthropology and I have always felt the oral traditions from the plain's people offer a much closer truth than many of our own historians have either sought or achieved.
This is an excellant example of not only the truth of Crazy Horse but a collective insight into the Lakota people themselves. Just an excellent work deserving of all awards it may garner.
Semper Fi.
Average customer rating:
- A Good Start to the Series
- Anyone who loves horses should read this book
- This book is great!
- Seems Like So Long Ago.........
- I'm crazy for Horse Crazy by Alex Z
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Horse Crazy (Saddle Club(R))
Bonnie Bryant
Manufacturer: Yearling
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The Saddle Club - The First Adventure
ASIN: 0553484028
Release Date: 1996-04-01 |
Book Description
Carole Hanson and Stevie Lake have been best friends ever since they met at Pine Hollow Stables. So when Lisa Atwood joins their riding
group, the girls aren't sure she's got what it takes. Lisa may be the smartest student in the classroom, but she's got a lot to learn when it comes to horses. . . .
Customer Reviews:
A Good Start to the Series.......2007-06-27
Horse Crazy is the first book in the series. This book is a good start, but having read a lot of the other saddle club books, I think that Bonnie's done better. The book does keep you turning the pages, although some parts, such as Lisa instinctively knowing how to post and sit to the canter, are unrealistic. Riding can come easy to some people but there's no way that you'd figure out how to canter, basically your first time riding a horse! I did love parts of this book though, and would reccomend the rest of the series.
Anyone who loves horses should read this book.......2007-05-31
It all starts at pine hollow. Pine Hollow is a beautiful place that students go for horseback riding lessons. There is a new student at Pine Hollow her name is Lisa Atwood. She is a brilliant student some people know her as a strait A student. On her first day she meets Max, Pine Hollows owner. She has to so Max what she learned at the Zoo. In the middle of her section someone slams the gate door. Lisa was on a horse called pepper and he got spooked. In the middle Stevie played a trick on Lisa. Lisa thought that it was stevie who slammed the door when she was in there. Carole becomes Lisa's best friend and tells her that it was not Stevie who slammed the door. Lisa then becomes Stevie's friend. Lisa finds out about the over night mountain trail. In the end Stevie and Lisa are going on the MTO.
This book is great!.......2007-03-29
Okay, this book is about three girls: Carole Hanson, Stevie Lake, and Lisa Atwood. Lisa just started riding at Pine Hollow Stables, and before she knows it, she's made friends with the rich snob there: Veronica diAngelo. Stevie is a practical joker, and when she plays a prank on Lisa, Lisa plays a prank on Stevie. Will they ever manage to be friends?
Join horse-crazy Carole, practical joker Stevie, and straight-A Lisa in this amazing book of friendship, excitement, and horses! Oh, and if you like adventure stories that keep you on the edge of your seat, read Inkheart and Inkspell by Cornelia Funke. They're my favorite non-horsey books!
-horse-crazy, book-crazy, doll-crazy, 11-year-old
Seems Like So Long Ago................2006-09-22
That I used to read this series. I'm 24 now. I remember reading this series long into the night, by the light of a flashlight. I LOVE THIS SERIES! I don't ride much anymore, I've been long disinterested but when I did, I loved these books. Any horse crazy 9-12 year old would love them.
I'm crazy for Horse Crazy by Alex Z.......2006-01-23
I love this book. Stevie and her friends go to their riding school "Pine Hollow". Stevie does not have enough money to go on an overnight trail ride. Doing odd jobs, she gets enough money to go on the ride. Problems occur again when Stevie and her friends go to an electronic store. Stevie enters a contest and wins a cassette player. All of her saved money is spent on new cassettes; she has none left for her ride. Her parents offer to pay for the ride if Stevie improves her school grades. A great math project saves the day.
Customer Reviews:
the odds are crazy.......2006-01-14
Definitely worth reading, interesting views (not the normal speed, pace, bias, trip stuff). Wish book had more on handicapping however.
What's he selling?.......2006-01-07
This book seems to be more of a 200 page ad for Sheets than anything else. There are some entertaining elements and a little handicapping, but overall he seems to be stroking his ego and taking shots at Beyer's methods. The book is more of a commentary on Ragozin's life than insight into his methods.
The "Sheets".......2005-11-23
This is one of a few "must have" books for the serious handicapper. It explains the development of the racehorse in terms of speed. Rags has developed several angles that are now common racetrack jargon, such as the "bounce" and "looping back around" to a better back number. He explains several patterns of two year olds, then the three year olds, and finally older horses. Whether you buy the "sheets" or are a small better that uses the 50 cent track program, you will learn alot. Its a facinating read and I highly recommend it.
This book should definitely improve your handicapping........2002-07-01
You don't need to purchase The Sheets to benefit from Len Ragozin's insight. You may, as some have, find a way to incorporate his theories into your personal methodology. Understanding thoroughbred form cycles is critical to successful wagering and this book shows the way. But you will have to work a little to master the concepts he presents. Until Ragozin wrote this book I was mystified by the unpredictable declines and sudden rises in the performances of young horses. Now some of my best bets come in three year old races. And I don't subscribe to the expensive figures.
What I have learned is worth many times the purchase price.
An absolute "must" for anyone serious about horse racing.......1999-06-21
While Len Ragozin may, in part, be promoting his Sheet service, he does begin to impart very important information about the sport, handicapping, and some of the aspects of the game that necessitated the development of his number system. He actually does disclose how to develop the numbers, the problem is, partly, in getting the raw data that goes into them. Ultimately, it is the analysis of the numbers and the patterns combined with sound money management that offers the promise of success at the windows. Read the book. Adapt the handicapping principles to the information available from the Daily Racing Form, if you wish. One thing I think you will find is that Len Ragozin wants to share his knowledge and wisdom. The data, however, is for sale.
Book Description
Crazy Horse, the military leader of the Oglala Sioux whose personal power and social nonconformity set him off as "strange," fought in many famous battles, including the one at the Little Bighorn. He held out boldly against the government's efforts to confine the Sioux on reservations. Finally, in the spring of 1877 he surrendered, one of the last important chiefs to do so, only to meet a violent death. Mari Sandoz, the noted author of Cheyenne Autumn and Old Jules, both available as Bison Books, has captured the spirit of Crazy Horse with a strength and nobility befitting his heroism.
Customer Reviews:
great book.......2007-04-17
I had never read Mari Sandoz so I can't compare this to her other books. The writing style is unique and pleasant. It is a very interesting, and unfortunately sad story about Indian life on the great plains. The book seems very well researched and therefore more interesting to read since it is about history. The Indians suffered strategically from a lack of organization, but their whole life style was about independence and in fact a much more pure form of democracy in selecting and de-selecting their leaders. In reading the story with regard to the lies and deceipt of the white men it reminded me that world politics and war is no different today than then. Crazy Horse had attributes that leaders should aspire to, he wanted to help his people and he was not vain about himself as leader. In the end he was tricked into surrender by his own people.
I thought it was one of the best books of Indian life and history that I have read.
An Authenticated Portrait.......2006-12-13
Little is known about Crazy Horse in comparison to other legendary chiefs, warriors and heroes due to the quiet-spoken and solitude-seeking nature he possessed. Indeed, Crazy Horse was considered "strange" due to standing true to his ideals and who he really was, instead of the conventional ways of others no matter how traditional. Born of lighter hair and skin, young Curly stood out as different from the beginning of his days. Most humble and purely strong and good-hearted, Crazy Horse grew to be the truest and most brilliant leader of the Lakotas. Self-sacrificing even to the bitter end, Crazy Horse earned his place of honor as a hero to be respected.
Combining interview information of Eleanor Hinman with survivors who knew Crazy Horse, with Mari Sandoz's meticulous research, gives "Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of The Oglalas" clout in accuracy of detail and fact in the day and time of Crazy Horse. I very highly recommend this book.
Excellent book..........2006-08-09
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and couldn't recommend it more. If you are a Native American history buff, or have any interest at all in the so-called Indian wars of the Great Plains, this book is a must-read. It is written in the vernacular of a Native American who speaks English tolerably well, and I believe this adds a great deal of character to the writing. The story of Crazy Horse's life is a sad one filled with the mistrust and back-stabbing deeds of his own people, along with the well known deeds committed by the American settlers and soldiers. Crazy Horse's ultimate downfall was aided by the restraining hands of his own people, as foretold by his vision. A sad ending to his life indeed, but Sandoz's re-telling provides a fascinating work of history. One word of advice to the reader: A much better understanding of the events that occur in this book can be had by "pre-reading" a good, concise history such as Indian Wars by Utley and Washburn.
A Novel or Biography?.......2005-04-14
The strange man of the Lakotas made very little contact with the "white man" and remains a mysterious character of native American culture. Not much is known about him, his birth, his death, his burial.
Sandoz attempts to document as much history is known about this man, and she puts it in the form of a novel. It is easy to read and entertaining. Yet it includes historical facts, events and characters. While it is difficult to pen a biography about someone who so little is known about, Sandoz documents all that is known about him in this book. Many of the facts were taken from interviews with people who knew him and lived with him. Those people are all long gone. The only comprehensive memory of Crazy Horse is this book.
A Beautiful and Compelling Biography.......2004-05-21
This is a highly unique biography and is a well-deserved classic in the world of literature. Sandoz did not write the standard Native American story from the point of view of the outsider (that is, the white conquerors), but created a book that feels as if it was written by the Indians from their own world view. Sandoz had the great advantage, in the 1930s, of interviewing still-living oldtimers who really knew Crazy Horse, and her combination of first-hand Indian accounts and meticulously well-crafted prose makes for an extremely compelling story of the last years of Indian freedom. In fact, this is not so much a biography of Crazy Horse, but a much larger story of the Lakota (Sioux) people in which he is the central character. The book does not include much historical detail, as that would be the white man's method of writing, so for such information on late Sioux history you would have to look elsewhere (such as *Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee* by Dee Brown).
However, we do get a book full of beautiful and poetic prose such as "there was a star with a long white tail to speak of good things," and consistent use of Indian terminology such as "burning cup" for whiskey or "soldier chief" for army officers. This style of writing does make the reading of this book stiff and long-winded in places, but Sandoz must be commended for her very unique and moving methods. In the end, Crazy Horse himself comes across as a troubled loner among his people, a bit manic-depressive but a strong leader and warrior, and he remains as dark and mysterious to us as he was to his friends and enemies. And as usual for Native American histories from this period, the end of the story gives us the depressing loss of the people's freedom and the noble but hopeless efforts of a great leader to save his people. Concerning the special 50th anniversary edition of the book, you can ignore the rather sycophantic introduction by Stephen B. Oates, but the stunning cover painting by Ed Lindlof is almost worth the price of admission alone. [~doomsdayer520~]
Average customer rating:
- Redefining Self
- QH
- Crazy Horse Electric Game
- The Crazy Horse Electric Game
- The crazy cool electric game
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The Crazy Horse Electric Game
Chris Crutcher
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
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Binding: Paperback
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Running Loose
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Stotan!
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Ironman
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Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories
ASIN: 0060094907
Release Date: 2003-04-01 |
Book Description
Willie Weaver used to be a hero.
Now he's nothing.
Willie is a top athlete, the star of the legendary game against Crazy Horse Electric. Then a freak accident robs him of his once-amazing physical talents.
Betrayed by his family, his girlfriend, and his own body, Willie's on the run, penniless and terrified on the streets, where he must fight to rebuild both his body and his life.
Customer Reviews:
Redefining Self.......2007-02-18
Willie is a high school kid, the star of his baseball team and a town hero. His life is great and everyone is proud of him and his athletic abilities. Then he is in a water-skiing accident, an accident that leaves him partially paralyzed. He walks with a limp and can't play sports anymore. His parents are fighting and their marriage is falling apart because Willie's dad can't deal with his son's new disability. So Willie runs away.
After some bad times and a few dangerous situations, Willie ends up at a California high school full of kids who dropped out or were thrown out of regular high schools. The people at the school are kind to Willie and they help him get himself back together again. This story is about him coming to terms with his new identity and figuring out that his life will not always be perfect.
I liked the secondary characters, and I liked the way Chris Crutcher showed Willie's progress both pysically and mentally. I thought it was pretty weak that Willie would run away from his parents like he did, but without that part of the plot he would not have been able to go on this journey of self-discovery.
QH.......2006-06-08
this book is really interesting and gets you hooked as early as the first page and doesnt let you go till the very end. i love baseball and this book has a lot of baseball content and action scenes. i hard about this book from my friend and he told me that it was just ok, but i think that its great, anybook with baseball and gangsters is good for me. i would recomend this book to anyone who likes an action based fast moving book with some baseball scenes.
Crazy Horse Electric Game.......2006-04-07
Page turning! The Crazy Horse Electric Game, by Chris Crutcher is a great book that teaches the reader a life long lesson: you may only get one chance to do something and if you fail to fulfill that opportunity, it may be gone forever. If you let that chance pass by you may regret it because you could have let something keep you from going through with it.
When seventeen year old Willie Weaver, gets injured in a water skiing accident, he begins to have problems physically, with his friends, family, and also with his emotions. Willie's was an average boy, who was also the all-star baseball champion back at his hometown in Coho. Willie thinks that all of his problems would become non- existent if he runs away, so decides to do just that, but when he returns his problems are still there but in a different twist.
Chris Crutcher writes The Crazy Horse Electric Game so that the reader can easily understand the whole morale of the story, and it is attention drawing and is able to keep you interested from beginning to end. The language and book itself, is more for seventh to tenth grade students, because of the character, language and it's also something they can easily relate to. I think that this book will attract this age group to stay intoned with The Crazy Horse Electric Game, easily understand the morale, and will keep reading until the book is finished because they will want to know everything that happens from beginning to end.
The Crazy Horse Electric Game.......2006-03-18
Willie Weaver was an all star athlete before he was in a terrible boating accident. After the accident everything seemed to go bad for Willie, he lost his girlfriend, his parents started fighting, and he cant play sports. Willie tries to get help from counclers and theripests, but he keeps on getting worse. Willie runs away to California, where he is taught many valuable lessons. Willie strugles, but with help Willie tries to get over his accident.
The crazy cool electric game.......2005-12-10
The Crazy cool electric game
The story The Crazy Horse Electric Game is a good story that teaches you a life lesson about how to not give up in what you like to do even though a handicap might slow you down a little. It starts out this boy named Billy is a Jock kind of guy and he is good at everything and just when he has it all WHAM! He has a skiing accident and it leaves him where he cant do the old stuff he used to, like sports.
After all this happens to him, he is starting to notice that everyone is starting to slowly drift away from him and no one is hardly ever around him. So he runs away to a school to in Chicago to try to find himself and try to regain his old self, there he fits right in with everyone and feels like a part of a group again.
I think the author Chris Crutcher gets the morale of this story across to the reader really well, and from right off the bat the story gets your attention and it just draws you in from the beginning. It's a good read for all ages but preferably for kids in the 9-10 grade because that is how old Billy is in the story and he thinks a lot like teenagers think today and it speaks more to this age group.
I really enjoyed this book it was recommended to me by my English teacher and as soon as I read the first chapter I was hooked to this book and couldn't wait to find out what happened next in the story.
I hope all you out there will enjoy this book as much as I did and I also hope that you pick this book up at your nearest library or bookstore.
Average customer rating:
- An outstanding picture book
- Wonderful
- Fantastic book
- A mastery of color
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Crazy Horse's Vision
Joseph Bruchac
Manufacturer: Lee & Low Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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A Boy Called Slow (Paperstar Book)
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Gift Horse: A Lakota Story
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ASIN: 1880000946 |
Book Description
Joseph Bruchac tells the compelling story of how a young boy named Curly seeks a vision in the hope of saving his people - and grows into the brave and fierce warrior Crazy Horse. Sioux artist S. D. Nelson's paintings, in the traditional ledger style of the Plains Indians, evokes the drama and the tragedy of this important American figure.
Customer Reviews:
An outstanding picture book.......2004-01-15
Featuring color paintings by Sioux artist S. D. Nelson (who was inspired by the traditional art style of the Plains Indians), Crazy Horse's Vision by Joseph Bruchac is the true story of a young Native American boy named Curly who witnessed fierce battles between his tribe of Lakota Indians and white settlers. Defying the custom of his people, Curly ran to the hills in search of a vision, and what he saw would transform him forever. Curly would then come to be known in history as the Sioux war chief Crazy Horse. An author's note following the story relates a summary of the life and death of this brave an unselfish leader. Crazy Horse's Vision is an outstanding picture book and a welcome addition to personal, school, and community library collections.
Wonderful.......2001-09-14
I adore Crazy Horse and bought this for my 5 year old daughter who just loves this story. It's a great story for anyone and I highly recommend it for all schools.
Fantastic book.......2001-02-14
This beautifully illustrated book is one to read to your children many times over. It tells a story all American children should hear, and it has a magical feel to it.
A mastery of color.......2000-04-17
I especially enjoyed the illistrations in this book. The pictures almost draw you into the pages. They are drawn in the traditional style of the Sioux People. The story is about a man who is greatly respected by his people.
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- Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
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