The Journey of Crazy Horse

As might be expected of a narrator whose heritage includes a strong oral tradition, Lakota historian and author Joseph Marshall brings Crazy Horse to life. This production has it all--solid writing, fascinating subject, and deep insights into a unique time and culture. With its awed and respectful reading, the book becomes worthy of sitting in your driveway to finish. Marshall's voice is a perfect match for the wisdom and mores of the Lakota; he captures their philosophical approach to life, respect for nature, and outrage at being invaded by Euro-Americans. Even though history has told us how the story ends, Marshall still keeps listeners on the edge of their seats, rooting for Crazy Horse and the lost Lakota way of life. H.L.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

September 13, 2004
In one of the first Penguin Lives biographies (1999's Crazy Horse
), novelist Larry McMurtry drew on what scant facts he had to craft a brief and rather novelistic look at the legendary Lakota warrior. Here, Lakota author Marshall (The Lakota Way
; Winter of the Holy Iron
) draws on a rich Native American oral tradition to carefully and lovingly "unfold the life of Crazy Horse as a storyteller would." The result is a vivid, haunting biography that acknowledges the author's boyhood hero worship but avoids hagiography. Raised on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation, Marshall recalls hearing his grandfather share stories of battles fought 75 years earlier against "Long Hair," the Lakota name for Gen. George Custer, vanquished at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Marshall reveals Crazy Horse as loyal son, spurned lover, instinctive warrior, doting father, compassionate hunter and natural leader, one who "reluctantly answered the call to serve" and "literally had no desire to talk about his exploits." Marshall sidesteps blood-and-guts combat scenes, emphasizing the larger picture of the Indians' defiant, doomed struggle, as settlers and miners flooded the Great Plains of the Sioux tribes between the 1840s and the 1880s. This book adds spirit and life to our understanding of this enigmatic and important man.