In this lavishly illustrated volume, Larry McMurtry, the greatest chronicler of the American West, tackles for the first time one of the paramount figures of Western and American history--George Armstrong Custer. McMurtry also argues that Custer's last stand at the Little Bighorn should be seen as a monumental event in our nation's history. Like all great battles, its true meaning can be found in its impact on our politics and policy, and the epic defeat clearly signaled the end of the Indian Wars--and brought to a close ...
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In this lavishly illustrated volume, Larry McMurtry, the greatest chronicler of the American West, tackles for the first time one of the paramount figures of Western and American history--George Armstrong Custer. McMurtry also argues that Custer's last stand at the Little Bighorn should be seen as a monumental event in our nation's history. Like all great battles, its true meaning can be found in its impact on our politics and policy, and the epic defeat clearly signaled the end of the Indian Wars--and brought to a close the great narrative of western expansion.
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Seller's Description:
1st edn 1st printing. 4to. Original gilt lettered blue cloth (Fine), dustwrapper (Fine in protective cover, not price clipped). Pp. 178, illus with coloured pictorial endpapers and coloured and b&w photos (no inscriptions).
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Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 192 p. Contains: Illustrations. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Seller's Description:
New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 192 p. Contains: Illustrations. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Good. Stains on outside cover/inside the book. Cover/Case has some rubbing and edgewear. Access codes, CD's, slipcovers and other accessories may not be included.
On June 26, 1876, General George Custer led about 264 soldiers of the Seventh Cavalry into massacre by a combined force of plains Indians at the Battle of Little Bighorn. The Battle and Custer quickly became legendary. Many books have been written from varied perspectives about Custer, Little Bighorn, and the United States' Westward expansion.
Released in early November, 2012, Larry McMurtry's "Custer" is among the most recent studies of an endlessly fascinating subject. McMurtry is a prolific novelist and writer on the American West. His longstanding familiarity and writing about the West and his love for the subject are themselves enough to make his thoughts about Custer of interest. His book on Custer does not purport to be definitive or particularly original. To the contrary, McMurtry several times commends to interested readers the detailed Custer studies by Robert Utley, James Donovan, Nathaniel Philbrick and, in particular Evan Connell. "Son of the Morning Star: Custer and The Little Bighorn". In his book, McMurtry expresses a preference for short biographies, along the line of his own earlier biography of Crazy Horse for the reason that they force most readers and writers to come to the heart of their subjects.
McMurtry's book is a coffee-table work of about 175 pages rather than a full scholarly account. It is a mixture of history and meditation, as is Connell's book on a much larger scale. For an event which has become iconic, such as Little Bighorn, writing tends to flow between the battle and its background, how the battle has been viewed by others over time, and the views of the author. This is emphatically the case with McMurtry's book.
The text of the book is spare, colloquial and for the most part eloquent. There are typographical errors, small inconsistencies, and some awkward grammatical contsrtuctions which are irritating. The larger portion of the book is devoted to paintings, photographs, and memorabilia of Custer and his era. They include popular prints, paintings by Catlin, Remington, Indian artists and much more. There are occasional errors in identifying the illustrations. The illustrations McMurtry has assembled for the book are difficult to find in one place. Some will be familiar to many readers while others are rare. They greatly enhance the value of the book.
There are those who argue that Custer and Little Bighorn receive too much attention. McMurtry disagrees. Throughout this book, he stresses the importance of the battle and its pivotal role in the settlement of the American West. Tragic and enigmatic, Custer and Little Bighorn deserve the attention they have received from historians and from the public.
McMurtry does not offer a linear narrative. His story tends to wander and he follows his thoughts. He offers fresh comparisons between Custer and the earlier explorer, soldier, and presidential candidate Fremont. He offers portrayals of leading characters who played roles on the American frontier, including Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Hancock, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, Black Elk, and more. The discussion of the Battle of Little Bighorn and of predecessor battles are brief. With all the illustrations, the book would have benefited from a detailed map of the Little Bighorn fight, showing lines of approach, Custer's divisions of his troops, the approach of the Indians, and the like.
When I wrote this review, "Custer" had been released for less than one month, and sparked many reader reviews. The reviews, in their number and content, show the interest and passion which Custer continues to inspire. Many of the Amazon reviews are written by individuals who obviously know and care a great deal about the facts of the battle. These reviews tend to point out the shortness of McMurtry's account, the factual errors and inconsistencies, and the sometimes sloppy editing that I mentioned above.
I found the book moving. The text, illustrations, and reflections made me think about Custer and Little Bighorn and their significance. They brought home a sense of American history and drive together with tragedy. The book gave me an overview of Custer's story, the West, and the different, seemingly conflicting ways of understanding it. The errors of the book, for most lay readers, will not appreciably detract from the presentation. McMurtry's goal was to present a short, distilled, thoughtful account of Custer and Little Bighorn. For the most part, I think he succeeds. The book offers many sources, including the four authors named above, for readers who want to learn more.
The reader reviews of this book and their different perspectives helped me think about what I found valuable in McMurtry's account and about why I found reading the book and thinking about the illustrations worthwhile.
