Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors | 
 enlarge | Author: Stephen E. Ambrose
Publisher: Anchor
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy Used: $3.68
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Avg. Customer Rating:  53 reviews
Sales Rank: 30115
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st Anchor Books Trade Pbk. Ed
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 560
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 0385479662
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.820922
EAN: 9780385479660
ASIN: 0385479662
Publication Date: May 1, 1996
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Product Description
On the sparkling morning of June 25, 1876, 611men of the United States 7th Cavalry rode toward thebanks of the Little Bighorn in the MontanaTerritory, where 3,000 Indians stood waiting for battle.The lives of two great warriors would soon beforever linked throughout history: Crazy Horse, leaderof the Oglala Sioux, and General George ArmstrongCuster. Both were men of aggression and supremecourage. Both became leaders in their societies atvery early ages; both were stripped of power, indisgrace, and worked to earn back the respect oftheir people. And to both of them, the unspoiledgrandeur of the Great Plains of North America was anirresistible challenge. Their parallel lives wouldpave the way, in a manner unknown to either, foran inevitable clash between two nations fightingfor possession of the openprairie.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 48 more reviews...
Perhaps the Best Ambrose Offers before Lewis & Clark July 12, 2008
Very well written account of Crazy Horse and the "crazy" attitudes of the US Government (big surprise---some things never change). Ambrose gives a detailed account of how each man came to be iconic---warts and all. Very well written---a page turner. I must admit, while I admire Ambrose and his significant contributions to the D-Day Museum, the accusations of plagiarism have kept me from reviewing his books---once these accusations appeared, I removed his books from my list---satisfied that the ones already read were enough.
All that to say, when my son, who graduated from college last year asked me what historical books I valued---this one made the list.
Thorughly Researched and Filled With Obscure But Interesting Facts January 23, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I recently re-read this book, having previously read it about 6 years ago. I was led to re-visit this historical piece after reading a biography of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall, himself a Lakota Sioux: "Crazy Horse, The Journey of Crazy Horse, a Lakota History". Ambrose's book is very thoroughly researched and written. He puts forth historical fact and well considered hypotheses. He shatters the larger than life, heroic personality we've been fed about Custer and reveals him to be a self-absorbed, irresponsible, undisciplined, despot but an military genius except in his understanding and knowledge about Native American Indians. Perhaps only in the Post Civil War years and the great movement to conquer the Western Plains and destroy the Native American Indian would such a personality have existed.
I think the book is weighted more heavily on Custer than on Crazy Horse, but that may well be because of the scarcity of first hand or written accounts of Carzy Horse's life. For his entire life, Crazy Horse refused to interact with whites. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to delve deeply into the history of how the west was "won" and the military actions that made it possible.
Good, Easy Read January 1, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Very good book that is true to the Ambrose style of writing - very easy and enjoyable to read. Ambrose has the luxury of having 130+ years of research and writing to reference yet the story, as told, is not mired in minute, inconsequential fact. Ambrose provides his opinion (in the final chapters he includes a short analysis/AAR of the battle at the Little Big Horn) in many instances yet it's not distracting nor does it detract from the telling of history - as a historian, that is what Ambrose was paid to do. His description doesn't glorify either Crazy Horse or Custer without balancing his portrayal with measured criticism.
As an ancillary benefit, this book describes the events surrounding Custer's activities in Kansas prior to his march to Montana. As a Kansas native, I found that to be extremely interesting.
 A new perspective August 23, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
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 June 9, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
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!
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