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(More customer reviews)`Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee' has been the consummate book on the horrors of what the American Indian has suffered at the hands of the `white' immigrants into their land. Heather Richardson has expanded the story of the Wounded Knee Massacre in this book. It is a story that is more than racism. She explains how the massacre grew out of party politics and the profit driven media - whose stories exaggerated the danger that the Indian tribes posed. She makes a good case that business politics and newspaper sales drove much of what happened both at Wounded Knee and to all of the Indian tribes.
The west was at the heart of what the nation looked to as the ideal that it desired to become; but it was two worlds on a collision course. Many of the problems that existed have not changed to this day. Each political side was convinced that the other was trying to destroy America and helpless people were caught in the middle and left in a worse condition than ever before.
All of the social and political issues are explained, including what the societal order was becoming - an overwhelming disparity of wealth and greed. The Sherman family is used an example of those forging a life after the civil war; William Tecumseh, John and Charles, both in politics and in the army. The problem of slavery that was not only a moral issue, but the dilemma that free workers felt they could never compete against slaves is included in the descriptions of the political and economic climate.
The Ghost Dance and the Indian prophet Wovoka's part in the Wounded Knee massacre are covered. The steps that led up to the slaughter and the reasoning on both sides is given. She makes excellent and specific claims of the Indian grievances and the many attempts of the military men in trying to remedy the countless corrupt Indian agents. She brings up interesting points that are not often conveyed - how the military almost always sided against the political forces when it came to Indian affairs.
It is good to have the suggested reading list.; however the 18 page introduction is so thorough that it, in effect tells the story of the whole book; but to understand completely you need to read the chapters that follow. There are 16 pages of pictures and a detailed index.
This is one of the best versions of the politics of the west and the way life changed... most of all for the Indian nations. This would be of interest to anyone who wishes to learn more of American history and the social and political implications that changed our nation forever.
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