Sitting Bull: The Life and Times of an American Patriot Paperback – April 29, 2008

I must admit to a penchant for the Indians' side of things and will freely admit that such brutes as Custer and the monster who led the Sand Creek massacre in Oklahoma got what they had coming to them as far as I am concerned. This book is riveting and portrays Sitting Bull in a compassionate and honest manner. Researched thoroughly, written clearly in a non-pedantic way and drawing on a vast array of resources this book is a real treasure. If you are a fan of US History this is a must. The "epic" opening up of the "wild" west was nothing but irresponsible greed and was genocidal. I feel as if I was actually present in that era when reading this book, it is so immediate and engaging. If you can read this and not come away cheering for Chief Sitting Bull you just simply have no soul. This is a GREAT book about a GREAT man!

This is a well balanced book that is full of detail. It does not try to portray an image of Sitting Bull. This book let's his actions and deeds speak for themselves. Reading this book was time well spent.

most of these types of books are dry and filled with endless disinteresting facts and historical idiosyncrases. This book is different, it reads like a novel and gets into the pertinent detail of Sitting Bull's life, times, and historical context. It was a pleasure to read and read like a novel. I'm not sure how some of the detail was obtained, and have a healthy sense that while some of it is not exact, it's pretty close or best guess based on context and similar events. I was left a little wanting in the wrap up / epilogue. Would like to have seen more historical context for his life and legacy and his rightful place in US and American Indian history. Overall, great book!

Robert Utley's "Sitting Bull:The Life And Times Of An American Patriot" is a splendid biography of the eminent Hunkpapa Sioux leader. Utley covers the full span of Sitting Bull's life using primarily primary(firsthand) sources and deftly manages to paint a portrait of a tangible "flesh & blood" human being. Utley, one of the greatest historians of the American West and the former chief historian of the National Park Service, treats his subject with deep sympathy and fairness but fairly explicates Sitting Bull's strengths and weaknesses and offers analysis and conclusions that are sober and well informed. The real strength of this biography is post-Little Bighorn because Sitting Bull's life became far more complicated at this point, and Utley does an admirable job of explaining the myriad complications of the Indian chief's life on the run from a vengeful U.S. Army, in sanctuary in Canada which created diplomatic pressures between the United States and Canada and Great Britain, and his capitulation(and sad realization)that his peoples'(and all plains Indians) nomadic lifestyles had come to an end, to Sitting Bulls embrace of the Ghost Dance which ultimately led to his demise. Superb and first rate!!!!Incidentally, the original title of this work(and the one Utley prefers) is "The Lance and the Shield: The Life and Times of Sitting Bull". If one looks up the original title of this work on Amazon they will find many more reviews of this very same book(save the title). Additionally, as a companion to this fine biography the interested reader may also want to read Utley's excellent biography of George Armstrong Custer titled "Cavalier in Buckskin: George Armstrong Custer and the Western Military Frontier".

Full of interesting anecdotes and characters, thorough in scope yet easy to follow. I thought the bits on Lakota-Sioux rites of passage and all their traditions such as the Sun Dance were really interesting. Utley does a nice job staying true to the facts without losing the reader in arcane details. I read this and almost immediately bought his other book on Geronimo. Read in preparation for an episode of my podcast (Hard Fried History).

The details captured in this book are riveting. A great view into the post civil war period of America's expansive history, and obviously the greatest spiritual leader of the indigenous North American tribes at that time! Very thought provoking and inspirational in many ways. Great read!