"Crazy Horse and Custer" by Stephen E. Ambrose. A Review

 

In good style Stephen Ambrose takes a moment in history and makes it readable, intelligible, and retainable. Written in 1975, the narrative is still relevant on so many different levels. It's not just about two fearless men, but a development of clashes and backgrounds through the decades up to the fateful moment, and a little beyond. Teens interested in history to the oldest adults will find it accessible.

The two "downsides" to the book, for me, primarily relate to the author. First, the author seems to approach the Sioux with the "noble savage" mindset in the earlier chapters. That will begin to fade as he draws nearer to the clash at the Little Bighorn, but it's quite clear and obvious up front. Next, Ambrose's own social ethic comes out as he addresses Libbie Custer. He seems embarrassed that she didn't (or couldn't) become more, and was held back because the cultural customs of the day which he seemed to think pushed women back. In my mind, there's almost an anachronistic morality - Ambrose imposing 1975 standards on the mid-1800s without any recognition for why things were the way they were before legalized birth control or before advanced industrialization, etc.

Nevertheless, once one works past these two "downsides" or overlooks them, the volume is valuable in recounting the political maneuverings Custer was part of in the Civil War as well as during the Sioux War. It also gives a good "feel" for the background mores both Crazy Horse and Custer lived inside of, along with their presuppositions and perspectives. It's amazing that Ambrose wrote this in 1975, covering events in the mid to later 19th Century, and yet they all felt like it could have been written in 2016 or 2021! The touchpoints from their story to our moment are huge. I highly recommend the work.