|
Post by Richard Weddle on Mar 23, 2011 12:08:08 GMT -5
There seems to be considerable interest in this off-topic, so I thought I would ask the knowledgeable to recommend the essential histories about Lt.Col. Custer and the Little Big Horn. I know there are hundreds of books, but you must limit yourself to about 10.
Histories and biographies and archeology, not novels. Son of the Morning Star does not qualify.
Post your list and perhaps say a few words about each book.
Richard
|
|
|
Post by Jim Boylston on Mar 23, 2011 16:32:29 GMT -5
I'm not a Custer scholar, but I have read some of the books.
I highly recommend Jim Donovan's, "A Terrible Glory." It's a highly readable narrative history of the affair and one of the few books that deals with the aftermath and Reno's trial in great detail.
I also enjoyed Nathaniel Philbrick's, "The Last Stand," another good, well written, one volume introduction to the subject.
The essays in "The Custer Reader," edited by Paul Hutton, also merit attention.
|
|
|
Post by Allen Wiener on Mar 23, 2011 18:05:36 GMT -5
I'm not home now and, thus, not near my books, but off the top of what's left of my head, I'd also recommend Donovan, both of Gray's books, the latest of the Fox books; Philbrick is good and well-written; "The Custer Myth" and "Custer in '76" are good if you want to get down in the weeds a bit (I hope I'm getting those right). I never liked "Son of the Morning Star"; never got his point or any idea of what he thought of Custer. If you want fiction, I think "Little Big Man" is a better choice (and, as I recall, Custer is treated far differently there than in the movie version). I do think the TV film adaptation of "Son of the Morning Star" is the best, or at least the most accurate, of the Custer films.
|
|
|
Post by Paul Sylvain on Mar 23, 2011 18:43:01 GMT -5
I'm kind of partial to "The Day the World Ended at Little Bighorn: A Lakota History" by Joseph Marshall III
|
|
|
Post by Allen Wiener on Mar 23, 2011 19:11:04 GMT -5
Paul - what do you think of "Lakota Noon"? Haven;t read it, but see it cited a lot.
|
|
|
Post by Richard Weddle on Mar 23, 2011 19:21:26 GMT -5
I'm not home now and, thus, not near my books, but off the top of what's left of my head, I'd also recommend Donovan, both of Gray's books, the latest of the Fox books; Philbrick is good and well-written; "The Custer Myth" and "Custer in '76" are good if you want to get down in the weeds a bit (I hope I'm getting those right). I never liked "Son of the Morning Star"; never got his point or any idea of what he thought of Custer. If you want fiction, I think "Little Big Man" is a better choice (and, as I recall, Custer is treated far differently there than in the movie version). I do think the TV film adaptation of "Son of the Morning Star" is the best, or at least the most accurate, of the Custer films. That's a good start. Let's have the full titles when you get home, Allen for the benefit of those who don't know who and which you're referring to. No fiction, please, and no movies. Richard
|
|
|
Post by Paul Sylvain on Mar 23, 2011 19:35:11 GMT -5
Paul - what do you think of "Lakota Noon"? Haven;t read it, but see it cited a lot. Same here, Allen, but I really must. I have quite a few books on the subject, but not that one.
|
|
|
Post by Hiram on Mar 23, 2011 22:45:38 GMT -5
Add my endorsement to Donovan's A Terrible Glory. Archaeology, History, and Custer's Last Battle (Fox) is essential reading prior to visiting LBH.
Two general histories of the 7th Cavalry that I like are Bugles, Banners & War Bonnets (Reedstrom) and Of Garryowen in Glory (Chandler); both are helpful in getting a feel for the the time and the unit.
|
|
|
Post by alamonorth on Mar 23, 2011 23:28:44 GMT -5
Just as a point of interest, during my drive home from HHD, I stopped at the Barnes&Noble in Sioux Falls SD and they were selling Jim Donovan's Custer and the Little Bighorn: the Man, The Mystery, The Myth in the bargain section. If you don't have this well illustrated book, check out your local B&N and maybe they are offering it too.
|
|
|
Post by Chuck T on Mar 24, 2011 10:01:04 GMT -5
Like Hiram, I believe Chandler's "Of Garryowen in Glory" is a great history of the 7th Cavalry. In fact it is probably the best regimental history I have ever read. I am not sure thought that it is a great reference for the LBH fight. It reprints Godfrey's Century Magazine article but does not provide much more. Now if you are a student of the 7th in the SOUTHWESTPAC and Korea it provides a wealth of information.
The problem with the LBH fight at least to me is the separation of myth from fact. The constant arguments over the role that Reno and Benteen played are interesting but in some measure they cloud who was responsible for what happened on 25 June 76. There is only one person responsible, the commander, for everything that happened and that failed to happen. He and he alone must be held accountable.
The myth, fostered by Libby throughout her remaining life and she outlived them all, would have one believe that it was Reno and Benteen who were cowardly and poor Autie was a victim is nothing but balderdash. Unfortunately most who write on the subject buy into this in some form or means.
|
|
|
Post by Herb on Mar 24, 2011 12:35:25 GMT -5
I think Donovan's A Terrible Glory is the new standard narative history of LBH.
Philbrick is an excellent read.
Grey's Centennial Campaign, The Souix War of 1876 and Custers Last Campaign are perhaps dated and get into the weeds, but are absolutely essential works, imo.
Fox's work on the archeology of the LBH, imo, provides some flawed analysis of tha application of military doctrine, but it also provides unique and valuable archelogical analysis of the battle, and he is to be congratulated for trying to incorporate military doctrine with the archelogical evidence.
If you can find it, the US Army's Command and General Staff's Atlas of the Souix Wars is invaluable.
|
|
|
Post by Paul Sylvain on Mar 24, 2011 20:49:50 GMT -5
+1 for "A Terrible Glory".
|
|
|
Post by Allen Wiener on Mar 24, 2011 22:38:29 GMT -5
My views are essentially the same as Herb's. I have not seen "Atlas of the Souix Wars" and could not even find a copy listed on bookfinder.com! I would put Gray's "Centennial Campaign" very near the top of the list as it really covers the entire 1876 campaign and gives perhaps the best background introduction to what was behind it all in Washington. If I were steering a newcomer to their first Custer book, it would be Donovan at this point; sort of the Walter Lord of the Custer field.
|
|
|
Post by Chuck T on Mar 25, 2011 10:48:40 GMT -5
Allen: You might try contacting the bookstore at Fort Leavenworth they may have the Atlas. I will e-mail my friend Doug Macgregor today to see if he still has any contacts in CG&S College school publications. There is also a staff ride POI from Leavenworth used for their either annual or bi-annual staff rides to LBH which follows Custer's movements from the vacinity of Busby, MT to LSH. In this they stop at all of the key decision points to let the students come up with solutions to the problem presented. Thumbed through the single copy the 3rd Cavalry had a number of years ago. This is a particularly good publication for serious students of this battle. I will let you know what I can find out.
I would also say that the movie "Son of The Morning Star" is the "most" accurate of the Custer part of the fight. The shortcoming of it being much too compressed does not take away from the general "feel" of the fight. Don't think much of the book though.
There is also a very forgetable film called "The Glory Guys" that despite the usual shortcomings does not do a bad job with Reno's skirmish line in the valley.
Another good novel by Ernest Haycocks "Bugles in the Afternoon", when made into a movie does a fair interpretation of the Reno bluff position. At least they got the terrain correct.
Don't know if you ever noticed it but in "They Died With Their Boots On" the same terrain that was used in the charge of the vaious elements of the Michigan Brigade early in the movie was the same piece of ground that was used for the last stand, as well as "Charge of the Light Brigade"
|
|
jd
Member
Posts: 2
|
Post by jd on Apr 3, 2011 18:00:31 GMT -5
Hello the Forum, First time posting here. I recently joined, but have been visiting the site for just over a year now. I’ve enjoyed numerous threads over all the boards, including those dealing with the LBH. The good-natured discussions here have been thought provoking and have led me to a number of good sources. Allen W’s series of photos are particularly interesting and useful for those, like me, who have not yet had the opportunity to visit. Many thanks for posting them. With regard to the Atlas of the Sioux Wars, it is available in two parts in PDF format from the Command and General Staff College: www.cgsc.edu/carl/download/csipubs/sioux/atlas_part1.pdf www.cgsc.edu/carl/download/csipubs/sioux/atlas_part2.pdf On page four of the Atlas it reads that hard copies may be purchased via the U.S. Government Printing OfficeInternet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; DC area (202) 512-1800Fax: (202) 512-2250 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402-0001 Hope this is of some help. J.D.
|
|