Scan barcode
A review by okiecozyreader
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
sad
medium-paced
5.0
With almost 40 pages of notes, this is such a well-researched novel about Osage murders in Oklahoma near Pawhuska. It focuses mostly on one family, the Burkharts, who lost most members of their family to poisoning, bombs or shootings. It details the FBI case and how they finally found one main group of people who committed them. The last section talks about the family more, but also a broader group of Osage murders and how rampant they were. Lots of additional information about the oil industry, wealth during this time and the FBI is used to put their stories in perspective.
I enjoyed hearing David Grann talk about his book with the Osage tribe at Oklahoma City University last fall. I remembered some of his talk as I read the book, but there is just so much more. I read this for the Girlfriend discussion this fall and to watch the movie October 20th.
One of the things I found interesting was the history of Pawhuska (current home of Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman). I have gone to her store once and I remember thinking how nice their downtown was for such a small town in the middle of nowhere. Now, I see how it was such a wealthy oil town and how it came to be. I live in Guthrie, Ok which is also mentioned in the book for some courthouse scenes. Also fascinating.
“Because she died where the ravine falls into the water,
…
During a Xtha-cka Zhi-ga Tze-the, the Killer of the Flower Moon,
I will wade across the river of the blackfish, the otter, the beaver,
I will climb the bank where the willow never dies.”
P254 poem by Mollie Burkhart about the murder of Anna Brown
“These cases underscored that the murders of the Osage for their headrights were not the result of a single conspiracy…” p279
I enjoyed hearing David Grann talk about his book with the Osage tribe at Oklahoma City University last fall. I remembered some of his talk as I read the book, but there is just so much more. I read this for the Girlfriend discussion this fall and to watch the movie October 20th.
One of the things I found interesting was the history of Pawhuska (current home of Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman). I have gone to her store once and I remember thinking how nice their downtown was for such a small town in the middle of nowhere. Now, I see how it was such a wealthy oil town and how it came to be. I live in Guthrie, Ok which is also mentioned in the book for some courthouse scenes. Also fascinating.
“Because she died where the ravine falls into the water,
…
During a Xtha-cka Zhi-ga Tze-the, the Killer of the Flower Moon,
I will wade across the river of the blackfish, the otter, the beaver,
I will climb the bank where the willow never dies.”
P254 poem by Mollie Burkhart about the murder of Anna Brown
“These cases underscored that the murders of the Osage for their headrights were not the result of a single conspiracy…” p279