A review by cmcarr
Empire of Shadows: The Epic Story of Yellowstone by George Black

3.0

This is a really comprehensive work of history. I can't imagine what it took to piece this together. It is not one of those history books that reads like fiction. It is fairly dense at times, and challenging to follow the characters and narratives. That being said, it provides a really eye-opening account of the development of the West. Yellowstone is always the backstory, but not always the focus. It's hard to read this, in many places. To hear about the mass genocide of the native tribes of these lands, and the words from the great leaders and explorers of the time, gives a great sadness. Every time I read history I get more irritated by the slogan "Make America Great Again." I believe that the evolution of our country is like MLK's description of the arc of the moral universe--long but bending toward justice. We are always moving forward in slow steps, and yet have so far to go. I still struggle with how to think about our history full of such highs and such lows. How do I look back? What do I carry forward? What is my responsibility?