A review by fairchildone
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown

5.0

This took me time to finish because I would read a chapter before bed and then just lay awake, devastated and heartbroken, and it would take me a couple weeks to build up the mental fortitude to read the next chapter. That said, this should be mandatory reading for everyone in the US. This belies so many of the United States' claims: being a nation that respects the rule of law, that holds moral high ground, that is honest and respects its treaties. We are a nation that massacres men, women and children, including when they have surrendered or are just saying hello or otherwise peaceful. We are a nation that repeatedly and brazenly breaks treaties and refuses to hold its own citizens to account when they break the law. We are a nation that lies and steals and cheats and does so under the pretext of moral and cultural superiority, even when we're too stupid to contemplate or understand other cultures. And if we don't learn that history, we will continue to repeat it. Indeed, we are repeating it in our support of other nations that commit these atrocities. We need to repent.

This book is just the facts of what happened, with minimal to no editorializing, and it is still absolutely devastating. Compellingly written. Incisive quotes. Historical context. This is a book that absolutely merits the 5 stars I've given it.