EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOON by S. C. Gwynne

EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOON

by

S. C. Gwynne

            Nine-year-old Cynthia Ann Parker was kidnapped by the Comanche Indians, from the Parker Fort settlement in Texas. Her “mixed blood” son, Quanah Parker, is the primary subject of Empire of the Summer Moon, a Pulitzer Prize finalist by S. C. Gwynne (subtitled “Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe In American History”).

            But, Empire of the Summer Moon is much more than Quanah Parker’s story. The book details the settlement of Texas. It explains the slaughter of the Indians. It tells of slaughter by the Indians. It mentions the slaughter of the buffalo (according to Gwynne, 31 million buffalo were slaughtered between 1868 and 1881). And, it portrays the failure of the treaties and the reservations. In the midst of this, we learn about the Comanches – some of the best horsemen amongst the Indians and who changed military engagement – and about the “last and greatest” of the Comanche chiefs, Quanah Parker.

            Gwynne does a wonderful job not just of telling the story about the clashes between the Indians and the white settlors at this time in our country’s history, but also in capturing many of the deep seated cultural differences that lead to much of this dark time. Empire of the Summer Moon is well-written, informative, captivating, and engaging. I recommend it.