Sioux War Dispatches

[marcabrams]

As mentioned in another thread my new book, Sioux War Dispatches, has just been published through Westholme Publishing. SWD details the Great Sioux War in narrative form primarily through the use of contemporary newspapers. As much as possible, I tried to tell the story using the words of those who were there and experienced it. Once the narrative picks up the Sioux War in earnest, you will find yourself reading lots of great excerpts and quotes from the newspapers; the book is literally jam-packed with them. And the physical book, visually speaking, was extremely well done by the publisher. I also designed a really nice Sioux War map that is featured near the beginning of the book (spread out over two pages). There are other maps as well. There are also sidebars, interludes and lots of notes. Of course there will be some items you have seen before (and hopefully a good deal that you have not), but they have never been put together like this. Mostly, I believe that this is a fun and interesting book to read.

Here are some early reviews:
"No one commands better the story of the Great Sioux War of 1876–1877 as presented in the nation's newspapers than does Marc Abrams. Here is Abrams's story of America’s greatest Indian war woven from those timely reports, augmented with insightful introductions and annotations. Abrams has produced a significant addition to the historiography of this endlessly fascinating struggle and its colorful personalities."—Paul L. Hedren, author of After Custer: Loss and Transformation in Sioux Country

"Marc Abrams has provided an invaluable service to both scholars and lay readers in compiling this treasure trove of primary information. Like the correspondents he has come to know through his research, Marc has done the hard work; we need only read in comfort and benefit from his efforts."—Douglas W. Ellison, author of Sole Survivor: An Examination of the Frank Finkel Narrative

"[Marc] Abrams presents a fascinating compilation of military dispatches, first-hand accounts, and newspaper articles covering the conflict. Combined with his incisive comments, they present an invaluable picture of the struggle between peoples fighting to preserve their traditional lifestyles against the inexorable advance of 'civilization.' There are wonderfully revealing tidbits of information [throughout the narrative]."—Booklist Online

"A meticulously detailed history of the brutal campaign. . . . Each of the eighteen chapters interweaves the author’s account of events with contemporary newspaper articles, letters, official communiques, and journal articles. These provide colorful details, anecdotes, and opinions."—Publishers Weekly

"Marc Abrams's book is an exciting and innovative approach that brings immediacy to the campaigns of Custer, Crook, and Miles, and teems with fascinating new detail. Sioux War Dispatches not only offers a gripping contemporary window into those times, it fills an important reference need as well."—Jerome A. Greene, author of Stricken Field: The Little Bighorn Since 1876

"In Sioux War Dispatches, Marc H. Abrams has pulled together a volume of hard-to-find writings from an army of scribblers. Abrams overlays the key events with the necessary set-up and annotation that only an expert editor does."—R. Eli Paul, author of Blue Water Creek and the First Sioux War, 1854-1856 (printed in the new issue of True West)

The book is 448 pages with 22 illustrations and 7 maps. Here is a free preview:
www.armchairgeneral.com/sioux-war-dispatches-rallies-repulses-and-villainous-falsehoods-book-excerpt.htm

(Click on the words "Sioux War Dispatches" in the second paragraph)

[starman]

I found this book to be totally biased against the Indians, but considering it was a mixture of contemporary newspaper accounts it was not surprising. I could see no benefit or use in reading this book.

[plainsman]

Is it that the book is 'biased against the Indians,' or that the book reflects the mind-set of the media and white America at the time? That alone can explain a lot about that period in our history. Considering its subject matter I would have been surprised if the Indians had gotten a fair shake and it doesn't seem to me that 'fairness' was the author's purpose.

[quincannon]

I have neither seen or read the book but I would think the title would give one a clue as to its contents. It has been my experience that the Indian Confederation of the 1876-77 Campaign rarely wrote dispatches to newspapers and the like, and would therefore conclude that such a book would offer a somewhat skewed perspective, in fact a bit one sided. Don't think the author is offering fair and balanced, and I don't think then you will be disappointed

[starman]

plainsman ; it is both. With passages such as "the horrible savages will get their just deserts"etc.

[plainsman]

I do not have the book, nor have I read it. But the author is compiling press reports of the time, not writing them himself. Isn't it valuable to have the background noise that was going on in the country at the time? I think it is. Maybe it's unpleasant to modern sensibilities but it is what it is. I don't understand why you feel that a book about the 1870s newspaper business should be "fair" to the Indians? That would be a different book it seems to me. A work of fiction perhaps.

[marcabrams]

To those on the boards who have purchased Sioux War Dispatches, you can email me for a brief (and I do mean brief) Errata & Addendum sheet. My email is
marcsdesign(AT)yahoo.com.
Please state "SWD--Addendum" in the subject line. Thanks.

On another note, the recent Gettysburg conference was a lot of fun. If you stopped by to say hello in the book room, it was much appreciated. Cheers.

[Melani]

Jul 17, 2012 6:12:07 GMT -6 starman said:

I found this book to be totally biased against the Indians, but considering it was a mixture of contemporary newspaper accounts it was not surprising. I could see no benefit or use in reading this book.

I think it is always useful to understand the mindset and the culture of any time you are studying. We really need to understand where both whites and Indians were coming from in this conflict, rather than imposing our own modern views on either side.

[gary]

Hi Starman (big David Bowie fan?), I'm very much pro-Indian (although I try to keep an open mind!) and I'm really enjoying this book. It's not clear from your posts if you've actually read it or looked at it at all. I would thoroughly recommend it. Plainsman and Melani are right, you have to understand that these are contemporary reports reflecting the attitudes of the day. Having said that, they are not all anti-Indian. There is a contemporay interview with Sitting Bull, some very positive contemporary comments on the Indians and quite a few of the reports show admiration for the Indians. This is however missing the point to some extent. The real value of this book is that you get the immediacy of the reports from journalists who were - in most cases - there on the ground with the troops. You also get details that the later histories overlook. Added to this is a very well written background commentary from the editor, the book is fully annotated and has some great maps. The great thing about the book is that it has something for people with all levels of interest. I think that it is destined to be a classic of the genre. Buy a copy and see for yourself. You won't regret it. Gary

[marcabrams]

I wish to thank Gary (and others) for his kind words on Sioux War Dispatches.

For those who don't know, the Western Writers of America publish a journal that contains book reviews. The August issue contains this review for Sioux War Dispatches:

First-hand accounts, primarily from civilian newspaper reporters and military personnel, make for an often riveting, you-are-there storytelling approach. If you’re interested in the Little Big Horn, or even 19th Century journalism, this book is a great resource, and even better reading.

Here is the link:
westernwriters.org/roundup/