Sitting Bull and His World

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Through Marrin's (Terror of the Spanish Main) gripping and complex portrait of Sitting Bull (1831-1890), the author demonstrates the Lakota Sioux leader's importance in understanding American life today. As the prologue states: "Through his experiences we can gain a larger perspective on such continuing problems as racism, violence, and human rights." Marrin skillfully describes the customs, morals and spiritual beliefs that shaped Sitting Bull into a wise man with strong "medicine" or magical power and a courageous fighter for what he believed in; the author asserts, "Above all, he was a patriot who insisted that Native Americans must be free to choose their way of life." Rather than characterizing one side as evil and the other as good, Marrin laudably sketches the gray area that grew out of cultural differences between whites and Native Americans that seemed to make conflict inevitable (e.g., whites measured success by ownership and property while Native Americans believed that "people could not own the land any more than they could own the air they breathed, the rain that fell, or the sun's warming rays"). Readers will come away with a palpable sense of the injustice of America's Indian wars; Marrin's picture of Sitting Bull and thorough look at the West offer powerful insights into this painful episode in our nation's history. Ages 11-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Children's Literature

Sitting Bull was born in 1831, the tail end of the glory days of his Hunkpapa Lakota people. Through the course of his life he bravely fought enemy tribes, and then the encroaching white men, culminating in his victory against Custer at Little Big Horn. Sitting Bull fled to Canada seeking amnesty for his tribe, went on to tour with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and finally died from the guns of white men in 1890, instigating the last of the Indian massacres fifteen days later at Wounded Knee. His life was cinematic in scope, and Marrin has chosen to tell Sitting Bull's story within the broad sweep of the closing days of the American frontier. The result is a one-volume synopsis not only of the life and times of the Plains Indians, but also of the patriotism, politics, and greed of nineteenth-century white Americans. Albert Marrin tells this story exceptionally well--from Sitting Bull's coming of age rites, to the extraordinary land grab of the Black Hills, to an in-depth analysis of the U.S. Cavalry and General Custer himself. Through the telling, Marrin brings vivid life to the terrible clash between two stubborn and proud cultures. 2000, Dutton, Ages 10 up, $27.50. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr

VOYA - Voya Reviews

Marrin's gripping tale transcends a mere recounting of the life of Sitting Bull and his role in defeating George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Sitting Bull commonly has been depicted as just a warrior who eventually presided over the largest alliance of Northern Plains Indians ever assembled. Readers will come to appreciate his sagacity and tenacity in defending his people's way of life, which was doomed by the white man's greed, technology, and totally different values and philosophy of life. When Sitting Bull was born in 1831, the United States had changed little from colonial times. By the time he died in 1890, the government declared that the frontier no longer existed. Marrin shows how different forces--the lure of gold, the desire for fertile farmland, post-Civil War politics, European immigration, the rise of railroads, and inventions such as John Deere's steel plow and Cyrus McCormick's mechanical reaper--helped create a continental nation at the expense of an entire people. Lakota (Sioux) customs, such as polygamy and the reasons for it, attitudes toward homosexuals, child rearing, the role and rights of women, scalping, and games played by the children, will fascinate readers. Readers will be horrified by the whites' racism, the wholesale killing of buffalo to exterminate the Indians, and the equally insidious attempt "to destroy their heritage, beliefs, customs, and language--that is, the very things that give meaning and direction to human life." Combining meticulous research and a balanced approach with a lively, engaging writing style, Marrin mesmerizes readers with this indispensable tale for understanding the beliefs, attitudes, wayof life, and demise of a great, proud people during a sad chapter in American history. Index. Illus. Photos. Maps. Source Notes. Further Reading. VOYA CODES: 5Q 3P M J S (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2000, Dutton, Ages 12 to 18, 246p, $27.50. Reviewer: Bill Mollineaux

From The Critics

Using oversize pages and a black-and-white presentation, this fascinating biography tells the story of one of America's most noteworthy leaders, Sitting Bull. In a detailed and unfolding narrative, Marrin underlines how Sitting Bull was able to bridge two disparate worlds—native and white Americans. We learn of Native American customs—particularly to the peoples of Sitting Bull—and how they compared to the standards and customs of the day in white America. Everything from birthing and raising children to the killing and skinning of buffalo is told in rich and vivid detail. More importantly, the reader is entertained with exploits of Sitting Bull and why his leadership skills were paramount to the survival of his people. Moving towards the night Sitting Bull was murdered in 1890, Marrin asks the reader to imagine that they are living in the same time and place. So, when we arrive at the Battle of Wounded Knee—fifteen days after Sitting Bull's death—we see the full impact of his remarkable life. Rich narrative, beautiful illustrations, and well-documented sources make this book a worthwhile read for students who want to know more about America's first people. Genre: Biography/American Indian 2000, Dutton Children's Books, 246p

School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up-An exploration of the life and times of one of the best-known Native American leaders of the 1800s. Marrin is respectful of and sympathetic toward his subject, while presenting an evenhanded and sensitive view of the social, economic, political, and military forces at play in the "conquest of the Great Plains." His style here is similar to Russell Freedman's in The Life & Death of Crazy Horse (Holiday, 1996). A comprehensive work, the book covers Sitting Bull's brave accomplishments in his youth, his wisdom and influence as an adult, and his experiences later in life with Buffalo Bill, as well as his murder. Throughout, the author illuminates the culture of the Plains Indians with explanations and descriptions of spiritual beliefs, gender roles, and traditional chants and ceremonies. While this title is more readable than Elizabeth Schleichert's Sitting Bull (Enslow, 1997), it is also more challenging to get to the facts as the lengthy text contains so much background information and lacks a time line. However, the index is extensive, as are the chapter notes and bibliography. The volume is well illustrated with black-and-white photographs, reproductions, representations of drawings done by Sitting Bull for his pictorial autobiography, and helpful maps. This exceptionally well-documented work is an enjoyable read and a valuable resource that merits a place in all collections.-Andrew Medlar, Chicago Public Library, IL Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|