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Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Escape Into History

Day 247 of the "What are you reading, and why?" project, and Bob says he's "sifting through" The Last Stand, by Nathaniel Philbrick, and that, of course, he has read the end notes. Of course! Bob loves history, and mystery, and knowing things, and beauty, and scenery, architecture, and beverages! What doesn't Bob love?

The Amazon link above lets you click on a video of the author talking about the book, which really is about Custer's last stand, and is subtitled Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of Little Bighorn. This of course puts me in mind of Little Big Man, the novel by Thomas Berger, and the film, starring Dustin Hoffman. Long time no see.  I don't actually remember ever seeing it, but something tells me I must have. Or maybe I saw half of it. Or clips....  Anyhoo!

And here is a full account of the battle itself, Wikipedia's interpretation. Each book and film will have its own.

And the Jannett Highfill poetry feature is up at Escape Into Life, under the wonderful piece you see here, by artist Sarajo Frieden. (Click her name to see more art, and to read a blurb about her.) Highfill's poems (click above!) are a wonderful mix of personal history, art history, the history of a marriage, and some recent American history (of disaster). Frieden's art is an amazing mashup of multicultural history.

3 comments:

  1. Son of the Morning Star by Evan S. Connell is another good read about Custer and the Plains tribes. Made into a movie as well.

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  2. Thanks, Ron. I saw that at Wikipedia and was thrilled. I have Mr. Bridge and Mrs. Bridge by Evan S. Connell, and I'm halfway through A Long Desire, snatched from a box of books going elsewhere. I see the blurb on the back tells me about the Custer book, too. Which reminds me, I promised my early blog readers that I'd tell them about the section of my life when I was reading all books I could find with "desire" in the title, and similar words. A promise I've yet to keep.

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  3. Which reminds me that Connell's publisher was North Point Press under F S & G. North Point puts together some of the most beautiful books. Binding style, paper, etc.

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