Crazy Horse - Paperback: The Lakota Warrior's Life & Legacy

by The Edward Clown Family (Narrator), William Matson (Primary Contributor)

An in-depth recounting of the life of the Lakota war leader and the legacy he left behind, now in paperback.

The Edward Clown family, nearest living relatives to the Lakota war leader, presents the family tales and memories told to them about their famous grandfather. In many ways the oral history differs from what has become the standard and widely accepted biography of Crazy Horse. The family clarifies the inaccuracies and shares their story about the past, including what it means to them to be Lakota, the family genealogy, the life of Crazy Horse and his motivations, his death, and why they chose to keep quiet with their knowledge for so long before finally deciding to tell the truth as they know it.
 
This book is a compelling addition to the body of works about Crazy Horse and the complicated and often conflicting events of that time period in American History.

Floyd Clown, Doug War Eagle, and Don Red Thunder are the sole administrators and spokesmen of the Crazy Horse estate and often speak at historical gatherings and national parks about their family’s history. They live in DuPree, South Dakota.
 
William Matson has produced and directed an award-winning video, Sitting Bull’s Voice, as well as the two-part video series, The Authorized Biography of Sitting Bull by His Great-Grandson, and the four-part video series, The Authorized Biography of Crazy Horse and His Family. He regularly speaks about these videos and their content at film festivals and has been working with the Crazy Horse family since 2001 to tell their story. He lives in Spearfish, South Dakota.
 

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Native American, American History, Indigenous, Native Americans

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2016

About the author

Floyd Clown, Doug War Eagle, and Don Red Thunder are the sole administrators and spokesmen of the Crazy Horse estate and often speak at historical gatherings and national parks about their family's history.

Reviews

[TXGAL1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Crazy Horse once said that a people without a history are like blades of grass in the wind. We are Lakota. We are a spiritual people, and a spiritual people are never beaten.”

This book is the written oral history of the Crazy Horse family. A family that stayed “hidden” to the outside world until 2001 due to the fear and malice they had been subjected to since the death of Crazy Horse.

A spell-binding and moving read.

ADDENDUM: I have found the insta account LAKOTALAW to be a wonderful account to follow after reading this book. Very informative.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazingly Accurate

Thils was a very interesting book about Crazy Horse and his extended family, as told by his family. It is truly an amazing piece of history that is full of pictures and copies of original documents.

The Lakotas reside in parts of Nebraska--my home state. This, this book hit very close to home.

For a history buff, this is exceptional.

I highly recommend.

[Ginni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy Horse: The Lakota Warrior's Life & Legacy is a first of its kind. Packed with incredible art and photos, the whole thing is written in the first-person plural, which creates a nice sense of immediacy (instead of “our ancestors did X,” it’s “we did X”) and somehow doesn’t feel hokey. In a culture where many people don't even know their great-grandparents' names, it's uniquely powerful to see these writers placing themselves by the sides of their distant ancestors.

Don't expect to be swept up the way you would in a novel--this is, essentially, still a history book--but it's not difficult reading, either.

It’s hard to get around the obvious uncomfortable question: How can we trust this account? None of the writers were there; they’ve just been told what happened by people who were told what happened by people who were told what happened by people who were there, and all of those people had biases and agendas. The authors themselves admit that oral accounts of the same event vary somewhat from family to family.

The obvious uncomfortable follow-up question is: Isn’t that how we know pretty much everything we know about history? Yes, we have primary sources for many events—but hey, there’s a whole appendix full of primary sources in the back of this book. Even court documents and first-person accounts contain inherent cultural biases. Isn’t it only fair that we see, for once, a different bias? Is the way that the story was handed down not an important part of the story?

Regardless of the veracity of the account, it’s exciting to have access to it. Until now, this has only been an oral history, one to which non-Lakota have not been privy. It’s a privilege to be able to read this rich, surprising counter-narrative. I'm grateful to the Edward Clown family for sharing their stories, and to William B. Matson for recording them faithfully and more or less without embellishment.

(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)

[Angela Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will not be able to say enough good things about this book. When you read this book it is not like reading a book it is more like you are listening to the family telling your their story. I felt as if I could really hear them. The more I read this book the more angry I got as there were a lot of bad things done by our country to Crazy Horse and his family. It was all hateful and very unnecessary. I am very happy that I read this book and hope everyone takes the time to read it. Today I go the chance to meet Floyd Clown and William Matson. They came to my town and gave a lecture, which was very informative and interesting. When the lecture was over I got the chance to talk to both of them and found out that Floyd Clown is also a grandson of War Eagle who was a big name where I am from. My only wish was that I could have had more time to visit with them. I would love to hear more stories about Floyd and Crazy Horse's family. One of the best books I have read this year.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

On our recent road trip, Tom and I visited Fort Caspar, in Casper, Wyoming. They had a lot of books in the gift shop, and this one caught my eye: The life and legacy of Crazy Horse as told by his descendants. I find oral histories fascinating, and am curious about Crazy Horse, so I decided to buy the book. Glad I did, but so much of the story is heartbreaking, it's a relief that the family considers the publication of this book a sort of happy ending. Setting the record straight, and declaring that they are still here, reclaiming traditional ways and thriving, does seem like a happy ending, especially after all they have endured.

[Barbara Langlois · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little hard to read. Had to put it down several times. So sad that this is the truth of what happened to the Native American people. Being of mixed nationality with some Native American in me from both my mother and father I am saddened to read this and now understand why my father insisted that we be registered as white. To the Crazy Horse family thank you for finally making this book.

[Mandy Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since my days in elementary school, I have loved reading about the West and especially the Plains Nations’ struggle with the US Army. I had a chance to hear a member of the Edward Clown family and the writer of this book speak about the process in which it was written, and I even bought a signed copy.
To start, one must be very clear that this is an oral history passed down through one family. This is not a source one uses to find other sources; for sake of citation, it should almost be called an “interview” as much as anything else. The family/writer address the parity between their oral history and Western/American citations, arguing that oral traditions passed down carefully from generation to generation is just as truthful as any written source, even if it disagrees with another oral history passed down by another family. At the book signing I attended, the family member stated that they had routinely called upon the spirits of the family’s elders to verify that the information was correct; the writer confirmed that he had seen these spirits himself.
I found the information contained in the book to be very interesting. My understanding wasn’t radically changed as far as the major events that took place, but I now have a deeper understanding of Dakota life and culture. For example, I had not known before that the Dakota would pass on their names to their sons, even while the father was still alive. Crazy Horse (the one known in most history books) was actually the son of Crazy Horse; his father gave up the name to his son and took another that he used for the rest of his life. The book also filled in some of the gaps that appear in history books written by Americans at the time, giving the reader a better understanding of what happened out of sight of the American troops and forts.
For all of its interesting information, I had a couple of rather major disappointments in this book. First, the name implies that this story will be mostly about Crazy Horse, but large portions of the book deal with events before and after his death. I understand that this falls under the “& Legacy” part of the title, but I still found it disappointing, especially the last part of a book that was essentially a genealogy from Crazy Horse to the present. This section served only to bolster the claim of the Edward Clown family that they were the rightful descendants of Crazy Horse. It could have been written in a pamphlet or as a separate article instead of being added to this book.
Second, the book painted the Dakota, especially Crazy Horse and his family, in a totally positive light. I understand that no one wants to dredge up anything negative about a beloved ancestor, but the book made it seem like every other tribe (and the Americans) was guilty of horrible atrocities. However, no Dakota – well, maybe one of those corrupted by the Americans – would ever do such a thing. Again, I understand the intent, but the rosy picture painted in the book borders on the ludicrous.
In the end, I was left unsure of how to rate this book. I enjoyed portions of it and learned new facts about life, culture, tradition, etc. of the Dakota as they existed before the arrival of large scale American migrations. However, portions of the book had little-to-no bearing on the life of Crazy Horse, and the genealogical chapters at the end were especially so – forgive the bluntness – boring that I almost didn’t finish. So I would have to give it a solid 3-out-of-5 stars; it was “good” but not “great.”

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a book for the scholar. What it lacks academically may be compensated by the sincere steadfast spirit, here and there.
Past the padding there are a couple authentic creeping streaks.

[Viki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this account of Lakota life absolutely fascinating. Background about Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse was in-depth showing the family connections and tribal life. The battle at Little Big Horn was not the center of the story as I assumed. Spiritual ceremonies have been preserved throughout the years continuing to modern times. The Appendix included governmental papers recorded as the tribe was relocated to the reservations. This is an area of American history that I knew very little about and I will be encouraged to read more about this particular time period.

[Christina Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true genealogy book. At times felt a bit slow/repetitive as it would tell the lineage and passage of deaths and births throughout the Crazy Horse family history. However, the few chapters where it really shares about Crazy Horse’s life, the battles, and the sacred rituals and traditions of the Lakota people makes it worth reading.

[Allan Dyen-Shapiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a trip to South Dakota this summer, I became fascinated with Lakota culture and Crazy Horse in particular. This book is oral history--the family saga, starting with Crazy Horse's grandfather and continuing to the present day--as told by three of his descendants who listened to their elders' stories and backed them up with probate and other records. Not as easy as it sounds with how many changed names and with the willful cover-up by a family afraid of persecution for much of the century following Crazy Horse's death.

Interestingly, it's told in first person, as if each historical figure was telling the tale. Included are visions of ancestors speaking to them, as well as detailed description of the material conditions as well as decision processes that motivated actions.

Few specific villains emerge, although Red Cloud comes close. Interesting. Wikipedia paints him as a hero rather than a murderous traitor to his people.

A list of people mentioned, with all names they used, and with birth and death dates, would have been helpful. A family tree laid out as a conventional chart would also have helped.

But, as is, this is quite readable. A very good start for those trying to learn about the Lakota.

[Dick Whittington · Rating 3 out of 5]

A terrific read for its history and Indian oral history POV if not for its writing. Unfortunately spends too much time on names, dates and geneology when the true value is in the true story of Crazy Horse and his family...and the significant contrast between this version and that created by White historians.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only book on Crazy Horse you ever need to read, direct from their family's history.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I am always looking to expand my reading horizons, I was very happy to see this book available via Kindle Unlimited. I don't know much about Crazy Horse, but seeing that this was a book that shared the memories and oral stories from his nearest living relatives, it seemed like a good pickup. There are, unfortunately, lots of other stories about Crazy Horse, and it is unsurprising if disheartening to see that his family is often, not always left out.

So this might be a little "different" from other memoirs or biographies that you have read. Unlike many other books in the Western style of literature/writing, this is based on an oral tradition, so it doesn't "read" the same way a "traditional" biography would. So your mileage may vary on how you take it. It does not surprise me to read from other Native and Indigenous peoples who also have oral traditions when it comes to keeping their stories and histories that theirs is often lost because it is not "written" so therefore there isn't a "record in the same way.

You can and will learn a lot about the Dakota and their life and culture. You will also hear a side of the story and history that perhaps you may have never encountered and is not covered in history books (surprise). It is also a lot of what happened before and after his death, which is perhaps unsurprising but also depending on what you are looking for, this may be disconcerting if you think it is only about Crazy Horse.

Overall I found it difficult to read. It's different from other types of biographies I have read, and sometimes I am suspicious because, well, how do you verify it? At the same time, this is their way of record and history keeping, so who am I to say? So depending on what you are looking for, what you know of Crazy Horse, whether you are familiar with this style of storytelling, etc., this may be hit or miss.

I am glad I read it, but I will admit that maybe I needed more context and/or this was not a book for me. Or maybe we should learn to expand our definitions of what kinds of histories and traditions are "real" and "official," even if they do not match our prior experiences and expectations.

I would recommend it, but perhaps as a borrow unless you need it for reference.

[Leonide Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much has been written and put in film about the famous Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, who led the defeat of General Custer at Little Big Horn in 1876. In this unique telling, the descendants in the Crazy Horse family relate a series of stories that were passed as oral tradition for generations. Matson, whose father had abiding interest in Native Americans, passed this charge onto his son. It took Matson many years to gain the family's trust and compile their stories. They shared their history in order to preserve the stories in the most accurate form, and honor this hero who gave his life to maintain Lakota ways. Told in the words of many family members, the book has the ring of authenticity. They describe events as recalled and passed on, weaving these with Lakota beliefs and lifestyles. It is a touching yet harsh account, a simple recounting of how life was and how it changed. Their immense strength of endurance and persistence shines through, as the Lakota people faced lies and deceptions, brutality and misunderstanding, and ultimately confinement to reservations without sustainable lifestyles. One must admire the matter-of-fact ways they dealt with unbelievable adversity. Now the tribes are reclaiming their heritage and preserving what they can of their traditions. The Clown family and their Lakota people deserve our greatest respect and gratitude for bringing this remarkable account into print.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is one thing to read and learn about another culture/people from an outsider‘s perspective but it‘s a whole different thing to learn about it from a member of that culture.

I picked this book up at the little museum/store at Fort Phil Kearney and am truly grateful to the lady who recommended it to me there. („If you want to learn about ‚native Americans‘ & their history, you‘d best stay clear of books written by us ‚white people‘; this book is the real deal“ she said ;-))

And she was right in this instance. This book is so much more than just a retelling of battles and historic moments. It is a family‘s history, spanning centuries and numerous generations. Told throughout in first person narration (the plural „we“), it tells of old legend stories, spiritual practices, cultural traditions and the everyday way of life of the Lakota. It is a deeply personal book and I learned so much more than I expected. I absolutely loved it.

[ricard flay · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took a little getting use to reading an entire book in the first person but that didn't last long. A tragic history of a great man, and his tribal family. I was somewhat upset that his vision was different from that I read in a prior book which went into detail about this incident on Bear Butte in 1871. I'm shocked by the US governments treatment of this man, as well as the army being manipulated by Red Cloud. It would have been so simple for the government to stick to their agreement that would grant Crazy Horse a reservation, and allowed his people to continue to hunt the Black Hills, and protect his family graves. I would like to see the US Government officially condemn the Sand Creek massacre, and remove the twenty Medals of Honor from these murderers. I would also like a condemnation of the officer that ordered his murder, as well as the cowardly soldier that carried it out.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

We know there is another side to the story of Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and other Native chiefs, much different than what we learned in elementary school. I’ve always tended to believe the Natives. This book is narrated by descendants of Crazy Horse, members of the Clown family and is mesmerizing! The way the author transcribes the stories handed down, is eloquent. He’s a Caucasian, trusted by the Lakota to set the record straight and tell their story. My only criticism is that near the end, the book just turns into a straightforward family tree, away from the interesting flow of the ancient, spiritual stories. In passing, there was mention that the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota is controversial to the Natives, but no explanation. I’d like to know more about that.

[Theodore Kermes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strange book. I'm not saying that in a negative way. It's an oral history that was written down. It doesn't have an academic tone and is more conversational and therefore, more relatable.

This is not simply a biography of Crazy Horse (or Crazy Horse 2). It's about the whole family. The genealogy starts with Crazy Horse's grandparents, then parents, then Crazy Horse's life an exploits, then a numerous amounts of the renamed Clown family (Crazy Horse's descendants). The history ends in 2015 or so.

The Clown family's recollections are deeply personal. There's references to grudges, family intrigues, and the secrecy of maintaining Lakota ways.

It's an easy read and worth it. It humanizes Crazy Horse and Lakota people in a solid way.

[Barbara Curry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating

This was a very educational book about the Lakota culture and key descendants— not the least of which is Crazy Horse. While it is characterized as the only ‘official’ history of Crazy Horse based on the fact that all the stories have been passed down orally through the generations, there were a couple times I wondered how some conversations between one party who spoke only English and the other party who spoke only Lakota could actually be captured — but it was worth reading none-the-less. Felt sad for the way the Lakota were treated and lied to by the government — as well as, at times, by other tribes.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers the reader a significant yet often overlooked perspective on Crazy Horse - that of his family. It was fascinating to see the careful and deliberate way they kept this knowledge hidden for many years to preserve it for future generations.

Lakota culture and mannerisms throughout the book illustrate its authenticity.

I learned things that I had never heard before about the Battle of Little Big Horn and other events around that time.

I am grateful that the family chose to come forward and share this sad but important story. You can feel through it that the spirit of Crazy Horse lives on.

[David Koogler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the memoirs written by the relatives of Crazy Horse. It is refreshing to hear their side of their great ancestor’s story. It is human nature to justify the actions of your own while demonizing others. This is the case here as well. Crazy Horse’s actions were all justified, his family’s mishaps were the work of others, etc. There is a clear bias in this book, but at the end of the day, who cares? It’s a good story and from the perspective of those closest to a great man. I highly recommend this to others.

[Sarah J Stebbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 rating (really, really great to loved it)

This was a very interesting and intriguing read. The fact that it comes from the oral history passed down through Crazy Horse’s family makes it that much more impactful of a read. I will admit that, at times, I found it hard to keep track of the family tree and connecting who was being talked about to Crazy Horse. Even so, I thought it was a great way to learn this history and even if I could not always keep track I appreciated learning it all. Oral history is history. I can only hope more people decide to make their oral histories available to the public.

[Tammy Gage · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little gem has been a long time coming. I would encourage everyone who has any interest in the Americas west, the plight of the mighty Sioux nation or the failed extermination of American Indian tribes to indulge in this history changer. Many, many blanks filled in for me personally regarding myth and fact. Thank you so much to the family for sharing their story at this time and to the author, well done.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This history of the Lakota and the story of Crazy Horse as passed down through Oral History and presented to the author by Crazy Horse’s closest descendants. A very interesting book. It’s difficult to put down. So many historical events were witnessed by this family and are told from their perspective. It also tells the story of Crazy Horse’s descendants to the present which in many ways is just as interesting because until now it wasn’t known. A really good read.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent book. This author captures the voice of the native American oral tradition better than any writing I've ever read. And the life & times of Crazy Horse are one of those "much bigger than life" stories that don't come out very often. One of the truly great war chiefs coming out of the American Plains Indians experience.

[ashley sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening

Unique and fascinating. Slow at first. Anyone interested in history would be awed by the oral history of these remarkable people and the way they conducted their lives. Genuinely loving people who suffered great tragedies. Their lives were full of so much to be admired and respected, a respect they never received.

[Clyde Prince · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

This. Is a very true and honest account of the Chief Crazy Horse that was one of the great leaders of the Lak





I

Lota people. It is also a very good accounting
of the investment and lies the Native Americans endured over more then a hundred years. The American government continued to mistreat the indians
Into the 2020"s.

[Pam Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indian perspective

I really liked the way they did the point of view from the native American point of view. I have read many books on crazy horse and this one shed more light on how the white settlers affected the way of life of the native american. First time I read this perspective. Good read.