The epic clash of two American legends―their brutal war and a battle of ideas that defined America after Reconstruction.Oliver Otis Howard thought he was a man of destiny. Chosen to lead the Freedmen’s Bureau after the Civil War; the Union Army general was entrusted with the era’s most crucial task: helping millions of former slaves claim the rights of citizens. He was energized by the belief that abolition and Reconstruction; the country’s great struggles for liberty and equality; were God’s plan for himself and the nation. To honor his righteous commitment to a new American freedom; Howard University was named for him.But as the nation’s politics curdled in the 1870s; General Howard exiled himself from Washington; D.C.; rejoined the army; and was sent across the continent to command forces in the Pacific Northwest. Shattered by Reconstruction’s collapse; he assumed a new mission: forcing Native Americans to become Christian farmers on government reservations.Howard’s plans for redemption in the West ran headlong into the resistance of Chief Joseph; a young Nez Perce leader in northeastern Oregon who refused to leave his ancestral land. Claiming equal rights for Native Americans; Joseph was determined to find his way to the center of American power and convince the government to acknowledge his people’s humanity and capacity for citizenship. Although his words echoed the very ideas about liberty and equality that Howard had championed during Reconstruction; in the summer of 1877 the general and his troops ruthlessly pursued hundreds of Nez Perce families through the stark and unforgiving Northern Rockies. An odyssey and a tragedy; their devastating war transfixed the nation and immortalized Chief Joseph as a hero to generations of Americans.Recreating the Nez Perce War through the voices of its survivors; Daniel J. Sharfstein’s visionary history of the West casts Howard’s turn away from civil rights alongside the nation’s rejection of racial equality and embrace of empire. The conflict becomes a pivotal struggle over who gets to claim the American dream: a battle of ideas about the meaning of freedom and equality; the mechanics of American power; and the limits of what the government can and should do for its people. The war that Howard and Joseph fought is one that Americans continue to fight today. 8 pages of illustrations
#875882 in Books 2007-11-17Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.50 x 1.40 x 6.50l; 1.77 #File Name: 0393057720416 pagesAnne SebbabiographyLeaders Notable People
Review
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. MehBy voracious readerI actually wasn't expecting much of this book; but as I spend a great deal of my time in bed I figured it was worth purchasing a used copy. This can hardly be called a confident bio; as the author first debunks Randolph's syphilis; then gives current medical opinion that he probably had it; then yes; then no...similarly with Jennie's purported lovers. I don't believe the author ever reconciled Jennie's undeniable mesmerizing charm with her blatant weaknesses...all too many authors and "reviewers" these days seem to have lost the ability to view a historical subject in the time and milieu in which the subject lived. The whole point of the Victorian era was the huge double standard of life in the highest upper class with that tolerated (or usually NOT tolerated) in the lower classes. (I'm perpetually amazed by reviews I see here in which the subject under discussion is judged based on "today's" standards...the joy of immersing oneself in history is sinking into another; alien time; trying to understand the thinking; the standards of living; the politics. It's ridiculous to read history for any other reason!) By all measures; Jennie was sui generis; and the ONE good point made by this author is that she could not possibly give the massive amount of attention and support to Randolph and her children at the same time. He would not have tolerated it; because he was jealous of his own children; and their ambitions as a couple to make their fortune via politics could never have been realized. Jennie also had to spend an enormous amount of energy; ingenuity; and time keeping Randolph's early and very evident psychological deterioration quiet for as long as she possibly could; which was in itself a terrifying tight-rope walk; for which she did not get the credit she deserved from him or his family. Ralph G. Martin was able; 30 years ago; to give a very balanced account with fewer resources; of a woman who was heroic; infinitely charming; beyond gorgeous; musically endowed with great gifts; an incredible horsewoman; gifted with the ability to make and keep friendships with both men and women that lasted for decades; unselfish towards others; and yet be very frank about her self-centered nature (but really; with HER gifts; who wouldn't be?!); her grasping attempts to make money; her appalling inability to figure out how to live within her means; and ALL of her negative qualities; and yet give the reader an understanding of how the mix combined to make such an unforgettable person. I was not able to figure out what exactly Ms. Sebba thought about Jennie; so fragmented was her presentation of her. If you've done a substantial amount of reading concerning the major players in the Victorian era; this book won't be of much use to you. If you haven't; this book won't be of much use to you; either. It's lacking in coherence; and Martin's two-volume book is the best I've read thus far.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Winston Churchill's mother was definitely not boring.By Colleen RooneyI find this period in history very interesting. The fact that many American women married into British aristocracy during this time to save their family name and homes isn't known to many. I also find this particular book interesting as Jennie was Winston Churchill's mother. I've read several books about him but didn't know much about his immediate family until now.4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Jennie; We Hardly Knew You and We Were Better OffBy Rosemary F. PetzoldLady Randolph Churchill; Winston's mother; was quite a woman. A product of her time; education; social standing; and wealth; Jennie's storied beauty enabled her to lead a life that was as surprising as it was incomprehensible by today's standards. She engaged in numerous liaisons and affairs; ostensibly to help; first her husband; and later her elder son; achieve their own goals in life. Somewhat scandalous even for British society of the day; Jennie moved in the best circles; hosted the finest parties; knew all of the right people; and wore the most fashionable clothes. Despite all of these advantages; Jennie was an incredibly self-involved woman who appeared shallow. Her shortcomings as a mother underscored this view. However; the obvious illness of her first husband; and the poor choices she subsequently made in marrying men her son's age; as well as her own health challenges; made her situation poignant. This author could have used a judicious editor; as the writing sometimes detracted from the story. It is amazing that one of the so-called greatest statesmen in history is the son of this woman. Winston adored his mother; which tells a great deal about her as well as him. .
