![]() ![]() Nor does he mention other important historical figures involved in these conflicts, such as Al Sieber and Tom Horn.ĭespite such omissions, the reader does manage to gain a sufficient understanding of the history and Faulk does admit that the book is not intended to be a definitive account. Yet he never once mentions that Felix grew up to be the famous Apache scout, Mickey Free. Faulk mentions the abduction of Felix Telles by Western Apaches, whose stepfather falsely accused the Chiricahua of being the culprits and then triggered Cochise's war against the Americans. I found the chapters dealing with the Navajo Wars to be highly interesting but the chapters on the Apache Wars left me wanting more. If you can push past the first chapter, the rest of the book is far more consistent. that were - and are - marvels of engineering" and then proceeds to claim that they "did not try to conquer, dominate, or change nature." He doesn't seem to realise that by practising irrigation, this is exactly what they were trying to do. The following chapters don't shy away from the fact that both tribes were extremely warlike and tortured their captives, so how does he determine which of the two had a monopoly on cruelty? Thankfully, he does avoid this kind of sensationalism for the rest of the book.įuthermore, Faulk contradicts himself when he mentions that the Pueblo Indians "built diversion dams. This seems problematic, especially from someone who wants to maintain objectivity. In order to emphasise the reputation Comanches had for cruelty, he claims that the Apaches, who also tortured their captives, were "gentle" in comparison. I'm surprised a professor emeritus of history overlooked such a huge error. Faulk claims that the Comanche are "cousins of the Cheyenne," for example, when they actually split off from the Shoshone and speak an Uto-Aztecan language, which is unrelated to the Algonquian language of the Cheyenne. However, the book does have its flaws and the main ones are to be found within the first chapter. ![]() Faulk's goal was to write a balanced account of the clash between whites and Indians in the American Southwest (including the Southern Plains) and he more or less succeeds with 'Crimson Desert,' which is an adequate presentation of history and an enjoyable read throughout. Faulk claims that the Comanche are "cousins of the Cheyenne," for example, when they actually split off from the Shoshon Odie B. ![]()
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