Crazy Horse: The Lakota Warrior’s Life and Legacy by the Edward Clown Family as told to William B. Matson (GibbsSmith, $30) is a family account of the life of Tashunke Witko, their great Sioux relative. Crazy Horse doesn’t have direct descendants, but the Edward Clown family descends from his half-sister Iron Cedar. For the first time, the Clown family members tell their oral history handed down from Iron Cedar. They tell of Crazy Horse’s boyhood, family life, hunting, fights and family history. They recount his participation in the Fetterman attack, the fights at the Rosebud and Little Big Horn, Crazy Horse’s surrender and murder. Fearful of government retribution, the family went to great lengths to remain anonymous. Today, they believe the time is right to tell their story. I recommend this book to all who want to know more about this Lakota hero.
—Bill Markley, author of Deadwood Dead Men