By S.C. Gwynne

The long subtitle of the book is: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History. The book is not actually a biography of Quanah Parker. He becomes prominent only towards the end of the book. The book is the story of the Comanche Indians, and it is also the story of Cynthia Ann Parker, who was captured by the Comanches when she was nine years old.

The book is quite a tale. It opens with the Comanches raiding the stockaded home place of the prominent Parker family in central Texas. This is in the 1830s when there was considerable violence between the whites moving westward across Texas and the Plains Indians. In the raid on the Parker land, several people were killed and several others were captured, including the nine-year-old Cynthia Parker. Cynthia grew up among the Comanches and eventually married a prominent chief. She would have several children, including Quanah. She became quite well-known in the West. Attempts were made to rescue her, but she did not want to be rescued. Eventually she was rescued by force, though she never accepted it. Her son, Quanah would grow up to be a feared warrior and chief.

Most of the book is taken with describing the Plains Indians, including the Comanches. The Comanches were the best horsemen and the best warriors and the most feared tribe of all the Plains Indian tribes, which included Apache, Arapahoe, Sioux and more.

The Apache boys were trained to be warriors from their youngest ages, not unlike the citizens of ancient Sparta were trained to be warriors. Some would say that the Comanches were the greatest soldiers in history.

All the Plains Indians lived hunting the buffalo. They lived nomadic lives on horseback. They could be fierce warriors against each other and later against the whites moving west. This is the story of endless encounters and battles with the whites, especially with the Texas Rangers.

Eventually the book gets to Quanah as a young and fierce warrior chief. He never lost a battle. But the days of the Plains Indians living free and hunting buffalo were numbered. Eventually even Quanah submits to the U.S. soldiers and moves to a reservation in southwestern Oklahoma. He would become prominent as a peaceful man in Oklahoma. And at one point even has Theodore Roosevelt visit his home.

In this book I understand much better the Plains Indians and especially the Comanches, and most especially Cynthia and Quanah Parker. Quite a good book.

Gwynne is an excellent writer, and he also has a superb biography of Stonewall Jackson entitled, Rebel Yell.