THE KILLING OF CRAZY HORSE

The author uses the assassination of the Lakota chief Crazy Horse as a jumping-off point for an expansive examination of Sioux culture and history. He offers brief biographies of several key military and Native American figures. His writing style is sometimes stiff, with numerous digressions, a combination that which normally would make the transformation to audio difficult. But narrator John Pruden overcomes these difficulties with an easygoing style. He breaks up long sentences with strategic pauses and adds a dramatic tone during key scenes, such as the attack on Custer and the death of Crazy Horse. Further, he handles Native American names and words with aplomb. In all, the book is informative and rewarding, and Pruden makes it work in audio. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2011]