Book Club Selection: "Empire of the Summer Moon" by S.C. Gwynne • Mountain & Prairie

March-April Book Club Selection: Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne

On the podcast, I’ve spent a fair bit of time chatting with Texans– artists, ranchers, conservationists, and captains, to name a few. But I’ve yet to recommend a book that digs deep into Texas’s rich history…. and the word “rich” is quite an understatement.

Say what you will about Texas, but there’s no denying that the Lone Star State boasts some of our country’s wildest stories, biggest personalities, and most extreme and contradictory points of view. Its history is at times violent, its people are proud, and in many ways, its culture so strong that Texas might as well be a nation unto itself. As a student of history and a lifelong friend to many Texans, I don’t know that there is a more fascinating and polarizing region in the United States.

So, as a nod to my many Texan friends and podcast listeners, the March-April Book Club selection is:

Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S.C. Gwynne

This action-packed book provides a sweeping history of Texas, framed around the legendary Comanche Indian tribe. It’s fun to read, yet packed with enough detailed history to satisfy the most ardent history buffs. It gives vivid descriptions of the brutality that accompanied life on the frontier while paying ample attention to the numerous competing cultures– Native Americans, white settlers, and Mexicans. I was especially amazed by the story of Comanche chief Quanah Parker, a one-of-a-kind leader and warrior whom I knew nothing about prior to reading this book.

If you want a taste of the writing before committing to reading the full 300 pages, you can check out this excerpt printed in the New York Times. The book has been recommended by podcast guests time and again, and I especially enjoyed it, so I hope you’ll give it a read and let me know what you think.

If you’d like to participate:

Grab a copy of Empire of the Summer Moon—purchase it from Amazon or your local bookseller, or check it out from your local library. Start reading.
Head over to our Goodreads Group. Create an account, then join in the conversation in the online discussion forum. As you read, give your feedback on the book, pose questions to the group, and share your thoughts as you plow through the adventure.
The only way this works is with lots of participation from lots of people, so the more the better. DON’T BE SHY!