Synopses & Reviews
"An engrossing, thoughtfully researched, and tautly written account of a critical chapter in American history." -Los Angeles Times With a fantastic body of work that includes In the Heart of the Sea and Pulitzer Prize finalist Mayflower, Nathaniel Philbrick has emerged as a historian with a unique ability to bring history to life. The Last Stand is Philbrick's monumental reappraisal of the epochal clash at the Little Bighorn in 1876 that gave birth to the legend of Custer's Last Stand. Bringing a wealth of new information to his subject, as well as his characteristic literary flair, Philbrick details the collision between two American icons- George Armstrong Custer and Sitting Bull-that both parties wished to avoid, and brilliantly explains how the battle that ensued has been shaped and reshaped by national myth.
Review
"An engrossing, thoughtfully researched, and tautly written account of a critical chapter in American history." Los Angeles Times
Synopsis
With a fantastic body of work that includes In the Heart of the Sea and Pulitzer Prize finalist Mayflower, Nathaniel Philbrick has emerged as a historian with a unique ability to bring history to life. The Last Stand is Philbrick's monumental reappraisal of the epochal clash at the Little Bighorn in 1876 that gave birth to the legend of Custer's Last Stand. Bringing a wealth of new information to his subject, as well as his characteristic literary flair, Philbrick details the collision between two American icons -- George Armstrong Custer and Sitting Bull -- that both parties wished to avoid, and brilliantly explains how the battle that ensued has been shaped and reshaped by national myth.
Synopsis
"An engrossing and tautly written account of a critical chapter in American history." -Los Angeles Times
Nathaniel Philbrick, author of In the Heart of the Sea, Pulitzer Prize finalist Mayflower, and Valiant Ambition, is a historian with a unique ability to bring history to life. The Last Stand is Philbrick's monumental reappraisal of the epochal clash at the Little Bighorn in 1876 that gave birth to the legend of Custer's Last Stand. Bringing a wealth of new information to his subject, as well as his characteristic literary flair, Philbrick details the collision between two American icons- George Armstrong Custer and Sitting Bull-that both parties wished to avoid, and brilliantly explains how the battle that ensued has been shaped and reshaped by national myth.
About the Author
Nathaniel Philbrick, is a leading authority on the history of Nantucket Island. His
In the Heart of the Sea won the National Book Award. His latest book is
Sea of Glory, about the epic U.S. Exploring Expedition of 1838andndash;1842. His other books include
Away off Shore: Nantucket Island and Its People, 1602-1890 (which
Russell Baker called "indispensable") and
Abram's Eyes: The Native American Legend of Nantucket Island ("a classic of historical truthtelling," according to
Stuart Frank, director of the Kendall Whaling Museum). He has written an introduction to a new edition of
Joseph Hart's
Miriam Coffin, or The Whale Fisherman, a Nantucket novel (first published in 1834) that
Melville relied upon for information about the island when writing
Moby Dick.
Philbrick, a champion sailboat racer, has also written extensively about sailing, including The Passionate Sailor (1987) and the forthcoming Second Wind: A Sunfish Sailor's Odyssey. He was editor in chief of the classic Yaahting: A Parody (1984).
In his role as director of the Egan Institute of Maritime Studies, Philbrick, who is also a research fellow at the Nantucket Historical Association, gives frequent talks about Nantucket and sailing. He has appeared on "NBC Today Weekend", AandE's "Biography" series, and National Public Radio and has served as a consultant for the movie "Moby Dick", shown on the USA Network. He received a bachelor of Arts from Brown University and a Master of Arts in American Literature from Duke. He lives on Natucket with his wife and two children.