Empire of the Summer Moon

Texas-based journalist Gwynne's first book is a fascinating, lively account of Quanah Parker, the son of the Comanche chief Peta Nocona and Cynthia Ann Parker, a white woman whose abduction at a young age by the Comanche Indians and eventual love of her captors cast her as a pivotal figure in the 40-year battle between the Comanches and white settlers for control of the American West. Veteran actor David Drummond effectively narrates Gwynne's evenhanded coverage of atrocities committed on both sides in this unforgettable story of the Comanches. Highly recommended for all audiences, especially those interested in Native American history. [The New York Times best-selling Scribner hc was described as being "at its best as a Texas-centric militaristic interpretation of the 19th-century Comanche wars of the southern Plains," LJ 2/15/10.—Ed.]—Deb West, Gannon Univ. Lib., Erie, PA