Lost in History Never knew about the history of the Osage people. This book exposes an important history that is probably not known by most citizens but is critically important to know before ceding power to government.
Fascinating This book is a real page turner. It's well written and exceptionally well-researched.
The history that is explored in this book is truly shocking and what's even more appalling is that it's largely been forgotten outside the Osage community.
The book is an an exploration of how systematic racial discrimination can lead to corruption, theft, exploitation and murder. A very moving story.
Killers of the Flower Moon Remarkable that this particular part of history has not been systematically made part of Western history. Perhaps in the histories of the 20's, more Gatsbies and John Dillingers crowded this hapless and frightening saga out of "common history". Nevertheless, the story is near unbelievable, brutal, and frightening. One man and his henchmen completely terrorize a rural bereft county in Oklahoma... bereft of everything that is than black gold... oil, much of which is owned by Osage Indians. And one by one, Indians are murdered, poisoned, and even blown up to obtain their oil rights. The local authorities are firmly in the pocket of the big man until, for various reasons, the FBI shows up. Even then "justice" is a slow slog for Osage County. You'll be fascinated that such a thing occurred just a century ago.
True Crime Book Which is Gripping and Eye-Opening I'm not a huge fan of the "True Crime" genre, but this entry appears on enough "best of" lists that it grabbed my attention. I'd also heard the author on a podcast sharing a sketch of the remarkable and shocking "reign of terror" described in this non-fiction book. The Osage Indians in the Plains States got rich in the early 20th century due to the discovery of oil underneath their nation. Although they were able to enjoy their wealth for a while, eventually numerous and notable members of the tribe were murdered. When the local law enforcement authorities were unable or unwilling to bring the killer(s) to justice, the U.S. government sent outside agents from the fledgling agency which would later be called the FBI.
Two intertwined stories are masterfully woven together by Grann - the Osage murders and the hunt for those involved in these crimes and how the FBI was formed by this investigation. The story becomes a page turner due to Grann's abundant use of details in describing the colorful characters and shocking events. Ample period photos add to the drama. Tremendous research and analysis is clearly at work. Once the historical story is told, a substantial epilogue is offered relating how Grann's findings and his communication of these with living descendants of those who were murdered brought healing and closure to wounds eight decades later. An engaging and eye-opening read which should not be missed and which lives up to it's "best of" status!