The story here is dark and horrifying and fascinating. It reads almost unbelievable but it is entirely 100% true. In the beginning of the 20th century, the Osage people owned both the land and the head rights in Oklahoma when oil was discovered under their feet. Despite a deeply unfair system, they successfully argued to keep the head rights and rent the land, skyrocketing to become the richest people per capita in the country. And, because of evil and cunning and the loopholes built into […]
It’s a David Grann-onball
I’m reviewing two books by the same author because I am so far behind in my reviews. In fact, I finished my cannonball last month but I need to make it count by getting these reviews submitted. Plus, what a great post title!? So, I first read Killers of the Flower Moon because it seemed like everyone I knew was reading it. That wasn’t quite true but it started feeling ubiquitous so I started it in July and finished it in a few days. David Grann […]
Enraging, completely and totally enraging book that you should read RIGHT NOW
Non fiction is one of those genres that I read occasionally, but I don’t often seek out. For this reason this book fits the “Not in my Wheelhouse” square of my bingo card. So, here’s what I knew about Oklahoma before starting this book: 1- I drove through it once on a cross-country trip with my dad when we moved from New Mexico to Maryland. It was very flat and I don’t remember much more. 2- It is where the wind comes sweeping down the […]
Spoiler: white people are unspeakably awful to Native Americans (Not a spoiler)
Once again, my favorite podcast Literary Disco delivers with an outstanding book recommendation. I hadn’t heard of this book, but thankfully the wait for it was long at my local library. I say thankfully because I am glad that people are becoming familiar with this gruesome and awesome (in the awe-stricken sense of the word) true story that should mar our nations history, if the people of our nation knew anything about it. And if, um, it wasn’t already super thoroughly marred. The Osage Nation, […]
“It’s Drivin’ Me Mad, It’s Makin’ Me Crazy”
The Lost City of Z is both the tale of Percy Fawcett’s multiple expeditions to find the mythological City of Z (El Dorado) and David Grann’s, “expedition” to discover, once and for all, what happened to Percy Fawcett? What did happen to Percy Fawcett? At times it plays out like an inception-style story of the author searching for previous expeditions that were searching for the Fawcett expedition. There is plenty of mystery and intrigue in the book. Percy Fawcett comes across as a fascinating […]
A rehash and a rehash
Lost City of Z – 3/5 stars This promised a lot more than it delivered I felt like. This happened for a few different reasons. One, I think it’s a nearly impossible task to write a satisfyingly concluding recounting of a set of explorations that disappeared unless you 100% figure out what happened and find direct evidence, and despite whatever kind of overly positive spin at the end, I just don’t think it was able to do so. Two, not only was most of this […]