Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An AnalysisBury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown is a fully documented account of the annihilation of the American Indians in the late 1800s that ends with the battle of Wounded Knee. Brown brings to light a little-known history of torture and atrocities in American history. The manner in which the American Indians were exterminated is best summed up in the words of Standing Bear of the Poncas: "When the people want to slaughter cattle, they carry them with them until they get them into a pen, and then they slaughter them. So he was with us_ "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, a work of nonfiction, attempts to tell the story of the American West from the perspective of the indigenous population, the American Indian. This in itself makes Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee an important literary work as it is one of the few books in support of the Indian cause. This is done through the use of municipal documents, autobiographies and first-hand accounts. Each of the book's nineteen chapters deals with a certain tribe, battle, or historical event. Brown goes into deep and explicit detail throughout, as evidenced by the book's nearly 500 pages. However, while some may complain Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee is boring or textbook-like, I believe the opposite is true. Overall, very little is known about this terrible genocide, and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is a wonderful and interesting learning tool. Brown wrote many books about American Indian life, including Creek Mary's Blood and Killdeer Mountain, but Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is clearly his greatest work. Brown made sure to include songs, quotes, and portraits sprinkled throughout the book. These are very important as they break the monotony of the text page after page. The portraits are well selected and placed, as are the quotes, and help present a broader picture of the historical situation. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee helps open a door into our past. It forces us to look at the dark side of our American life. history and