Blood Moon: An American Epic of War and Splendor in the Cherokee Nation

One of America's saddest legacies is the way European settlers and government combined to nearly wipe out an entire indigenous population. With Blood Moon, John Sedgwick shows us how Americans' greed and civil unrest tore the Cherokee Nation in half, while taking away their land, their homes, their culture, their beliefs, and often their pride.

The amount of research and detail Sedgwick put into this book is remarkable. I felt like I really knew and understood John Ross and The Ridge, two Cherokee leaders who found themselves on opposing sides when the US government demanded the entire Cherokee Nation relocate away from their homeland. The two leaders' inability - or, perhaps, stubborn refusal - to work together added to the Cherokees' show more confusion and inaction, inadvertently working in the Americans' favor.

John Sedgwick's narrative is entertaining and immersive, and this nonfiction book often reads as smoothly as historical fiction. He walks us through the entire collapse of the Cherokee Nation, from beginning to end, so we see it unraveling in all its glory and misery. This is a comprehensive read, certainly not quick or light, but I felt all the detail enhanced the experience, providing tremendous insight into this historic event.

*I received an advance ebook copy by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.* show less

Very well crafted story of a difficult yet intriguing part of American history related to Native Americans and the early days of US history. Well researched and well balanced, the author seemed determined to not be one sided, but still remaining sympathetic to the dilemma these events pose. Minor quibble - multiple rather jarring typos, but hopefully these were corrected in subsequent printings. Highly recommended for those that enjoy history, or just a really good story.

I received a free advance e-copy of this book and have chosen to write an honest and unbiased review. I have no personal affiliation with the author. In this amazing epic the author tells us the story of the Cherokee. They were forced off their land as European settlers moved into their lands. I feel ashamed by what our ancestors did to these people over time. Two leaders were able to negotiate with American presidents to protect their sacred lands and were friends and allies at the beginning. They had promoted culture, and had become one of the more civilized tribes. They were both very proud. Over time the subject of ‘removal’ caused a great rift between the two and they became mortal enemies. They were on opposite sides during show more the War Between the States. Eventually they turned against each other. Murders were committed. Everything began to fall apart leading to the ruin of the Cherokee. It is obvious that the author did a great deal of research before writing this saga. This book is well written and very informative though tragic and sad but well worth the read. It is good to learn about some of the historical horrors from the past within our own country. Hopefully we can do better in the future. I look forward to reading more from John Sedgwick in the future. show less

A fascinating piece of history I knew nothing about. Blood Moon delves deep into the Cherokee nation, looking specifically at two rival chiefs. Highly recommend for history enthusiasts as the research that went in to this book is evident in the details.

This was not a quick read, but it was a great read. Fascinating story of the Cherokee Nation. I had to purchase it.