Zeke & Ned

Rating:
Summary: A Beautifully Crafted Web of History and Fiction
Review: I hate reading because nothing really interests me, but this book was about 500 pages and I read it in 6 days. When you first see the book and read a description, you think it's going to be a normal, boring historical fiction novel about Indians. I started the book with that assumption, but my mindset was changed immediately after I finished the first page. The book incorporates a few historical facts (i.e. the Trail of Tears) and an interesting set of characters (Traditional Cherokee Indians, Christian Cherokee Indians, Brutal and friendly whites Americans, bootleggers, Cherokee politicians and many more). It has many different conflicts, including conflicts between whites and Indians NOT ON THE BATTLE FIELD (as normally portrayed), but in legal issues and moral differences. There are also comparisons between different types of marraiges and family orientations between Indian families. Although the book isn't totally historically accurate, it doesn't matter because it is Larry McMurtry's own developed characters put into the bodies and lives of a handful of Cherokee Indians and their white rivals.
The plot never stops. Every page is full of interesting details about the lives of these 1850's characters, and there are so many conflicts going on that you're kept interested through the whole book. There are just enough conflicts that you don't focus on one too much and get bored with it, and that there aren't too many that you get confused. Just the right pinch of clashes to keep you involved and wondering what happens next. Each different sub-plot has to do witha different aspect of western life, whether it be marraige, legal issues, bootlegging, family development, sicknesses and diseases, safety, and government. At least one sub-plot will make you want to read through the whole book! I can't stop expressing how amazing this book was and how great of a writer Larry McMurtry is. I recommend strongly that you go out and read this book because it will keep you interested and you will enjoy it!

Rating:
Summary: A Beautifully Crafted Web of History and Fiction
Review: I hate reading because nothing really interests me, but this book was about 500 pages and I read it in 6 days. When you first see the book and read a description, you think it's going to be a normal, boring historical fiction novel about Indians. I started the book with that assumption, but my mindset was changed immediately after I finished the first page. The book incorporates a few historical facts (i.e. the Trail of Tears) and an interesting set of characters (Traditional Cherokee Indians, Christian Cherokee Indians, Brutal and friendly whites Americans, bootleggers, Cherokee politicians and many more). It has many different conflicts, including conflicts between whites and Indians NOT ON THE BATTLE FIELD (as normally portrayed), but in legal issues and moral differences. There are also comparisons between different types of marraiges and family orientations between Indian families. Although the book isn't totally historically accurate, it doesn't matter because it is Larry McMurtry's own developed characters put into the bodies and lives of a handful of Cherokee Indians and their white rivals.
The plot never stops. Every page is full of interesting details about the lives of these 1850's characters, and there are so many conflicts going on that you're kept interested through the whole book. There are just enough conflicts that you don't focus on one too much and get bored with it, and that there aren't too many that you get confused. Just the right pinch of clashes to keep you involved and wondering what happens next. Each different sub-plot has to do witha different aspect of western life, whether it be marraige, legal issues, bootlegging, family development, sicknesses and diseases, safety, and government. At least one sub-plot will make you want to read through the whole book! I can't stop expressing how amazing this book was and how great of a writer Larry McMurtry is. I recommend strongly that you go out and read this book because it will keep you interested and you will enjoy it!

Rating:
Summary: Not McMurtry's best...
Review: If I were a professor of American literature, heaven forbid, this would be primary required reading. The lesson would center around the perfection of literary structure. Broken into thirds this novel exploits the classic themes of comedy, melodrama, and tragedy. The switch to first person narrative in the third portion is poetic brilliance. Yet, this story isn't for everybody. For example, I have never been a great Twain fan and this book seems to parallel those sweeping works. As an ex-professional athlete in an ambiguous sport I personally found "Lonesome Dove" the quintessential great American novel. I found the seemingly intellectual musings of Augustus McCray to be the answers of life. Oh, if only I could be 'Like Gus'. However, between the two, "Ned and Zeke" may have greater public appeal. If you aren't laughing out loud during the courthouse gun flight, you should consider renting a personality. If by the end of the first part, you haven't been absorbed by these historically correct characters, few books are for you. This book is definitely for you if you are interested in a western yarn that has pretensions of being the great American novel.

Rating:
Summary: I preferred Gus McCray
Review: If I were a professor of American literature, heaven forbid, this would be primary required reading. The lesson would center around the perfection of literary structure. Broken into thirds this novel exploits the classic themes of comedy, melodrama, and tragedy. The switch to first person narrative in the third portion is poetic brilliance. Yet, this story isn't for everybody. For example, I have never been a great Twain fan and this book seems to parallel those sweeping works. As an ex-professional athlete in an ambiguous sport I personally found "Lonesome Dove" the quintessential great American novel. I found the seemingly intellectual musings of Augustus McCray to be the answers of life. Oh, if only I could be 'Like Gus'. However, between the two, "Ned and Zeke" may have greater public appeal. If you aren't laughing out loud during the courthouse gun flight, you should consider renting a personality. If by the end of the first part, you haven't been absorbed by these historically correct characters, few books are for you. This book is definitely for you if you are interested in a western yarn that has pretensions of being the great American novel.

Rating:
Summary: Another McMurtry/Ossana Success
Review: This book seemed to make me travel back in time to a place where events seem random but eventful. It showed how even Ned's love for his wife seemed to change by the war he fought against the white lawmen, and how those men abused everything and everyone that they could. I must admit, though, that I can not honestly say why I bought this book. The title didn't even seem very interesting. But I should have not allowed the title to form my opinion about the book, because this book was one of the most interesting ones that I have ever read. Truly an eye-opener, I very highly recomend this book to anyone looking for some good reading. It deals with many topics, so I feel that it will be interesting for everyone!

Rating:
Summary: Great novel regarding the post-civil war Cherokee Nation.
Review: This book tells a compelling and interesting story about life in the post-civil war Cherokee Nation. Most of the historical context of the book is quite accurate. The characters are excellent: Zeke the hillbilly-ish patriarch and Ned the tribal senator turned warrior. Zeke and Ned is a great book for those who are not offended by the brutality of life in the 19th century Oklahoma Ozark mountains

Rating:
Summary: Zeke and Ned
Review: To be honest with you if I went to the bookstore myself I would have never picked up this book, it was given to me as a gift and just goes to show you, you can't judge a book by its cover! I would highly reccomend Zeke and Ned, McMurty and Ossana kept me turning pages. While reading I couldnt help but think what it would have been like to live at the time of Zeke and Ned times so simple yet so difficult. There daily adventures really go to show you (or at least me) how boring life really is today. Every morining they had a new problem or dilema. Even though all of their problems were self-inflicted for the most part. There were times I felt bad for Zeke and others that I thought he got what was coming to him, it was hard to decide whether to root for or against him, as for Ned he simply got in with the wrong crowd (Zeke) and then began his problems. Highly Reccomended.

Rating:
Summary: great reading, told in the style Mark Twain
Review: What a disappointment! When I saw the title of this book, I knew immediately that I would want to read it. What Cherokee could pass up the opportunity to read about Zeke Proctor and Ned Christie? Besides that, McMurty has shown that he can spin a good yarn about cowboys. He should have stuck to something he knew. For the reader who has no care or concern for historical or cultural accuracy, it may be entertaining to read about a couple of Cherokee folk heroes made over into blathering, drunken incompetants (talk about playing up to a stereotype!). Instead of being related by marriage, in all likelihood Zeke Proctor and Ned Christie never met. Why not say that George Armstrong Custer was the son-in-law of U.S. Grant? Hey, it sounds like it might make an interesting story, and who knows? ...it might sell a few more books that way. The circumstances surrounding Zeke Proctor's trouble with the law are sheer fabrication....apparently the authors must have figured sex sells books. That seems to be what this whole thing is about -- selling more books. While I don't hold with burning books, this one has caused me to reconsider. Seriously, I couldn't make myself finish it (and I haven't said that about a book in a good long while), and I couldn't in good conscious give it away to some poor unsuspecting soul. Anybody know a good toxic waste dump? Sure wish I had my money back. Far, far superior are *Ned Christie's War* and *Zeke Proctor: Cherokee Outlaw* both by Robert J. Conley, historian for the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.