1970 Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee cover

1970 Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

by Dee Brown

Narrated by Grover Gardner

4.55 ABR Score (108.9K ratings)
★ 4.26 Goodreads (103.3K) ★ 4.69 Audible (5.6K)
14h 20m Released 2009 Historical Fiction

Why Listen to This Audiobook?

Everything you were taught about the American West is incomplete — this is the part they left out.

  • Great if you want: American history told entirely from Indigenous voices and sources
  • Listening experience: somber and dense — rewards patience, not background listening
  • Narration: Gardner's restrained authority gives the atrocities room to land
  • Skip if: you need narrative momentum — this is documentation, not drama

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About This Audiobook

Western expansion across America during the late 1800s unfolds through Indigenous voices in this groundbreaking historical account. Brown chronicles the systematic displacement and destruction of Native American tribes through a series of military campaigns, broken treaties, and government policies that spanned from 1860 to 1890. Drawing from tribal records, firsthand testimonies, and the words of legendary leaders like Sitting Bull and Chief Joseph, the narrative reveals the tragic consequences of Manifest Destiny from the perspective of those who suffered its devastating impact. The book traces multiple tribal experiences across the Great Plains and Southwest, culminating in the massacre at Wounded Knee that symbolized the end of Indigenous resistance.

Grover Gardner's measured narration brings gravity and respect to this emotionally charged material. His steady, authoritative delivery allows the weight of historical testimony to resonate without overwhelming listeners, while his careful pronunciation of Native American names and places demonstrates cultural sensitivity. The audio format proves particularly powerful for experiencing the speeches and statements of tribal leaders, as Gardner's voice gives life to their eloquent protests and pleas. His pacing ensures that dense historical information remains accessible throughout the substantial 14-hour runtime, making this essential American history deeply engaging in audio form.