A number of American Indians have wanted to write a book like [Custer Died For Your Sins], or have threatened to. But while others dreamed, procrastinated, or found other outlets for their energies, Vine Deloria, Jr. … persevered and has produced a witty, provocative, and sometimes crotchety interpretation of the past and current state of affairs of American Indians.

Written for the general public, this is nevertheless an Indian book and, as such, contains much of significance for Indians and non-Indians alike. Many on both sides will find viewpoints designed to raise the blood pressure and force a reappraisal of Indian-white relations. (p. 553)

Unlike many younger Indians, Deloria opposes militant confrontation with white society. Rather, he argues, struggles in the "intellectual arena" will bring about the desired aims: self-determination in all phases of Indian life and a humane and personalized alternative to contemporary industrialized urban society. According to Deloria, Indians may realize their potential only by strengthening "tribalism" and integrating the desired fruits of Western culture into their way of life. At the same time, they must, by the difficult process of accretion, establish the legal, moral, and intellectual foundations which will enable Indians to save themselves and, perhaps, save America.

While this approach is commendable and has some validity, there is—to quote a man who knew Deloria very well—"a lot of bull"—on which much of the approach rests. Foremost and most obvious, not to mention crucial, is the underlying assumption that the powers-that-be in the nation are really interested in an alternative, humane and more personalized or otherwise. Certainly, little in current trends and moods of Americans suggests a withering away of the "status quo," or an increased tolerance for the kind of autonomy and differences which Deloria sees as essential for Indian people, if they are to rescue themselves from the consequences of past and current policies. As Deloria himself aptly demonstrates, nothing in the past—legal, moral, intellectual—prevented the exploitation of the Indian. Unfortunately, that awful truth is still truth, and, while an intellectual elite among Indian people may put up a grand battle, they will not win without powerful allies in the larger society. Deloria, as well as anyone, knows this to be true. Only he can truly say why the subject is soft-pedalled in his manifesto.

The traditional "allies" of Indians—missionaries, liberal or sympathetic politicians, and anthropologists—receive a drubbing, indeed are mauled, by Deloria. The "sins" of each group, as the author sees them are rolled out, page after page, in a deliberate bit of sheer overkill. The method, however, only seems like madness. The subtle psychology underlying the harsh indictments is to force Indians and their white "friends" into a meaningful dialogue—to stop being pawns in each other's games and get down to the important task of establishing mutual respect and understanding on sounder grounds than sentimentality, pity, guilt, and rationalizations for the furtherance of the science of mankind. Those on whom Deloria has "counted coup" will label the charges unfair, intemperate, irrational, and, perhaps, even "racist." None, however, will be able to defend the activities of all of their comrades, and most will agree that "sins" or errors have been made, intentional or otherwise.

On the whole, Custer Died For Your Sins is a worthwhile and much-needed contribution to the literature on American Indians. Pardoning Deloria for excesses here and there and an exceptionally weak chapter on Indian-Black relations, the book must be judged the most thought-provoking and exciting study of American Indians in recent times. (p. 554)