Native American Books

The material is covered in a readable manner and with useable details. This is a very useable resource on herbal remedies for the southeast US area and provides insight into Cherokee methodology. Both aspects are well covered.

This book is not a field guide and doesn't really have any pictures. What is does have is a lot of information on the traditional Cherokee uses of herbs (over 450!), their directional and spiritual associations, and myths and stories about Cherokee herbal medicine. I recommend it to people who want a book on herbalism from a cultural perspective, and I think it blows away "Indian Herbalogy of North America", which couldn't seem to focus on the *Native American* cultural interpretations.

The definitive book on Cherokee Herbal Medicine is availble to the World. I can give away all my other plant medicine books because this has all I will ever need, it is a masterpiece. Generations of people in the future will be so grateful that this knowlege has been set to paper especially the Cherokee People. This book is the culmination of more than 30 years of learning and research, gifting the World with crucial knowlege that could easily have been lost forever. Wah Doh

If you, or someone you know has interest in herbal knowledge, don't pass this book up. It's very reflective of what eastern herbs were, and still used by many eastern tribes. Not all the herbs mentioned are given the Tsalagi/Cherokee term, but the ones given not only tell you the name, but the reason why that plant was named so. This book has been the product of helping to stop the loses of so much knowledge. I treasure this one, I feel that you will also. There are no photos, nor sketches of what these plants look like so you'll need to have access to a field guide as well when using this book. But, a field guide doesn't have the description of knowledge this book has, so they go hand in hand, you won't want without the other.

William McLoughlin offers one of the first looks at Cherokee society in his work on the evolution of the Cherokee tribe. This book takes the Cherokees through the early part of the American republic up through removal. Using journals and letters from Indian agents the book traces what happened to the tribe as the "civilization" efforts of the United States government were unleashed. The book tracks what changed in the nation from property rights, to gender roles, to the missionary work being conducted. Encroachment of settlers, states rights, and federal policy all played a role in shaping the outcome of one of the tribes that was seen as the "five civilized nations". Overall the book is well done, thorough and provide a unique insight into what happened to the Cherokees.

This is THE seminal history of the Cherokee Nation prior to removal. Written by a professor of religious history at Brown University, it is easy to see how he got swept away from his area of expertise and into the amazingly interesting story of the early years of the Cherokee Nation.

McLoughlin does not romaticize the Cherokee Nation, as many other historians do, but tells a clear story of a complicated time and place. His research is impeccable, and the book is well written. As to the merit of his historical analysis, it is mind-numbingly and brilliantly ground-breaking: the sort of stuff that a historian goes his entire life looking to discover. All that I can say is that this book completely changed the direction of my personal study and when I get a PhD in early American History with a concentration on the Cherokee Nation, it will be entierly due to this book.

I also heartily recomend "Cherokees and Missionairies." McLoughlin also has a very good essay on Samuel Worcester in the book "Massachusetts and the New Nation" which is a major undiscovered gem.

From 1794 until 1834 the Cherokee Nation underwent a change unlike any civilization in the world, past, present or future. It is this time period on which the book focuses. The author covers the years before and after his "Cherokee Renascence" in the first and final chapter.

When people write the history of the Cherokee in Georgia it is understandable that they concentrate on the years leading up to the "Trail of Tears." This tragic event overshadows the history of this Nation, and as William McLoughlin shows us, it is a history rich with acheivement and accomplishment, from the development of a written language by Sequoyah to the adaptation of that language by a majority of the Nation in a 6-month time frame, establishment of a government and newspaper (the Cherokee Phoenix, first American Indian newspaper) and many other accomplishments.

McLoughlin does not pull punches, as many who cover the time period and he does not have an agenda. He accurately recounts the details of the flourishing civilization while describing the evolution of a second society, those who disagreed with the decidedly nationalistic moves of its leaders to protect itself against the desires of the United States and the government of Georgia. Interestingly, Sequoyah was one of the Cherokee against the movement towards nationalism.

A compelling read, factually backed and well researched.

A comprehensive history of the Cherokees up to the Trail of Tears. This history covers the building of a great nation that was able to maintain its own culture while integrating with the developing America, and its subsequent downfall.

the book was in excellent condition. and i would recommend the seller to others. i am satisfied with the service i got.

Frances Densmore lived with and studied the Chippewa people of Minnesota for several years. Her research has proved an invaluable resource for anyone wishing to know more about this fascinating cultural group. This book is chock full of information, from naming ceremonies to marriage customs to burial rites. If it were not for Mrs. Densmore, many valuable facts on an important people group would be lost

Chippewa Customs is a detailed and facinating book, containing extensive information that will assist in my research on the history of the Chippewa tribe. This is my first tool to begin my search for distant ancestors. God bless the Author Frances Densmore.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I picked up "Chippewa Customs" by Frances Densmore. Written in the early part of the 20th century, it's a book that has remained readable and certainly enjoyable throughout the years.

Frances Densmore paints a very vivid picture of the Chippewa/Ojibwe people, from how they picked their names, to what they wore in winter, to the fact that they liked fish-heads as a delicacy, or the sleeping arrangements inside the family wigwam. It's absolutely screaming-full of all those little details that you're constantly trying to find but never can seem to put your finger on.

They're right here, of course! My only complaint is that the ceremonies (Marriage, births, etc) are only touched upon barely. I would have liked to hear more about those particular aspects.

I had to read this book for a class, and it's definitely better than most of the required reading I've had. If you like F. Scott Fitzgerald and J.D. Salinger, where there is no action but it's a very enriching experience for the character, then you will probably like the book. If you like Michael Crichton or Tom Clancy and are stupid like 90% of everybody else out there, then you probably won't.

Choteau Creek: A Sioux Reminiscence by Joseph Iron Eye Dudley was an easy read, and I was almost turned off by the simple and straightforward style. However, in the end, it is what made the book so enchanting. There were no hidden agendas or questions left unanswered- just a simple story of a man's childhood filled with people everyone should be lucky enough to learn from. This is not to say the book did not deal with deep issues, just that the way they were presented was very easy to grasp. But then again, I would hope the love felt in this book was always this simple and wonderful.

This is a truly tremendous book! Among my personal list of favorites. I found this book quite by accident years ago in a local bookstore and it continues to impact me today. I recommend it wherever I go and have had my own teenage sons and other family members read it. It should be on high school and college reading lists. The style is simple yet heartfelt. The themes so meaningful yet rare in todays world. Themes such as real character, unselfishness, solid role models, tradition, and attachment to place are woven throughout the text. Read it!

I am reminded of a saying I once heard: People may come to dinner, but a true friend helps you wash the dishes. This book presents friends. I can picture Grandma as she tells stories of her childhood or humbly contemplates the meaning of the owl's call. She remains with me after the book is finished. This is a good book for those who need to see the beauty and small acts of kindness and generosity that are triumphant in the face of hardship.

I was told this is a "classic" and I agree...This dude wrote down every term, item, description, observation, etc along his trips to Mexico, Santa Fe and St. Louis....Great primary source book to add to your Southwest History collection

Shortly after Mexican Independence interest in establishing trade with Sante Fe, Mexico's most northerly province, became ever more popular. Josiah Gregg was preceded by Mountain Men who explored the area, but he was the first with sufficient education to describe the people, land features and Indians with whom traders would have to deal. His work constitues a PREFACE to other books dealing with the Santa Fe Trail and its growing interest to the United States. Independence, MO, and Fort Smith and Van Buren, AR. - were the northern and southern starting points for Santa Fe respectively. The book is as much a tale of encounters as it is a repository of valuable information. A 'FIRST READ' for persons interested in Santa Fe and the Westward Movement. Another of a variety of fascinating histories of the Southwest.

The full title of this book suggests that it is much more than a dry account of business practices: The Commerce of the Prairies, or the Journal of a Santa Fe Trader, During Eight Expedition Across The Great Western Prairies, and A Residence of Nearly Nine Years in Northern Mexico. Illustrated with maps and engravings. By Josiah Gregg.

The period was 1831 - 1840. On paper Northern Mexico was an immense holding that loosely included what is today Texas and New Mexico and stretched southward more than 500 miles through the Chihuahuan Desert to the Mexican trading centers of Durango and Chihuahua. Fierce, nomadic Indians prevented the Spanish and Mexicans from settling this vast domain. A large, loosely defined central section of the continent was known simply as Indian territory. American trading caravans departing from Franklin, Missouri did not encounter any settlements, not even ranches, until within 100 miles of Santa Fe. The long route southward from Santa Fe to Durango and Chihuahua was nearly as hazardous.

Josiah Gregg's narratives make marvelous reading. His style is engaging and his descriptions are accurate. We readers share his love and fascination of this marvelously wild and dangerous territory. I have read very few modern travel narratives as intriguing and well-written as Gregg's writings.

Despite their constant threat, Gregg is sympathetic to the plains Indians and documents how the behavior of unscrupulous and foolish traders have exacerbated relations with the Indians. He cites unnecessary killings of buffalo by travelers who are overwhelmed by the shear size of the herds; he even admits to doing so himself on occasion.

He is a man of commerce and tells us much about trade with Mexico. Rampant corruption among the tax collectors, custom officials, and governmental officials is an unavoidable business cost. For remote Santa Fe, Durango, and Chihuahua, American trade is much desired, but Mexicans view the American traders with suspicion. The first American traders (the Pike expedition) were immediately imprisoned for nine years.

I highly recommend this remarkable, fascinating account of travel along the Santa Fe Trail in the 1830s. I cannot imagine a more intriguing, more engaging narrative than that created by Josiah Gregg.

This edition of The Commerce of the Prairies was first published in 1926. The editing by Milo Milton Quaife is excellent. The footnotes are interesting and add considerable value. Josiah Gregg's original publication was in two volumes and included extensive, detailed, and accurate observations on flora, fauna, and the native Indians and is often cited by historians. This shortened version by Lakeside Press (now published by University of Nebraska Press) is an ideal introduction to the Santa Fe Trail.

In 1831, on a suggestion from his doctor to travel west to improve his health, Josiah Gregg joined a wagon train of Sante Fe traders. The result is a highly acclaimed first hand narrative of the Sante Fe trade and life on the prairies during the 1830's. Gregg's vivid writing style illustrates the many hardships and adventures of life along the Sante Fe Trail and into Mexico. We read about traveling through barren deserts, inconsistencies of the weather, the always present danger of marauding Indians and Mexicans, the questionable Mexican governmental policies, etc. Being an amateur naturalist (he had several species of plants named after him), Gregg describes geographical landforms, geology, and plant and animal life extremely well. He also gives clear, precise and realistic descriptions of the cultures and customs of both the Indians and native Mexicans from how they dressed, to how they constructed their homes; religious, spiritual and matrimonial beliefs; how food was secured and prepared; theories on future agricultural practices and uses, etc. Gregg was a keen and acute observer of his immediate surroundings which is evident in both his writing style and presentation of the subject. Professor Moorhead's editing is second to none.

I realy liked this book, because I use it for my Ojibwe Language Class and I had one copy but I sent it to my nephew in Kansas

John Nichols and Earl Nyholm are two of the top linguistic experts on the Ojibwe language, and this dictionary is a collaboration between the two of them. It contains many words for parts of modern life (bemisemagak, "airplane," wiisiniwigamig, "restaurant," odaabaan, "car"), but also a wealth of terms for traditional aspects of Ojibwe life (zibaaska'iganagooday, "jingle dress," bagida'waa, "fish with a net," wiigwaasi-makak, "birch-bark basket"). It may not have 100,000 words like large dictionaries of well-studied languages like English, but it does have over 7,000 (which, for a language like Ojibwe, which has only recieved a lot of serious scholarship relatively recently, is quite impressive). Which may not sound like a lot, but I've found that, whenever I need to look something up, it's almost certain to be in there. The first few pages offer a (very brief) sketch of the phonology and a quick overview of some aspects of the grammar, although only enough to be used as a starting point for more detailed study using other resources. The book does not purport to be a grammar, however, but merely a dictionary, and a "concise" one at that. For a "concise" dictionary to nearly always have the word I'm looking up (I've been using it for about a year now, and there are still only a few words I've tried looking up that I haven't found) is a fairly impressive feat, at least in my mind. I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in the Ojibwe people or the language.

Given the price, I was not expecting this dictionary to be as long or as detailed as it is. Both the English-Ojibwe and the Ojibwe-English sections have multiple examples and word forms for each entry. There are 7000 words included here. I've bought $75 dictionaries with less material than this. An excellent value. Includes a pronunciation guide and a basic grammatical overview.

As I am researching the Ojibwa peoples currently, I find myself pulling this book out 3-4 times a day, and it has not failed me yet. The vocabulary covered in this book is simply enormous, and if you're tired of looking at online dictionaries, pick up this book--well worth the cover price.

My only complaint is that Ojibwe, being a 'verb-based' language rather than a noun-based like our own, is very hard to piece together in sentances. There is a tiny chapter at the beginning of this trying to explain it, but it doesn't do a very good job. Thus it's frustrating to look up one word and find 4 different spellings for it.

A very good look at Native Americans and their spiritual beliefs, which have often been ignored. Women can enjoy the strength and courage of a women determined to make a new life, accept others and their beliefs and having the srength and courage to follow through. The book also includes information that is especially of interest to male readers with background information and details of events that occur. I couild feel that I was in Alaska with Leigh, and her interaction with other people and especially the animals of Alaska. Highly recommend!

I normally don't write reviews, but this book changed my ways. I have to acknowledge the experience Mr. North gave me...I now believe that my life can change if I simply have the courage to act. A great read, it demonstrates a spiritual depth lacking in the modern world. BRAVO.

I loved this books approach to the animals, since we get to go inside the head of bears, wolves etc. The scene mid-book where Leigh meets up with the wolf puppy is endearing, and the harrowing bear attacks are gut-wrenching. I recommend this book to any lovers of Jim Harrison's Northridge novels, since this has a similarly sympathetic ear to Native American concerns. The lead characters interactions with Tlingit men are also well worth the read.

this is a very interesting novel - it combines romance, advaneture and intrigue all at once. A must read for romance readers and historians!

A superb book. Very informative, well written, and filled with great photos. I recommend this book, for what that's worth.

Grand Gulch country is some of the best in the Southwest. A unique canyon that winds its way down to the San Juan river it also boasts an amazing array of cave sites of ancient Native American dwellings. Some are larger than others, containing houses and artifacts. Many have been harmed by exposure to people. Nevertheless because many are far up into the cliffs they have been well preserved. This book tells the tale of a numerb of items taken from the caves that then became useless to archeology because people did not know from whence they came. THe story examines the history of the attempt to reconnect them to their origins and thus help archeology understand the history of the American SOuthwest. It is both the history of early American archeology and this unique canyon and its off-shoots. A wonderful book.

Seth J. Frantzman

I appreciated this book, not just for the fantastic illustrations and stories, but for improving the reputation of the Wetherills, long considered no-good cowboy pot hunters. A great companion to this books is In Search of the Old Ones by David Roberts, in which Fred Blackburn features largely as a revolutionary who shapes Roberts' thinking about the mess each generation of southwestern archeologists passes on to the next.

Undoubtedly the popular book of the year in Southwest archaeology, "Cowboys and Cave Dwellers" tells how a group of talented and dedicated "amateurs" found the missing links between nearly forgotten collections of artifacts stored in museum basements and their original sites in Utah's spectacular Grand Gulch. In the process they unearthed valuable information about the people called Basketmakers, the first farmers of the Colorado Plateau. The first explorers and untrained archaeologists who dug sites in Grand Gulch removed thousands of artifacts, often taking little care to record their locations. By carefully matching old photographs, diaries, newspaper articles and the signatures those adventurers carved on the canyon walls, the authors of this book, the members of the Wetherill-Grand Gulch Research Project, were able to locate many of the caves and cliff dwelling where the treasures were originally found. They solved one of the most puzzling mysteries of Southeastern Utah archaeology: the location of long lost Cave 7, where Mesa Verde discoverer Richard Whetherill dug up dozens of skeletons that seemed to show evidence of a massacre. A good story with extensive historial and archaeological background and beautifully illustrated, this book is essential for anyone interested in Southwest archaeology. A good companion piece is William Ferguson's "The Anasazi of Mesa Verde and the Four Corners Region," which gives a broader view of the entire Mesa Verde-San Juan region.

Gerald Hausman is one of Americas greatest living writers and a glorious human being. It is not by imagination alone, nor skill, that makes a great writer. It is also the spirit that resides within the writer and the experiences that make up a writer's life. In the case: spirit, experience, vision, along with a good mixture of imagination make Hausman a master of the writer's craft. Read his work. Enjoy his talent. See the world from his view, and learn.

The Coyote Bead, by Gerald Hausman, is a book for Young Adults. It's the story of a young Navajo boy who survived an attack on his people by the "blue coats" (U.S. federal forces sent to relocate them). Not only must he escape from the blue coats, he's also pursued by Two-Face, a Ute Indian bent on destroying him. The boy, Tobachischin, has only the contents of his grandfather's magic pouch with which to defend himself. These include an arrow straightener, a horsehair whip, a porcupine quill comb, some red powder, and a blue bead called the coyote bead. Each item has been invested with powerful magic, and each, in turn, saves Tobachischin from death. The coyote bead must be reunited with a white coyote bead, carried by Two-Face. Tobachischin must therefore meet face-to-face with his powerful enemy. When the meeting takes place, Tobachischin uses his courage and cunning to defeat Two-Face. He then continues on his quest to live in the mountains with the remnants of his people. The story is a retelling of the near-destruction of the Navajo people and their renewal. They practice a coyote beadway ceremony, designed to "balance the opposing energies of peace and violence, harmony and war." The Navajo recovered from the devastating losses imposed upon them by the blue coats and are today a thriving nation. Although Coyote Bead is written for young adults, I think its meant for people of all ages, as I'm in the fifth decade of my life, and the story entranced me. Hausman is a skilled and exceptionally poetic writer. His work can be savored simply for good storytelling, as well for a personal understanding of a tragic event in American history.

The Coyote Bead, by Gerald Hausman, is a book for young adults. It's the story of a Navajo boy who survived an attack on his people by the "blue coats" (U.S. federal forces sent to relocate them). Not only must he escape from the blue coats, he's also pursued by Two-Face, a Ute Indian bent on destroying him. The boy, Tobachischin, has only the contents of his grandfather's magic pouch with which to defend himself. These include an arrow straightener, a horsehair whip, a porcupine quill comb, some red powder, and a blue bead called the coyote bead. Each item has been invested with powerful magic, and each, in turn, saves Tobachischin from death. The coyote bead must be reunited with a white coyote bead, carried by Two-Face. Tobachischin must therefore meet face-to-face with his powerful enemy. When the meeting takes place, Tobachischin uses his courage and cunning to defeat Two-Face. He then continues on his quest to live in the mountains with the remnants of his people. The story is a retelling of the near-destruction of the Navajo people and their renewal. They practice a coyote beadway ceremony, designed to "balance the opposing energies of peace and violence, harmony and war." The Navajo recovered from the devastating losses imposed upon them by the blue coats and are today a thriving nation. Although Coyote Bead is written for young adults, I think its meant for people of all ages, as I'm in the fifth decade of my life, and the story entranced me. Hausman is a skilled and exceptionally poetic writer. His work can be savored simply for good storytelling, as well for a personal understanding of a tragic event in American history.

Sandra I. Smith, Reviewer

A family tale of the Dineh, The Coyote Bead retells a heroic battle between the boy Tobachischin and his lethal enemy, Two-Face, the Ute bounty hunter killer incarnation of Coyote, the trickster god. The factual, sparse graceful prose style underlines the terrifying and bloody conflict of evil and good. Hausman's writing quivers and reverberates with underlying song power magic. The bravery of Tobachischin and his protective shaman Grandfather are contrasted with the evil cowardice of the Blue Coats (eeyoni) and their minions the Utes, who brutally murder and herd the Dineh on a 350 mile forced march to Fort Sumner, New Mexico, from Canyon Del Muerto, Arizona. Many Dineh died. This is a tale of a heroic few who survived and used the sacred land and animal helpers to build a new identity despite their pain and suffering. The Coyote Bead is beautifully written for young adults.

My second graders enjoyed this book very much. It's an enjoyable tale that lends itself to great discussion and writing.

I liked this story a little and i think you did a very good job with the words and i think you are the best kid writter that i have heard so far. thats all i wanted to say!

If you like star gazing then you will like this book because it is about a coyote and he wants to go to the moon and find the sars secret.So he goes to the moon and he places the stars in the shape of animals.He foes back home and tells allthe animals about what he did.All the animals like what he did and through him a great feast.After the feast he told the animals:I will always be your friend and the friend of your children and your children's children.If you listen carfully at a full moon you may here Coyote.He is telling you to look out ypur window to see what he has made and to dream.I like Harriet Peck Taylors books.I really hope you injoy this book.Because I really,really did.So I hope you do too.

One evening, crafty Coyote climbs to the moon to discover the secrets of the heavens. Instead he finds a way to make the most wonderful pictures for all the world to see. When the other animals of the canyon look up at the sky the next night, they're in for a big surprise.

Based on a Wasco Indian legend, this story about the origin of the constellations is joyfully retold and vibrantly illustrated by Harriet Peck Taylor.

Harriet Peck Taylor's interest in coyote lore began with a young coyote who lived in the foothills near her home. "It used to follow me on hikes with my dogs," she says, "and once even touched noses with them."

Ms. Taylor received her B.F.A. in painting from the University of Colorado. In her paintings, which are in public and private collections, she tries to capture natural beauty because "if people can appreciate the beauty of the land, they will perhaps want to protect it."

Harriet Peck Taylor lives in Boulder, Colorado, where she is a full-time artist and enthusiastic stargazer.