Native American Books

This book is a direct to the point, easy to understand guide on Navajo rugs. Works like a practical handbook, and a must own for connoisseurs and enthusiasts of Navajo rugs.

I have recently started to purchase different types of Native American rugs and blankets. This guide has been a tremendous help in identifing Navajo rugs.

This is a must have book if you are interested in collecting and purchasing Navajo rugs as well as learning about the history of these items. Easy to read and full of essential facts. I plan to order 2 more copies for friends who are very interested in the Navajo weavings.

This is an excellent source on how to find, evaluate, buy and care for Navajo Rugs, especially for the new collector. Insight and information on the history, weaving & weaves, tools used and the major periods of design are all outlined in this book along with beautiful color photos. Navajo Rugs is the essential text for anyone interested in this artform.

I read this some time ago and still think this is one of the most fast paced, interesting and exciting books that I have read. I thought it ranked right in there with "The Da Vinci Code" as I couldn't put it down. Excellent story line, character development and vivid descriptions that place you in the midst of the story, scene and characters. It is a very "visual" book with descriptions so well written that you really feel like you are right there walking the paths with the characters. Along with native lore, there are some steamy sections so get out your fans too. Ron Howard, this would make for one dynamite movie!

I found this book a delight. The story was strong as were the characters, with excellent and compelling writing. It was fascinating to be caught up with the native American Indian way of life and quite an eye opener for a Brit like myself who normally only writes and reads thrillers. Well done Mr. George.

'A New Dawn' - Jake George defines what Native American culture is. It is not the same today as it was a thousand years ago - even a hundred years ago - where in Native American life, justice is served for an evil.

The saga continues from Jake George's book, 'Grandfather's Song'.

Using authentic Native words, 'A New Dawn', Jake George forges a successful alliance between the Above World and the Old World. Jake gives his Native voice to his People.

Character development is very strong. The relationship between Running Woman and Crying Woman holds a very special place in my own heart. Custom is true to the instructions given; how to survive in harsh climates, a sense of community, herbal medicine and doctoring and authentic Native tools of survival.

Jake incorporates a spellbinding transformation, a guise of human to animal and back to human shapeshifting through the characters Elder Fawn and Elk Caller.

Jake George has written a phenomenal account of a Native American adventure. 'A New Dawn' is rich in spiritual energy which reflects old-world Native values and survival ties with the land to restore peace to a troubled world.

'A New Dawn' makes its way into modern-day Indian communities to emerge a new generation to sustain cultural identity and respect for being Native American.

The name on this book, 'A New Dawn' in the absolute highest spiritual sense, is an educational gift on behalf of all Native American tribes.


~Sage Sweetwater, firebrand lesbian novelist, author of Blue Corn Woman, edited by Jake George

'A New Dawn' is a smooth transition from the novel 'Grandfather's Song' by Jake George. We plunge into the 'Old World' where the Lenape and other tribes have chosen to travel to in order to help return the balance between man and nature that has fallen apart in the 'Above World'. The tribes must struggle to adapt, for many have forgotten the old ways or long for the life they left behind.

There's an environmental and 'life lessons' theme pulsing through the novel, but it is far from being preachy. The interaction between the characters is fast-paced and extremely engaging. Those who have returned to the Old World do not have a completely peaceful existence. In fact, there are brutal murders and deep seeded problems that must be solved, many of them involving great sacrifice by some members of the tribe.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel! The setting, characters and blend of Native American traditions simply flows along in a swift current of vigorous language. Jake George has a vision and an obvious love for the Lenape People that shines through in his writing. His tense action scenes and tight dialogue has an edgy quality that reminds me of some of my favorite westerns. The graphic torture scenes, erotica, and some harsh language, etc. cautions 'mature audiences only'. Adult readers new to Jake George novels will find their appetites craving more...

Chrissy K. McVay
Author of award winning novel 'Souls of the North Wind'

I was originally given an expected delivery time of 3-4 weeks. The book arrived in just over a week. It was packed well and arrived in pristine shape.
Overall - an excellent experience that I'll be willing to repeat.

5 stars for a beginner who has never kept an aquarium, 3 stars for everyone else. The first half of this book covers the basics, which was of no use to me. The second half of the book covers the fish, and is pure gold, I just wish there was more of it.

This is not a book to buy for the pictures, the photography is nothing to get excited about. Most of the pictures are small with poor color reproduction.

this book is a throw back in many ways. Much like the old Innes books , Schleser's book starts out with the fundamentals. Topics like why to keep natives, fish taxonomy, conservation issues, collecting information, aquarium keeping tips and such cover the first 8 chapters. I like that. It starts the reader off right with a good foundation. Instead of just dumping you into a glossy book of pretty pictures of fish , this book starts you off with the how's and the why's of native fish keeping. This old fashioned nuts and bolts approach gives the reader a better chance to become a conservation minded Aquarist instead of just a pet store consumer. For Conservation efforts to be a success it must reach the grassroots level. The average person must be able to apply in a practical way, learned conservation ethics. I like to apply my housewife from Dubuque Iowa test to any book about collecting and keeping fish. If a housewife (or hubby) can read this book and apply it to activities with their local youth group, school or their own children then this book is a success. Well following my Dubuque test , this book is winner.

After 8 chapters of the basics , chapter 9 is all about fish. It breaks the fish down into basic types and goes into excellent detail about suitable aquarium species within each genus. Almost 100 pages is spent highlighting North America's unique aquatic heritage. Beautiful and obscure fish like the banded pygmy sunfish, dollar sunfish, gulf darter , Flagfin shiner , Fundulus Chrysotus , brindeled madtom and scores of other unloved North American fishes get the exposure they deserve . Full color photo's , range maps and rearing information follow each species. If you are interested in Longear Sunfish for example (page 139) you get 2 pages of great information , 3 photo's of the various strains out there and the basic information to keep , rear and enjoy this temperate fish. That's the kind of stuff anyone interested in Native Fish wants needs and got's to have. Get this book it's a winner.

Dave Schelser has done it again. His "Native Fish" book covers just about everything the enthusiast could want to know. Schelser describes everything from setting up the aquarium, to collection, feeding, and disease. A worthy sequel to his book "Pirahna: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual," also published by Barron's. All 133 photographs are taken by Schelser himself, whether in the wild or in the lab. One would never guess there were so many small but amazingly attractive fish native to North America without reading this book. Bravo Dave!!

"One Small Blue Bead" combines text by Byrd Baylor with illustrations by Ronald Himler. The story, which is told in rhyming verse, is about an apparently prehistoric stone age culture. The heroes of the story are an old man and a boy who are part of a stone age tribe.

The old man announces his intention to go on a journey to discover if other humans exist. The boy, who is simply called "Boy," volunteers to do the old man's share of work while the old man is on his quest.

"One Small Blue Bead" is a very moving story with striking illustrations. Himler makes effective use of warm earth tones. The book also contains an inspiring message about the interconnectedness of humanity across vast distances of both time and space. Truly a special book.

This book is very touching! When I was graduating college, the book was read to me by one of my instructors. She passed out blue bead necklaces to each one of us, after the story, to help us remember the experiences we had shared together. This book is about friendship and sharing of things with others, that are much like you. I love it!

I am not even sure how this book came into my hands, but it has been influential in my life. I continue to get goose bumps, or sometimes cry when I read it. It exemplifies the brotherhood of man, the bridging of generational, as well as racial gaps. I had the good fortune to encounter another book by Baylor during my credential program, "I'm in Charge of Celebrations." I realized that there were other books and that this book was still available. It is a great gift, as well as great for use in kindergarten or first grade clasrooms. It can be used as an intro into friendship, acceptance of responsibility, risk-taking for the good of community, and much mmore.Enjoy!

This book is used by me in my fifth grade class for discussion, predicting and appreciating challenging thoughts outside their comfort zone.

This is a terrific history of the GA Cherokee Indians. I use it in my lower elementary class. It seems to strike just the right chord with the 6,7,8 year olds.

I have read the book Only The Names Remain many many times. I am of Cherokee blood and my roots are from Oklahoma. I was very interested in my history when I was younger and I found this book in my library. It tells so much about what has happened to the Cherokees throughout those tough years. While reading it to my Grandma she pointed out that my Great Great Great Grandfather was a Cherokee Chief and is talked about in the book. In the older versions there is also a black and white drawing of him. Because of this book, I can tell my grandchildren and my children the interesting story of how their grandfather saved President Andrew Jackson's life in a battle before he became president. I'm so glad that a book like this was written to tell both the good and the bad of the Cherokee life. It makes me wish that I could learn more and more about it.

This is a worthy introduction to the Trail of Tears. For students aged 12 and older, a more compelling book is Walking the Trail, One Man's Journey Along the Cherokee Trail of Tears by Cherokee author Jerry Ellis. He was the first person in modern history to walk the 900 mile route and the book, nominated for a Pulitzer and National Book Award, has been in print for 15 years. The author lectures around the globe on the Trail, having presented in Asia, Africa, Europe and throughout the US.

I fully agree with Shannon, this book is a must for anyone wanting to see what was done to Native Americans in the South at the hands of whites and especially Andrew Jackson's policy of destruction of our people. We are trying to trace the family ancestry of a child (my great great grandmother) who was taken from a Trail of Tears family and "adopted" by a white preacher. She may have been saved from the Trail of Tears but not from the dispicable way in which she was treated during her lifetime subsequently. Shannon, I hope you email me!

This is a lovely, paperback book and I recommend for those with young riders in their home or barn. Not too simple, and not too complex, the stories are entertaining and unique! Again, gorgous photos and a beatiful layout. A great gift idea for any young person who loves horses or American Indians.

Leadership through trust and respect is one of the many lessons the young reader will learn from this book. The simple tools and techniques for starting a line of communication with horses are presented in a wise and gentle manner. Indeed, the Native American philosophy of teaching horses coincides with their attitude toward all animals living on, in, or above Mother Earth, and that is responsibility for them and mutual respect among and between them. GaWaNi Pony Boy speaks of creating the right environment for understanding, and his thoughts, words, and deeds are relevant to everyday life. The book is artfully laid out and contains beautiful and decoratively captioned photographs. There are several Native American tales and sayings, such as, "...the reason Creator gave two-leggeds two ears and one mouth was so that we would listen twice as much as we talk." I found this book to be a most enjoyable learning experience and recommend it to adults and youngsters alike.

I have owned this book for years. I still read it when it is not possible to feel the wind in my hair for real. The breathtaking pictures, the lovely stories and the obvious connection GaWaNi has with Kola, his horse, all make this an outstanding book and mini escape for me. Thank you Mr. Pony Boy and Ms. Boiselle!

Nice pics but not a HUGE amount of substance. But, girls who love horses aren't looking for a lot of that anyway! They want pictures and romantic thoughts about being with horses. That's what they get!

The book Pasquala is about a brave girl who suffers because her dad and mom die. Pasquala is a strong character because her uncle who adopts her isn't very kind to her. For example, he doesn't let her go to the mourning ceremony or be in the ceremony changing kids into adults. Pasquala is the book's narrator, and she is a good one because she helps others. She saves the padres when she runs for 3 days and nights to warn them about an attack, and that's why she dies. I think that the book is good and it teaches a valuable lesson: we need to help others and then they are going to help us back when we need it. Pasquala even got her name from a padre who calls her that because she helps others. I like this book a lot, and think most kids my age would enjoy reading it. I learned many things from this book, such as how Yokuts Indians collected salt.

The book Pasquala is about a brave girl who suffers because her dad and mom die. Pasquala is a strong character because her uncle who adopts her isn't very kind to her. For example, he doesn't let her go to the mourning ceremony or be in the ceremony changing kids into adults. Pasquala is the book's narrator, and she is a good one because she helps others. She saves the padres when she runs for 3 days and nights to warn them about an attack, and that's why she dies. I think that the book is good and it teaches a valuable lesson: we need to help others and then they are going to help us back when we need it. Pasquala even got her name from a padre who calls her that because she helps others. I like this book a lot, and think most kids my age would enjoy reading it. I learned many things from this book, such as how Yokuts Indians collected salt.

The genre is historical fiction. The story began when Pasquala and her mother were hiding in a cave because they saw soldados coming to their village. Pasquala was scared when she sees shadows near the cave opening so she closes her eyes and then feels a hand touch her; when she opens her eyes her father is right in front of her. Her father said the soldados had gone. After a couple days they go to the Pacific Ocean and on their way back Pasquala gets sick, so they have to take her to the mission to save her life. After a while they start living at the mission. One day her father finishes a beautiful saddle, so now the soldados want him to take it to the presidio where the soldiers live. When he gets back he is sick and dies. But before he dies he tells Pasquala and her mother to leave the mission. When Pasquala and her mom go back, the other villagers don't really like them anymore, because they had to do their work while they were gone. From this book I learned a lot about the Yokuts Indians who lived in the Central Valley. The book was short (about 90 pages) and easy to read. I liked the ending because usually most books have a happy ending; this one was sad. Read this book, it's enjoyable and a great way to learn about Califoria history and geography.

The authors have done a fabulous job in bringing to life what it must have been like to be a little Yokut indian girl living in California's Great Central Valley 200 years ago. It teaches a great deal about the Yokut way of life and how things started to change when the Spanish arrived with their missions along California's coast. This is a fast read! You won't be able to put it down! Each turn of the page brings little Pasquala to a place in your heart where she will remain long after you finish the book. It is a fantastic book for 4th grade teachers to read aloud to their classes. It is also an excellent book for anyone who simply enjoys reading a well-written compelling story.

This is a great sinopsis of NW Coast archeology with beautiful maps and pictures. Although the authors' theory of a connection between large pithouse villages on the Columbia Plateau and extensive shell middens on the coast has been brought into quesiton by recent work on the Queen Charlette Islands, the book contains insightful information and analysis pertinent to the area's prehistory.

This book is highly recommended for both serious students and archeology hobbyists.

It is all too often that the general public gets the impression that Native American cultures were monolithic, unchanging societies, with little or variation through the centuries. The greatest contribution of this book is to counter this misconception. Through its pages unfolds the story of a dynamic culture whose history contains as many twists and turns as any more familiar civilization. The text is enlivened by excellent illustrations and chapters focusing on specific aspects such as warfare and art. There is nothing in the book which should not be there, and very little that is missing, and although some less scholarly readers may get bogged down in the details, it is an invaluable reference for anyone interested in the subject.

Peoples Of The Northwest Coast presents a condensed thematic overview. "The evolution of ranking and stratification among Northwest coast societies is at the heart of any understanding of the coast's cultural history (p. 254)." The text goes on to say "..obsidian evidence shows large -scale exchange networks existed on the coast by...10,000 B.C." This is a summary-survey of Northwest Coast archaeology with an emphasis on the role of variability in prehistory and cultural development. Written by two renowned professors of anthropology, the style and language of Peoples Of The Northwest Coast have been made deliberately accessible . The spare text is enriched by copious black and white photos, illustrations, maps, and diagrams. The richness and beauty of the Northwest Coast from Oregon to Alaska is always present in this 13,000 year archaeological history of its peoples. Cautious in tone, wary of leaping to generalizations or stereotypic thinking, the text achieves the authors' goals of educating the interested public with pleasure, presenting Northwest archaeology for popular consumption, and introducing to specialized students the pressing research questions of Northwest Coast excavation, and finally to present some of the value of archaeology to First Nation Peoples, the fourth audience. It is seen as another means to supplement and display the Coast Peoples' traditional oral histories.

Writing such a book is an ambitious undertaking. The result is well worth exploring. The role of art in these prehistories is especially presented in the ninth chapter titled "Northwest Coast Art." Nonlinear prehistory is not the oxymoron it might at first seem to be. Focussing on ecology, environments, oldest cultures, later Pacific and Modern Period Northwest Coast Subsistence Status, Ritual and Warfare, the chapters lead to a condensed complex of conclusions about variability, regional similarities, and cultural richness. The pathway to conclusions about community organization and social stratification is well defined.

Peoples Of The Northwest Coast is a respectable rave of a book.

Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer

Peoples of the Northwest Coast is a rich volume dealing with the archaeology of the Alaska, B.C. and Washington coasts. The thematic nature of the book allows the reader to explore topics such as Ecology: Environments and Demography, Northwest Coast Subsistence, and Households and Beyond. Photographs and illustrations offer an additional insight into prehistoric life on the northwest coast. Ames and Maschner have presented "their view of things", which may frusterate some readers; however, it remains the first synthesis of northwest coast archaeology and prehistory: a valuable book.

Good info, but reads like a textbook. Tons of references to other works and papers.

The most complete authority on the peyote cactus, Lophophora williamsii. E. Anderson includes every aspects of peyote- history and religious uses to ethnobotanical, phytochemistry and pharmacology. For anyone interested in learning all aspects of this mystifying plant, Peyote: The Divine Cactus, will allow just that.

This is a very informitive book that covers history, ceremonies,
users experiences, and much more. As a member of the Native American Church I recommed it to members and non-members alike.

This book was a true classic, if you are looking for complete information on the Peyote Cactus, this is the book for you to buy. I cannot recommend it enough, it is one of my favorite books in my collection. It is professional, well written, and informative.

Charles Young's fascinating, intensely readable novel vividly recreates the relatively recent history of eastern Connecticut's Native Amnericans, how they lived and worked, interacted, squabbled and dreamed of a better future, soon to be realized. In riveting, cleverly evoked flashbacks, the author takes us back more than 275 years to dramatize how Potassett's forebearers survived tribal jealousies, betrayals, bloody warfare and meager resources to sustain hope for future generations. A marvelous reading experience which shows how indomitable spirit and will bring triumph in the end.

Charles Young has a neat way of combining history with fiction. The book describes the life of the protagonist, a native American male, from childhood to manhood in a modern Indian village set down amidst the populous Connecticut shore. Along the way he is surrounded and educated by crusty, eccentric, lovable characters.

There is a sweet love affair, and the solution to a mystery about the tribe's heartbreaking past.

The action precedes the establishment of the casino of the Mashantucket Pequots.

I found Potassett to be both entertaining and educational. Charles Young has done a masterful job of combining a story of the early history of the Indians of eastern Connecticut with a modern day account of Native Americans of the same tribe in the pre-casino era, and all in an engrossing and delightful novel. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the history of Native Americans in New England or who just want to read a good novel.

When legend and ancient civilizations converge narrowly on the past, it is up to our authors to recreate the world and let those long dead live again. Instead of paying homage to older notions of indian representation, Charles Young hits the New England coastline with a un-biased trowel and digs in search of his own arrowheads.

In his fictional account, Young sets his anti-hero in past and present and allows him to identify with his roots and find his place as a bright, contemporary, though somewhat nerdy, native american.

The story spans several eras from pre-colonial to the present day construction of the casinos in Connecticut. With the help of his girlfriend/teacher/mentor, the protagonist, a budding archaeologist, searches for the ancient past, and focuses his attention on one question: what happened at blood creek?

Young stretches typical conceptions of native americans, and even isn't afraid to portray Uncas as an unseemly character (in your face Cooper). The book was a good read, filled with authentic local flavor and historical faction.

Blending together elements from several eras, Young shows the native american as a man who can scoff at assimilation and flourish in the land that was his by birth-right. The main characters are generally handled with dignity, and compassion; however, some of the lessers act as negative metaphors or somewhat overbearing stereotypes.

The story is well written and worth the time. I recommend you take a look.