Native American Books

Well written chronicle of one of the South's finest soldiers.
Too little has been introduced about the struggle between North and South in the Nations. This book is the best I have read on the subject.
Watie and his gallant band are well represented in their struggle to defend their families and save their homes from ruin during the Yankee invasion.

....one of the worst of which is that the Confederacy was a white, Anglo-Saxon monolith. The truth is that the Confederacy pioneered the idea of giving blacks and women positions of authority [the Matron Law], placed Jews in positions of power, and put General's stars on a Mexican. And, we had the first American Indian General; this wonderful book is his story.

Stand Watie was born in Georgia in 1806, and went west on the Trail of Tears. In Oklahoma, he became a rich, powerful, slave-owning rancher. [Yes, Indians owned slaves; so did Jews, Mexicans, and, surprise, Blacks]. He also gained both friends and enemies; as one of the two rival Principal Chiefs of the Cherokee Nations, he headed the Mixed Blood faction, which some thought got along a little too well with the government. [The other Chief, John Ross, was also a rich slave-owning rancher, living in a mansion, married to a white woman; he had less Indian blood than Watie]. Sort of like the Pure Bloods and the Mud-Bloods in the Harry Potter stories, only this wasn't funny........

When the Civil War came, both sides wanted the Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes in present day Oklahoma; enter another of the few Civil War characters who provide a measure of comic relief, Brigadier General Albert Pike, sent by the Confederacy to recruit the Indians; he did a pretty good job, too, capitalizing on the very real beef that the Indians had with the US. Pike's Civil War career is a minor footnote to a long, productive life. Today, he is best known as the philosopher of Scottish Rite Masonry. Pike resigned in late 1862 [Maybe---another topic], and was replaced by the more conventional, but less colorful, Douglas Cooper. Cooper said that Pike was either disloyal to the Confederacy, or was insane; Masons know which was the case.....

Oklahoma saw action all thru the war; the battles aren't as well known as the eastern ones, but the troops gave just as much, and the dead were just as dead. Stand Watie was a hero of Wilson's Creek, and proved to be an effective leader the whole way. Indeed, this was a theatre of operations where the Confederacy remained viable right to the end. Stand Watie was rewarded with General's stars in 1864, and was the very last Confederate General to stack arms.

This book is a true classic, a well written account of a part of the Civil War that most people don't even know existed.. Many thanks to Mr. Cunningham, and many thanks to the University of Oklahoma Press for making it available.

Excellent overview of Native American Confederates. A little looked at fact of the Civil War. Does justice to all men, women of all color, nationalities whom fought for what they beleived in.

This is a wonderful book! It accompanies an exhibit of hundreds of Catlin's paintings held in Washington DC in 2002, and scheduled to travel to several other cities. The reproductions are superb (the best I've ever seen) - the colors are true, and the sizes are often full-page and sometimes double-page. A brief commentary accompanies each painting, and there are also lengthy essays describing Catlin's life, his time in Europe, and his connection with the Smithsonian.
I bought Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs, etc at the same time that I bought this book, and I read the two of them together. The paintings are immeasurably enhanced by Catlin's comments and stories (he is a great story-teller). He explains what's happening in the crowd scenes (and it is sometimes hair-raising!), and he gives interesting background on the people shown in the portraits. Looked at in this way, the paintings really come alive. Very highly recommended.

This book has a nice variety of the collection of George Catlin paintings, along with a few of the artifacts from his collection. Most of these are reproduced in color in this book. The text is also well written and tells the story of Catlin, his paintings, and the view point of the era.

This is a gorgeous book, filled with magnificent reproductions of Catlin's seminal portraits and augmented by a trenchant and insightful commentary.

JD Challenger is a Master of Native American Art.His Ghost Dance series continues to be one of the most collected works of American Art.Anyone who loves our heritage should get this and let JD work his Spiritual magic on you.

The art technique makes these images truly stick in your memory. The subjects could easily have been made to appear terrifying, but Challenger evokes the spirit of a proud people living their lives in harmony with nature and yet "living life on the edge" as well. You can look into the eyes of these images and swear you can understand their trials and joys. Challenger has given life to his art, and that is no small accomplishment.

Two things strike me about this calendar from JD Challenger. The first is that it is enjoying the phenomenal popular and commercial success that this artist so richly deserves; and quite frankly, it's very affordable compared to similar calendar products. The second is that the entire offering, all twelve months' worth, is consistent with a single theme and most definitely not meant to catalogue this artist's capabilities. This theme must mean something special to him; in fact, he attributes the Ghost Dance to the original inspiration that moved him to pursue a life dedicated to telling the Native American story in art. So on the one hand this calendar serves as an affordable yet fairly deep representation of an important theme in Challenger's artwork; but on the other hand, this offering does not attempt to represent anything even approximating the full depth and scope of this man's art. So if you buy this collection for yourself or as a gift, keep in mind that you're not getting a fully representative compendium of the artist's work... Nevertheless, the prospect of having twelve Challengers reasonably well printed representing such an influencial force to the artist makes this offering highly compelling to both the dedicated Challenger fan and the casual "I-like-Native-American-Art" calendar user. In not too many years hence, there is the distinct possibility that JD Challenger will become one of the most influencial and celebrated American artists of our generation. Since very few of us are ever going to own a "real" Challenger or even his increasingly collectible seriographs, the medium of The Calendar brings his message to anyone who can afford a dollar a month for artwork. And this is a great medium for this artist (in addition to obvious ones he pursues with such success); his is a message that deserves to hang on your refrigerator and not just in galleries and museums. And if you're ever through Taos, be sure to visit his studio; it's awe-inspiring to see some of his works-in-progress sitting yards away from a $40,000 canvas, each of which will ultimately hang in whatever serves as America's Louvre a hundred years from now.

When he begins his journey to manhood, a young Lakota boy is given a Gift Horse by his father, who had brought some new horses back from a trading visit with the Cheyenne. Flying Cloud names the horse Storm and the two become the best of friends. Storm is so fast that the boy is named Flying Cloud by the people. The two play games together and when Flying Cloud becomes lost in a raging prairie blizzard it is Storm that gets him home. Most of this story tells of not only the adventures of Flying Cloud and Storm, but also of what it was like for a young Lakota boy preparing to enter manhood. The climax of the story comes when a group of Crow, the enemies of the Lakota, steal most of the horses from Flying Cloud's tribe, including Storm.

S. D. Nelson is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in the Dakotas, and Flying Cloud was the name of his great-great grandfather. In an extensive Author's Note in the back of "Gift Horse," Nelson explains about the history of the Lakota (including how history books ended up calling them the Sioux instead) and focuses on the importance of horses in the culture of the Plains Indians and the rite of passage by which a Lakota boy entered manhood. For young readers who are interesting in finding out more about these subjects, Nelson gives them plenty to look over before they go on to other books or start searching the Internet.

The colorful artwork is done in acrylic paint on a wood panel and is based on the ledger book drawings done by Plains Indian artists done between 1865 and 1935. The bold illustrations will capture the attention of young readers, but the story is impressive as well, especially in terms of how it depicts the life of a young Lakota boy. "Gift Horse" is Nelson's first children's book and since this came out in 1999 he has added "The Star People: A Lakota Story." He has also illustrated other children's book as well, most notably "Crazy Horse's Visions" and "Jim Thorpe's Brightest Path."

This is a beautifully told and illustrated story inspired by the author's great-great grandfather, a Lakota Indian named Flying Cloud. In the story, Flying Cloud earns his name from the way he stirs up dust as he flies across the Plains on Storm, his horse. The relationship between boy and horse inspires several adventures: they get lost in a storm, they hunt buffalo, and when Storm is stolen by Crow horse thieves, Flying Cloud must rescue her. But this is more than the story of a boy and his horse. Nelson also concentrates on Flying Cloud's desire to prove himself and become a great Lakota Warrior. Different aspects of the lifestyle of Plains Indians are depicted, including the buffalo hunt, the sweat lodge, and the vision quest. The illustrations are particularly beautiful, and the writing is both spare and poetic. Highly recommended!

S.D. Nelson's book The Gift Horse is a beautiful story of a young boy's coming of age. The story teaches values of becoming a man that include all nationalities. The illistrations are breath taking. The colors are vibrant and alive. Drawn in the traditional style supports the traditional way of the Native Americans. A new book is Crazy Horse, the Legend

Man, I love anything with crazy visions in the sky - particularly the first chapter of the Biblical book Ezekiel - but the vision in this book is a neat thing to read about too. I just don't get why the buffalo was referenced at the end. Must be a Native American custom to end all stories with some mentioning of a buffalo.

I'm sorry to say I still like non-sacred dogs more than sacred dogs, but I have a very good reason for doing so. Sacred dogs are much more expensive.

I loved this book when I was little, and I still love it now. It's great to see that it's still around. It's a wonderful story with even better illustrations for children and adults.

Children and adults will enjoy the colorful illustrations and tale of how the Native Americans acquired the horse. Lovely!

The illustrations in this book are wonderful and are a perfect compliment to this strange,comforting story of a loving family and the legacy of their magical grandmother. There are some subtle nuances that parents will pick up if they pay attention. This is a tale about ecology and love for free and wild creatures, with a bit of shamanism thrown in for good measure. There is humour here and wisdom. I love this book for the satisfying feeling of gentle wonder that I feel as I turn the last page and close the book. I recommend it to all with childish hearts.

Louise Erdrich is the author of the award winning novels Love Medicine and The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse , amongst others. She is an incredibly gifted novelist. Grandmother's Pigeon is her first book for children.

I haven't read a book written specifically for children in well over a decade (Harry Potter and The Narnia series would be more for young adults and are suitable for adults on different levels), but Grandmother's Pigeon is a true children's book. It is only about 30 pages, half of which are illustrations. Like any good children's book, this one is mixed with the simple and the fantastic (perhaps all the more understandable considering Erdrich's American Indian heritage). The story is simple, a grandmother goes away on a trip and bird eggs are discovered in her room. When the eggs hatch, the birds turn out to be Passenger Pigeons (a long extinct species), three males. There is some commotion about the pigeons and finally they are released into the wild by the family. The fantastic comes in from the very start when Grandmother announces she is going to travel to Greenland on the back of a turtle and it is hinted the a stuffed animal toy pigeon may have been the cause of the mysterious eggs. It is a very sweet, charming story and I would imagine any child would enjoy reading this book.

helps to show children that people in their family can be different, but you still love them.

I enjoyed reading this book and I found the artwork to be most interesting. This book explains two of our strangest creatures, the flying squirrel and the bat, who can fly although they are not birds. The excitement builds up as the birds find a way to make wings for the little animals, no bigger than mice, to prepare for the ball game. The action of the game itself is quick and intense, as the animals and birds battle it out. Can you guess who wins? You'll find yourself cheering for Bat as he dips and dives for the ball, but watch out! Bluejay drops the ball just at the crucial moment. I give this one an A+ for enjoyment.

I am happy to find a book that describes the game of stickball the way it was originally played here in the southeast. We Cherokees called the game "the little brother of war" in the old days. Even now our villages near the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina play against each other in the traditional was, by setting up goal posts at both ends of the ball field. You will hear the teams taunting each other just as described in this book. Thanks to the writer and the artist for helping to keep our culture alive.

What more could you ask from a picture book? The Great Ball Game of the Birds and Animals is a wonderful tale that explains how the bat and the flying squirrel came to be. Duvall's version of this story sticks closely to the original Cherokee legend with expanded imagery and character development. Like all great stories, this one teaches a lesson for human beings. Jacob's beautifully detailed drawings will hold the imagination spellbound as the story unfolds in crisp black and white. This book won the 2003 Oklahoma Book Award for Design and Illustration. I am proud to own a signed first edition that I obtained while visiting Tahlequah, Oklahoma during the Cherokee National Holiday. I highly recommend this book to art collectors and readers alike.

I have had the distinct pleasure of knowing Ralph and Carrol Moisa (AKA Mom and Dad on the powwow trail!) for several years now, and I am always amazed by the fact that Ralph really does walk the walk that he writes about in his books!
This book is great for kids of all ages, and it shows that character, not appearance is what really matters. This is a corner stone of Native culture.
Ralph's stories trancend racial boundaries, and help to carry on the message that his deceased son, Ralph Jr. (AKA White Eagle) wanted to share with all races, all over the world.

My family had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Moisa and his wife at a YMCA resort in Colorado. His message made such an impression on my family we still read the books all the time 2 1/2 years later. Not many books have that kind of staying power.
The themes fit right into our school"s current emphasis on "Character Counts" and are an invaluable addition to any library.

Education is a top priority in our home and Great Eagle and Small One has made a wonderful addition to our library! My six year old son, Jacob, and my 12 year old daughter, Christine, both enjoyed this book and learned from it. Page 41 sums up one very important lesson taught by this book. It states, "So, my young friends, when you see people who are not perfect in body or mind, remember the story of Great Eagle and Small One. The Creator loves them each in a special way." Chapters 6 and 7 explain all about the four kinds of Eagles and have beautiful pictures! Lisa Hader President of School of the Osage Lower El. PTA

Beautifully -- in places lyrically -- written, this small volume makes a compelling case for preservation of the natural beauty that once prevailed throughout North America, and which now has become all too rare. Never straying far from her main theme (the life of Grey Owl), Jane Billinghurst draws us into the passion and dedication of her subject, leading us reflect on environmental questions not as dry policy issues, but as ones that can relate to an almost spiritual connection between the individual and his natural surroundings. Must reading for historians, environmentalists, and those with an interest in Canada, this insightful book is thoroughly rewarding for the general reader as well. Very highly recommended.

It has been said, "one cannot judge a book by it's cover", however, we must also keep in mind that there are no absolutes as this book is a story which is depicted, in large measure, by the cover. Sensitive, warm, and poetic presentation of the life and contributions of Grey Owl. The photos exceptional in quality, and accurate as to life and times of the era. These are real people, places, and times that were a part of North American history. The manner in which sayings and aspects of Grey Owl are available as the story unfolds are done in such a manner I think you get two books for the price of one. I read the book from cover to cover the first time then re-read the white pages only, and then followed by reading the tan colored pages. Either way it is easy, fast, and enjoyable. I think the author did an excellent job in demonstrating the efforts of Grey Owl. He was an interesting fellow who had a vision and purpose in life which is so unique that a major moving picture has been make about him as well as four documantaries. Jane Billinghurst has created a work which makes possible an interpretation of the content, by the reader, as it is a factual and well documented treatise. There have been several books published about Grey Owl, in my opinion this is, like the Land of Shadows (Don Smith), is a must read for a deeper appreciation of this most remarkable fellow, Grey Owl.

This is a wonderful book. Well researched and balanced. Jane Billinghurst tells the story of Archie B. and I could not put it down. Other's have borrowed it and have praised it also. I am off to check out what else Billinghurst has written!

"Growing Up Native American" is a heartwrenching anthology of classic essays by 22 renowned Native American authors. The writers come from 15 native nations across the United States and Canada. The essays are divided into four major sections, excluding the Introduction. The editor prefaces each major section with its own brief introduction.

The first section looks backward and forward at how Native nations lost their indigenous languages and with language loss their self-determination. The second section focuses on the 19th Century, especially on the devastating policies against Native Americans and the struggles that ensued. One example of devastation is given in the third section which describes policies that destroyed traditional Native American educational systems and replaced them with repressive alternatives "meant to destroy their tribal identities" (p. 116). The fourth and last section outlines the 20th Century which "has brought forth an ever-increasing effort toward self-determination by indigenous peoples", because the "vanishing American has not vanished" (p. 190).

This is a hard-hitting book, meant for both the non-Natives and "Natives" who truly want to know. If you, like me, ever thought you knew the Native American story, then you ought to read this book. If you have not heard about the Native American story, starting with this book will save you from many misconceptions. A good read, indeed.

Amavilah, Author
Modeling Income Determinants in Embedded Economies : Cross-section Applications to US Native American Economies
ISBN: 1600210465

What is it like to grow up as a stranger in your own land? Of all of the emigrant groups which came to the "New World", those who were already here experienced their country being conquered and their way of life almost destroyed. All to often their stories were dismissed, forgotten or seen as exotic curiosities for the anthropologists. Riley's collection of 22 Native American writers gives voice to a group whose lives show a spirit of survival and dignity in the midst of being a "conquered" people in their own land. Using excerpts from novels, memoirs, essays and autobiographies we are given a wide range of different experiences from the people who were here before there was an America. Growing Up Native American introduces us to the various native peoples of this continent. Through those various genres, we receive a bit of insight as to what they had to endure as they grew up in a hostile land. This collection of stories spans from the 19th to the 20th centuries. Growing Up Native American is an excellent text for intoducing one to Native American history,literature, culture and Native-American authors. You immediately are transported through time with the authors and characters. You identify with their challenges and triumphs. The book is not just a collection of tragedy. You are introduced to laughter, jokes, lifestyles and the joys of being a young person. I would highly recommend this book to those of us who are ignorant about the Orignal Voices who inhabited this land

This is an excellent book that gently and beautifully flies in the face of destructive stereotypes and any ill-conceived idea that the "American Indian" is powerless and extinct. Far from it. And for those who say the damage is "all in the past" and is not relevant today, this book also gives the lie to that mythology. Unfortunately, those aren't the people most likely to read this book. Given that, I would highly recommend making this book required reading in any literature course, history course, or humanities course in general. The writing is artful and succinct, the authors Pulitzer prize winners and accomplished in many other ways. What it means to be an Indian, Native American, in the United States of America while we are "fighting to preserve our liberty" is an incredible concept to wrap one's mind around. Stretch a little. These voices call out from history, through time, to the present to create the awareness that the world so desperately needs.