Native American Books

... An excellent book with all the quality, both in terms of literary style and source documentation, that readers have come to expect from Jerry Greene. It goes without saying that this work replaces Stan Hoig's WASHITA that has stood for nearly thirty years as the best volume on this engagement.

Often, when students of the Indian Wars discuss the Washita, it is in terms of viewing it as a "test case" for what Custer was probably trying to achieve at the Little Big Horn eight years later. While that approach has strong merits, it tends to lessen the importance of this battle. This book does allude to Custer and the Little Big Horn but mainly treats the Washita in the full context of the situation on the southern plains from 1867-1869, therefore helping us see this as the historical event that it was in its own right.



Excellent photos included, especially was intrigued by an image that I have not encounterd before, that of Sgt. Major Walter Kennedy (killed at the Washita) when he was a Confederate army officer from Virginia. Despite what old Hollywood movies like to portray, there were actually very few cases of Confederate officers becoming either enlisted men or non-coms in the US Regular Army after the Civil War. For someone interested in the fascinatiing personalities of the 7th Cavalry, there is much here: the tensions between Custer and Benteen, the controversial death of Major Elliott, the death of Captain Lewis Hamilton, (grandson of Alexander Hamilton), the wounding of Barnitz, etc. Greene also engages in a detailed examination of whether the Washita should be termed a "massacre" or a "battle." Much food for thought here, even though many readers (like myself) may respecfully disagree with some of what he says.



From the standpoint of visiting the battlefield, this book contains an ten page appendix that provides very detailed descriptions of what took place at each spot on a numbered map that appears earlier in the book. This map key, as well as this entire book, is indispensible for anyone planning to visit the battlefield, in person and/or through books.

Plains Indian War historian, Jerome A. Greene, has produced another important book to add to his growing body of work. "Washita" proves that Greene is one of our best historians researching and writing today, period. Unlike so many published authors that write from secondary sources, Greene relies principally upon primary sources to tell the story of Lt. Col. George Custer, the 7th Cavalry, and Black Kettle at the Battle of the Washita.

"Washita" begins in Colorado with Greene reciting the story of the Sand Creek Massacre, November 29, 1864, along with its causes and aftermath. We learn how Black Kettle escaped only to die almost four years to the day, November 27, 1868 under similar circumstances at the Washita.

Greene writes with firm yet smooth determination in recounting a complicated story of Indian/White depredations, by both groups, beside the old roads, ranches, and rivers of the American West. There is nothing politically correct in Greene's story - it is a brutally honest and most unprejudiced book written about this dark period of the Indian Wars.

By the time Custer and 11 companies of the 7th Cavalry leave Camp Supply, heading towards the Washita River, on November 23, 1868 Greene has laid out all the reasons why in a succinct but clear interpretation. I love the way Greene writes his stories - he doesn't waste any time. Greene would make a great screenwriter - he draws a clear picture in our mind through his words, the picture is sharp, focused; the plot and the characters, with the different pieces, all come together allowing the viewer (reader) to follow the storyline completely without question.

Greene's story about the Battle of the Washita is told in two parts - the first part is from the army's perspective while part two is told from Indian accounts. If I may use film as an analogy again, "Washita" is somewhat like Akira Kurosawa's 1950 film, "Rashomon" which tells the story of a murder from four eyewitness accounts with each account being somewhat different from each other. One might think that Greene relating the story of the battle this way would make it confusing, however, that is the farthest from the truth.

Greene provides evidence confirming the number of soldier's killed and even the count for Indian dead. He also provides conclusive evidence as to who in Custer's command killed many of the non-combatants - it was mostly the Osage scouts; even after Custer ordered his troops to prevent, "the killing of any but the fighting strength of the village..." before the battle began.

Greene delivers a detailed analysis of the demise of Major Elliott and 17 of his men against Cheyennes, Kiowas, Arapahos, and Kiowa-Apaches - warriors that entered the battle from the downriver villages. Elliott and his troops were cut-off from the main village and the rest of the 7th -- surrounded, outnumbered, and outgunned they reluctantly let go of the horses, lay down in the tall grass in a circle facing outward and gave it their best shot to the last man.

If you are prone to not review endnotes of a book, I highly recommend that you do read those that Greene provides. You will find pertinent information -- all most interesting about the battle. You don't want to miss any of the action! It is in the endnotes where you will learn that Custer had his soldiers retrieve two ponies from the village herd, before all the horses were killed, for each Indian woman prisoner to use on their trip back north.

From the opening of the battle when Custer orders the soldier's dogs killed to ensure silence, to the vexation of the warriors watching hundreds of ponies killed, Greene's account of the Battle of the Washita is told better than all others preceding him. I think it will be a long time before someone else can even possibly come close.

Jerome Greene has just completed the definitive account of the administrative history of the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. It is currently in review at the National Park Service and will be published soon.

Washita is one of the more controversial battles of the Plains Wars in that there are several aspects that make it unique. What is not unique is the standard approach of attacking native americans in the dead of winter when they were much less mobile and prone to surprise if the attacking force could survive the elements. What makes the battle exceptionally controversial is that Black Kettle of Sand Creek fame and known as a peace chief once again bears the brunt of an attack, which in this case he does not survive. He also was making peace overtures at the time that several young men from many villages and perhaps his own were still making raids. The other ring of controversy is the loss of Major Elliott and his platoon that impulsively chased after escaping villagers too far from support and was annihilated by Indians from neighboring villages. Custer eventually abandoned the field under pressure to save his command but this seemed to aggravate a split in his command since Elliott could not be found. The split was particularly with Captain Benteen who was highly critical and later has a contributory part in Custer's demise at the Little Big Horn, which has more than a touch of irony. Well written and researched by Green, maps are very good and for example demonstrates how young Lt. Godfrey almost made the same mistake as Elliott but was restrained by wiser counsel. Excellent over all view of the Cheyenne with a background on their history as well as a good review of the military situation in Kansas. Good balance although more dicussion on Sand Creek may have been appropriate a new book cast a different opinion on that battle and perhaps recognizing that may have made that section of the book more interesting. This is a good book to buy and keep on the shelf and take with you if you ever get a chance to go in the field and visit the site yourself.

I love this book! It explains what life was like for the Nez Perces. I read it over and over. It makes a great gift for any occasion.

This is by far one of the best world books in the American Girls Collection. It fills in all the gaps left by the series. It is full of Nez Perce lore, history, traditions, and compares the old ways of the Nez Perce with the new ones. It explains everything from how the Nez Perce got thier horses to the smallpox epidemic to the stories about Coyote. Just about everything that the books left unexplained is in here. This book is well worth your time. I recommend it highly if you love the American Girls Collection, whether or not you are a fan of Kaya. It is worth the $16.95 you pay for it!!!!!!!!!

This book is great because it talks about native americans from the past and from today.It is a good book to get if you like native americans,Kaya fan or not.

West River is a wonderful book filled with interesting stories and anectdotes from the early history of the American West. Its treatment of Native American and White Settler relations is refreshingly honest and extremely well documented.

Simpson's West River brings to light many exciting, thought-provoking, and poignant stories of the American West that have not made it into our traditional history text books. The more I read about them in this book, the more I wished that I had been able to learn this side of history earlier. They are great stories and an important part of our country's heritage.

Simpson's unique style of writing also makes you feel as if you are hearing the stories being told by the people who lived during the time. And his careful documentation is equally impressive.

I would recommend this book to anyone - especially those who are interested in the forgotten stories of our western history in the great plains.

Tired of the same old stories? Fed up with people always recommending Grisham, Patterson, and Clancy novels to you? Break the mold with West River.

This collection of capitaviting stories from the American West retraces history in an honest and accurate fashion. The beatuy of this book is the wide spectrum of perceptions expressed within its pages. Reading stories about the interactions of settelers and Native Americans from different perspectives enlightens the reader in a way that few other books do.

However, I am even more impressed with the level of documentation in this book than I am with the stories told in it. I feel as though I have been given a special looking glass that provides me with an honest, impartial view of the past--truly a great gift.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking truth and beauty within American History.

West River is a wonderful book filled with interesting stories and anectdotes from the early history of the American West. Its treatment of Native American and White Settler relations is refreshingly honest and extremely well documented.

Simpson's West River brings to light many exciting, thought-provoking, and poignant stories of the American West that have not made it into our traditional history text books. The more I read about them in this book, the more I wished that I had been able to learn this side of history earlier. They are great stories and an important part of our country's heritage.

Simpson's unique style of writing also makes you feel as if you are hearing the stories being told by the people who lived during the time. And his careful documentation is equally impressive.

I would recommend this book to anyone - especially those who are interested in the forgotten stories of our western history in the great plains.

This book is really gorgeous. The story is intricate and is based on a traditional Native American fable. It's haunting and dramatic and the artwork compliments it beautifully. I'd recommend this book for all children and adults interested in Native American culture.

I found White Crow to have a wonderful message for adults and children...learn to see and hear with your heart. The illustrations are beautiful and the writing is sweet but not condescending. I would recommend it to parents and teachers who want an magical story that demonstrates listening to, and trusting one's intuition and feelings.

White Crow is an imaginative and entertaining picture book story of a young Native American boy named Little Buffalo and his white dog, Nopad, who embark on a journey in search of the mysterious white crow and its secrets. An enthralling story with abstract yet memorable color artwork, White Crow is a recommended addition to school and community library picture book collections.

Jennie Wiley is a direct descendent of mine through Hezekiah Sellards and I have heard stories told about her. However, I never thought there was a book about her. Although I have not purchased the book yet I still rate it a 5 for obvious reasons.

I have a copy of this book that is copied off an old copy machine. I was so happy to find copies of the real book. I am also a very distant relative of Jenny Wiley. It will be great to pass these books on to family members. What a great find.

It has been quite a few years since I read this book. My grandmother owned it. I thought it was a very good book. It hit close to home to me, because Jennie Wiley is my seventh great-grandmother. Reading this book brought me close to my family history. I was able to learn more about how life was back then and the things that happened. I plan to buy my own copy, so that I can share the story with my children.

This is the first book I ever bought about Native Americans. It was really great. Funny, sad, shows great love. More, more!

Louis is angry and irreverent, but yet not offensive. It'a a very quick, enjoyable read. The short stories in this work touch on every issue you can imagine, mixing humans and anthropomorphic creatures against a graphic backdrop of contemporary reservation life. If you like Sherman ALexie, you'll love Louis!

This collection of 23 short stories is set almost entirely on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwest South Dakota and the border towns in the Nebraska panhandle. It is the harsh land of the high plains where the seasons are extreme and the lives of Indians balance conditions of poverty and racism against the love of family and home - plus a heavy dose of dark humor.

Humor in some of these stories borrows from Native American oral tradition, with shape-shifting characters who are both animal and human - Coyote, Raven, and Bear. Other stories lean more toward social realism, following lives plagued at every turn by misfortune, alcoholism, ill health, domestic violence and ignorance. Though truly horrible things sometimes happen, each story stops somewhere short of bleakness and despair. Demon alcohol, for all the damage it does, and libido-driven adventures still bring periods of relief. And there is affection and caring that present themselves like Old Bear in the last story to speak sweet reason to despair.

I recommend this book to readers interested in the modern-day lives of Indians on America's reservations. Adrian Louis, in both his poetry and fiction, offers a bracing corrective to all the sentimental and racist stereotypes held by others. His is a grimly unblinking vision of hard lives that still preserves their humanity.

The real-life story of the evolution of a modern-day Sioux medicine woman. A very down to earth and inspiring story. Trained by her grandmother and other elders, Mahinto travelled the world until she became ready to return and "take on the mandtle" of the ancient ones. Her pain and suffering led to wisdom. She has helped many women find their true internal powers and strength. Great book and story.

This is by far one of the best books I have ever read.It takes you to places you can only dream about.

I have not only had the pleasure of reading this book, but meeting the author. A truly amazing 70+ year old woman who has the ability to take her life's lessons and transform them into a prose that will capture anyone who is interested in the American Indian way of life. This "fictional autobiography" was designed not only to be read cover-to-cover, which will keep you turning the pages, but can be opened at random, and within a few sentences you will get a message on how to (or not to) travel The Red Pathway.

The book is filled with every type of emotion: Love, hate, fear, humor and dispicable behavior. All of which show how we are all related, not only on this earth but throughout the universe.

You will not be dissapointed!

I thought was a beautifully written story by Joseph Bruchac, about the Indian tribe, the Abenaki's. The simple and yet complex way he wrote it from the point of view of 14 year old Native American named Saxso, made it all the more interesting. Saxso is probably the most interesting character in this book aside from his cousin and grandfather. The description of what the British (the white people, or the winter people, the people with winter/cold in their hearts) were doing to the Native Americans after they captured them from the village upon their raid, actually brought tears to my eyes (I've never even heard of the British eating the Native Americans until I read this book. More genocidal things the world continues to hide from the people about what the Europeans, and British, among others who wronged these people, hide.). I continued to read the book until the very end which was satisfying in aspect of the word. I recommend this book to anyone who has a interest in Native Americans and their lives during the many wars that took place on the land they lived on.

This is a truly fasincating story told in a different perspective, through the eyes of a Native American. The novel shows us a totally opposite side of the stories and documents recorded and still used today in life. After I finally finished reading "The Winter People", I had an unique and new perspective towards the Abenakis. You will too, and I still do, hold a strong respect towards these people and their way of life.

I found this to be both an easy to read book, and historically accurate as well. Bruchac is an amazing writer, and teaches many lessons while the the story is told. This book should definately be read by middle school-high school students because it will help teach about both the native peoples and the Seven Years war, and help to wash away some of the stereotypes that have plagued native peoples for many years.
Justin

The Suquamish Native American leader Chief Seattle gave his immortal speech in 1854 during treaty negotiations with the American government which was intent on forcing the Native people of Washington's Puget Sound onto reservations. Highly recommended for Native American studies reference and reading list collections, The World Of Chief Seattle: How Can One Sell The Air? puts Chief Seattle's life into the context of his time and provides the reader with a brief history of the region and its many tribes, with particular emphasis on the Suquamish. Included under Warren Jefferson's ably editorship is the complete text of Chief Seattle's speech, enhanced with rare, vintage photographs of village life.

This book is very informative and research that went into the book shows that the author truly cared to show in the best possible light the lifestyle of Suquamish's most famous Chief. Chief Seattle has been quoted and misquoted so much over the years, that this book is a breath of fresh air. A great way to learn about Suquamish and a glimpse into history. I feel that this book is something that all ages will enjoy reading.

THE WORLD OF CHIEF SEATTLE is an awesome effort, quietly informative, eloquent as the wind. We read about The Land around the Puget Sound & its climate. How The Suquamish People, isolated by mountains & vast stretches of ocean, developed lifestyles unlike any encountered by explorers.

About Potlatch, Canoes, Food, Houses & Clothing. About Intertribal Warfare & Indian Boarding Schools, & about the The Point Elliott Treaty & Reservation Life.

A just homage to the ways of our ancestors & a profound little book, one that will touch the heart & soul of any who read it - about a fine way of life inexorably altered by strangers from afar.

A must for anyone interested in living with the land, & learning how to treat all our relations with respect.

Love the pictures. Great story, a perspective not heard much about. Read aloud with your Lewis and Clark unit.

An overlooked character is given a very three dimensional portrait in this book. The book should be given credit for portraying all the people in the expedition what is most likely a more honest rendering (ie, that Lewis and Clark both owned slaves, weren't always kind to them, and that at the end of his life, York was not treated very fairly by Clark, and the two parted company in a sour way.) The expedition is presented in a way that is easy to follow, and with a historical perspective not typically seen in childrens book.

Rhoda Blumberg's YORK'S ADVENTURES WITH LEWIS AND CLARK: An African-American's Part in the Great Expedition, cries out for an Oprah spotlight. Blumberg painstakingly and faithfully recreates how York worked, starved, sweated, suffered, and trailblazed alongside Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea (one of several slaves married to one of the expedition's interpreters, rough-and-tumble Toussaint Charbonneau), and the rest of the crew. A phenomenal human story and a tragic lesson of how prejudice causes society to undervalue a great man's contributions to American and world history.