North America Books

This is a good book for beginners that teaches the basics of arrow making the traditional way. It also offers alternative ways using modern tools. If you are looking for the way a specific tribe/people made arrows then further research will be required as with any book on this subject. It does however give some detailed information on the arrow crafting techniques of some plains Indians.

A magnificent compendium of Native American cures and treatments, which are just the thing unless you are actually, you know, sick.

I thought that this book was informative. He describes the herb, and the tribe(s) that used it, and how. There is several pages on the tribal tradition, but I would have liked to have seen more indepth about several of the more common tribes and their herbal medicinal usage and practices.

I really appreciated the author bringing together how the whole person must be treated in order to treat dis-ease. This is really missing in allopathic medicine.

I would recommend this book to any herbal practitioner that would like a different view of herbal treatment, using traditional Native American ways.
Kathy Miller

Another book you don't loan out, you'll miss having it for reference.

It lists recipes for ailments, and companies where you can purchase the items needed in the mixes.

I had to buy more than one, one for loans, one for keeps.

The best advice is also given in this book, just because one mix worked for another, it may not be the same for you. We are all different, and so are the many different species of plants. So it doesn't just give you one recipe for one ailment, unlike so many other herbal books.

This is a great reading for school age kids, who like mysteries, and it can also help those who do not feel welcome at a new school. I think Joan Aiken is a wonderful writer, and I wish there was a sequel, so I can read more about Cosmo and his friends.

Cosmo applies to each person. We all have "Shadow Guests" and his illusions are like corners of mind. Aiken has written a lovely break from the Wolves series and written something very powerful. Death and love are the two components that appear to battle endlessly in Cosmo's mind, and that of his predecessors. Everybody should read this.

I really liked this book because it is a realistic story about Cosmo and his deceased mother and older brother. this book somewhat relates to my life and my grandfather because I feel that he is watching over me at all times and makes sure I get through life easily. That is what I think happens in this book and that is why I liked it so much, also it is a very realistic story so I think that is what I think makes this book a graet one.

Probably the best reprints by Starscape books are the little-known Joan Aiken fantasies. Her "Dido" series is easily found, but only recently books like "Cockatrice Boys" and "Whispering Mountain" have been made available. "Shadow Guests" is the latest of these -- it isn't quite as good as the others, but still quite enjoyable.

After his mother and older brother mysteriously vanish, Cosmo Curtoys is sent to live with an eccentric mathematician relative in England. While Aunt Eunice is pleasant (though odd), Cosmo rapidly makes enemies of almost every other kid in school. What's more, strange things have begun lurking nearby, including a tadpole-like thing that fell off of his sleeve -- and grew.

Soon Cosmo finds out about something linked to the disappearance of his mom and brother -- a family curse that dooms every eldest brother to die in battle, and every mother to die of grief. Because of this curse, he is visited by "shadow guests," a Roman gladiatior, a naive Crusader... and a sinister force that threatens to kill him.

It's definitely above the average ghost story, and makes good use of Cosmo's social isolation to let him encounter ancestors who are also burdened by the curse. Cosmo is a likeable hero, who alternates between not understanding what's happening, and knowing all too well what is going on. Cousin Eunice is a nice (mathematician) twist on the usual weird relative; the kids at school often seem like their friendliness or hostility has some bearing on the story, but ultimately that peters out.

Aiken's writing is pleasant, although the pacing is a bit odd -- one minute we're reading about kids snubbing him at school or playing jokes on Bun, then we're reading about ghosts and ancient warlocks and family curses. Moreover, some of the details in the book must have passed me by, because I didn't quite understand a few parts of the ending. But the haunting (pun intended) atmosphere and mix of the unearthly and the solidly, likeably British is very fresh-feeling.

While this book isn't quite as stellar as "Cockatrice" or "Mountain," it's a solid ghost story with a pleasant storyline and hero. Well worth the read.

Imagine for a moment you are a young warrior captured by an enemy tribe. You are enslaved, tortured and humiliated by your captors, then offered an opportunity to escape; which would mean personal freedom, but could also lead to the annihilation of your people and the desecration of the earth. What would you choose? This is the dilemma faced by Sequannah, the youthful protagonist of this action-packed fantasy/adventure Shadow of the Serpent A Coyote Moon Story. James Joseph weaves together a poignant coming-of-age story with the earth-centered teachings of Native American spirituality into an engaging and entertaining first novel. --Patricia A. Burke, editor, The Hungry Soul: An Online Literary Magazine

If someone asked me to review this book with just one word, I think "great" wouldn't be enough. It was an enthralling experience to learn more about the Native American ways and wisdom through such a fantastic story. Also, the narrative is quite elegant and detailed and the story never loses its pace. In the story, we are introduced to the Mineccou clan, a peaceful, yet strong tribe that are pushed into war when a powerful enemy nearly wipes out all the other clans in the area and enslaves the survivors. Sequannah, a young Mineccou warrior is also captured and enslaved, but soon he finds that he will play a very important role in his tribe's struggle. For he will have to fight not only for his own freedom, but also for the freedom of his clan's ways. A story full of wisdom that makes us think about our own ways.

I spent hours reading the book,absorbed by the writing technique of James Joseph. The book starts in early and keeps dragging you in deeper after every chapter. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel by James Joseph. He is a promising author

SHADOW OF THE SERPENT is a thrill-packed and emotionally-charged epic adventure which beckons those of us on the "war path" to follow a better Way. I had a sense of being irresistably drawn through misty woods into mysterious caverns, only to hear the whisperings of shamans sharing the wonders of ancient Truth: Go back and live in the Light. Henceforth, whenever I see patterns of yellow and black, I will be unable to ignore the metaphorical warning. Read this important mystical work. --Dan Gallagher

This is another exciting romp through a world that's not so different from the one we know, but enough so that we can't help but eagerly demand, "What next?"

This novel continues the saga of George Custer Jr., estranged son of the President of the United States, in a slightly different late nineteenth century America. See reviews of earlier books in this series for more details. In this new story, we gain much more insight into what makes father and son tick, but not at the expense of sweeping adventure. This is still very much a thrill ride that will keep you turning pages long after a sensible person would have turned out the lights.

I eagerly anticipate Giambastiani's next tale of adventure set in the wonderful world he has created.

It is flattering when your ideas are incorporated in future literary work, even if the author has never actually read them. It generally shows that your evaluations and thoughts are on the right track. Personal feelings aside, there are many reasons why this Book 3 of the series should be considered the best of the three written so far.

One: More detailed character development. My main complaint about "The Spirit of Thunder" was that the plot was moving too quickly, which took away from painting a deeper psychological picture of the main characters. In "Shadow of the Storm," the progress of time slows down considerably, and details such slowdown allows to incorporate make the book a vivid read.

Two: Improved writing depth. While previous installments were perfectly readable, "Shadow" goes one step further. It reads like a Hollywood epic, with characters and events flashed out to such a degree the readers can actually see them in their mind's eye. For example, the scene of Indian cavalry maneuvers in a San Francisco corrida arena is nothing less than "The Gladiator" transferred in all its glory from the movie screen to paper.

Three: Stronger emphasis on human drama. While the first two books touched on George Custer Jr.'s emotional struggle with conflicting allegiances, "Shadow" brings it to a climax, but not on the inaccessible level of national politics, but rather on a very close, and thus painfully real, personal level. The tone for the most important question of the book - what constitutes family and what role blood connection plays in it - is set from Chapter 1 and is brought to a heartrending climax with the novel's final scene.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. While I will await the next installment with impatience, a certain degree of trepidation will also be there. Mr. Giambastiani has set the bar of my expectations pretty high with "Shadow." Will he be able to reach it with Book 4? Only time will tell...

I really enjoy the books in this series, particularly because I love the opportunity to spend time with the Cheyenne characters that the author has developed so well - both individual personalities as well as insights into the culture. However, this third book in the series moves the saga forward in very dramatic ways with lots of new thought-provoking ideas and adventures. And the dinosaurs are back. I thought they were a bit of an afterthought in the second book, but Mr. Giambastiani brings them back as key characters in the story. The author also demonstrates a growing talent in his writing as he narration shifts effortlessly between the different characters perspectives on the action. I eagerly await book 4.

Shadow of the Storm is the third novel in the Fallen Cloud series, following The Spirit of Thunder. In the previous volume, George has lost a great deal of gold to a French trader, but finds another way to obtain weapons. He is severely wounded during the attack on Fort Assurance and Storm Arriving is also wounded while setting demolition charges on the railroad bridge over the Missouri. News of the bridge's destruction reaches Washington before the election, but is suppressed.

In this novel, George Armstrong Custer, Senior, wins re-election to his second term as President of the United States. Not everybody is pleased, to say the least, and trouble is brewing between the labor unionists and the industrialists. The common people, however, are mostly pleased at the prospect of free land made available with the Homestead Act, property in the lands of the Cheyenne Alliance.

In Little Italy, Cesare Uccido tries to protect his twin sister, Fortuna, from the hustlers and pimps, but is unsuccesful. In despair for the hard life of her family, Fortuna agrees to couple with a rich man for a golden coin, yet Cesare finds her with the man and tries to take her away, but the man attacks him and Cesare fights back, finally taking out all his rage on the man, killing him thoroughly. Afterward they flee, to find themselves with the man's clothes containing a large amount of cash and coin. With this money, the Uccido family flees to the frontier to stake out a homestead.

Back in New York, the new Ambassador from New Spain takes on his duties after the degraded death of his predecessor in a house of ill-repute. On his introductory visit to the White House, he overhears the President disparaging the Spanish government and leaves angrily. Since the Ambassador has a prior hatred for Custer, he looks for a way to pay back the President for his misdeeds.

Among the Cheyenne, George Armstong Custer, Junior, called One Who Flies by his Cheyenne family, is still trying to stop the slaughter of his adopted people. He is still weak from his wounds, but agrees to leave early with Mouse Roads and Picking Bones Woman to join Storm Arriving and Speaks While Leaving for the birth of their baby. One Who Flies is happy to travel early since he wants to ask Storm Arriving for permission to court Mouse Roads. Before he can be answered, the death of Picking Bones Woman causes the family to leave for the deathgrounds on the shore of the Big Salty, the Nebraska Sea.

All these elements converge on Washington for a major confrontation between the US and the Cheyenne.

This novel is well written and enjoyable, not only for the plot, but for the details on the lives of the Cheyenne people. The twists and turns of the plot are frustrating to the reader as well as the main character, but are necessary to sustain the story. After all, a peaceful life is boring to most readers, yet most of the really good sections were just everyday life among the Cheyenne.

Recommended for Giambastiani fans and anyone who enjoys tales of exotic people and international intrigue in a fantasy setting.

What I like best about this collection is that the author (or editor, really) tells you a little bit about the people who tell the stories. He also includes the original Quechua, which is an interesting touch even if I can't read it. At any rate, if you enjoy fairy tales, and are interested in hearing them from other cultures (there are a few parallels to the traditional Brothers Grimm in this book), this is a good book to buy. If you aren't interested in fairy tales, this is a good book to change your mind.

An enchanting book! Here is a unique opportunity to read stories never before written down, much less translated. The author was told them in the original language in the high Andes by Quecua storytellers. Now he has translated them into English, and in She-Calf and Other Quechua Folk Tales we find, opposite each translated page, a page printed in the original Quechuan language. Fascinating! Johnny Payne further enriches our experience by sharing the similarities that he observed between these stories and stories with which we are already familiar. Included as well are wonderful background stories of experiences and people he encountered in the story-gathering process. For those interested in stories, folk tales, oral tradition, antropology, history, language, travel... This is not only a must-read, but a must-own. It's a keeper!

This is a marvelous collection of Quechua folktales, told by various Quechua speakers to anthropologist Johnny Payne. These are short and "catchy" tales printed in English with the Quechua version on the facing page. This gives you a chance to get acquainted with the sentence structure of the Quechua language which I found very helpful. The author also shares interesting insights into the people who tell the tales. I love to travel in Peru and I am going to pass this book on to a Quechua friend who will surely enjoy it as much as I did. If you're interested in the cultures of the Andes, or if you plan to travel there, don't miss this book! .

An excellent collection of stories -- not merely in the presentation of a different set of stories than those which reach the common awareness, but also in the insights it gives to the shape of the Quechua culture and people. It is not presented as an explication of the way these people live, the way the thoughts go, but the stories show that shape, show that means, bring the world alive in a way both subtle and profound.

The stories are presented both in the Quechua language and in English translation, and it is possible to see the shape and patterns of the language with careful text comparison; it makes it worth considering learning the Quechua tongue to pick out the nuances which are inevitably lost in translation.

This is a great book for those who are fans of the "So Weird" T.V. show.

I thought this book was really great, it is one of my favorite's in the whole So Weird book series. Fi gets lost in the woods while on a camping trip with her family and finds Bigfoot, who tries to save her. Fi finds out that a Civil War hero died just so he could protect Bigfoot, now Fi has to do the same.

...The story follows the main plot of the episode"Sacrifice" almost verbatim. It doesn't leave anything out,but it does have things that weren't in the show. It spices up the paranormal aspect and gives a much more extensive backstory for the Civil War soldier who encounters "Bigfoot" (middle name: Fuzzy) so many years before Fiona. It's a cute book and even if you haven't seen the show the story is easy to follow and the characters are given quite a bit of background. You won't be lost at all.

Do you think you could maybe put this series on dvd format. I would love to see The whole series again on dvd format. I would even buy the ones with Annie I just loved that show. Please concider putting this on dvd. I would buy this a.s.a.p. Thanks. I love this show. I give it 100 stars if provided.

I ran across this when I googled Kemp's name years back. I went to Howard with Kemp and just wanted to see what he was up to. I had read a few of his pieces in this or that magazine. I was shocked and excited when I saw he had published a book and this was it. I ordered it and it was awesome.

Memoirs have always been kinda suspect, but his one written by a dude in his 30s, was so genuine in its recollection of events and emotions. it pulled me in, sucked me under, pulled me up, revived me, patted me on my butt and sent on my way with a perspective of - what would I do, how would I feel after a life altering event. How do folks cope after loss? How would I?

By the grace of God go I...

Eloquently written and vividly detailed, the Shooting is a story of a child who make a stupid mistake (as children do) that cost his best friend his life. Although he does not end up doing any jail or juvenile time, he ends up paying for it psychologically for decades. It is obvious that Powers has played out the incident in his mind on an endless loop, going over the "what ifs?" thousands of times.
Also, the imagery of his childhood growing up in New York City is fantastic. I never heard of this book before coming across it on Amazon and buying it because it was listed under used books for just a couple of cents. But it is by far one the best memoirs I've read, and I've read a lot. Even though I may have nothing in common with a black man from Brooklyn, it touched my heart, made me laugh, and made me cry. It took alot of guts to write this book, and I hope Mr. Powers has made peace with that one defining moment all those years ago.

I loved this memoir. I related to Kemp Powers' story of depression, guilt, loss and determination. We are all on the quest (at least I hope we all are) to make something of ourselves and to do something meaningful with our lives, yet many of us don't pursue this goal with the burden of having taken a life on our backs. This is a must read!! Here is hoping a paperback is coming soon so I can pass it on to the many young boys I know who would benefit from Powers' story!

Kemp Powers tells his story about an unimaginable moment at 14 when he accidentally killed his best friend in a gun accident. The actual shooting is described in just a few pages, the remainder is Kent Power's life before and after, impacted forever by that moment.

The real pull of the book is the undercurrents about life and fate. There are no answers except the story.

I own six copies of this book (four are loaners). My life revolves around literature, and this is one of the best books I've read. It's definitely my favorite. Rawlins uses relatively simple language with a powerful, poetic effect. If you have any kind of interest in the environment, backcountry travel, or the mountains--and even if you don't--read this book. Rawlins' writing is beautiful and intense; overall, I think the writing carries more impact than even authors such as Ed Abbey or Aldo Leopold.

Phrases such as "The cabin is a frozen skull" jump out, as do passages such as this: "At first you're a stranger to the forest. It's too quiet. You feel as if your every move is seen and judged. Then, without noticing a difference, you feel more at home here than anywhere else. It's as if your heart skips a beat and then begins on an older pulse." If you're not an environmentalist when you start the book, you might begin seeing things in a new light. If you were already concerned about the human impact on the world before you started it, you'll feel it more deeply.

Richard Nelson, author and Burroughs Medal winner, might have said it best in his review of "Sky's Witness:" "A very fine writer...as lavish and varied as a jazz musician--lively, funny, sometimes outrageous; poignant, tender, engaging; richly informative; and deeply poetic. Filled with the joys of working on the land, Rawlins documents the subtle wounding of America's remotest wildlands, where rain and snow are tainted by the breath of distant cities."

Anyone willing to endure the physical hardship involved in self-supported mountain travel will appreciate Rawlin's extrordinarilly beautiful soliloquies on the mountain wilderness experience. Example: "But it wasn't the smell of the air that played in me so much as the light. The moon and sun lay opposite each other in the sky, exchanging their gleams, and the country was laid out below all rough and golden. The ridge was a strong point, the hardest rock in the range. On it you could meet the wind, face it, draw it in and breathe it out. And I felt a desire with no object or reason, except the land and the wild light."

Clearly Rawlin's regards the essence of the mountain wilderness and the essence of himself as one. He writes of the experience of being alone in a small raft on a clear summer night on a high altitude lake in the Wind River Range. "I've touched this water, tasted it. I've caught and eaten its trout, scooped it into pots for coffee, mixed it with my blood, taught it to walk and tell lies, and pissed it back steaming onto the ground. The lake and I have more than a casual acquaintance, yet in the dark, it seems not to know me. I can't see my reflection. The water that has claimed a part of my life now holds me in a star-flecked indifference."

I believe that all mountain travelers grapple with words to express their most intimate feelings about their mountain experiences. Rawlins gives these experiences expression with the skill of a violin virtuoso who is able to prolong the playing of a single note with haunting clarity and seemingly project it into eternity. So also does Rawlins project his love of the Wind River Range to a spiritual level. The drawings of Hannah Hinchman are exquisite!

If you want to hike, back pack, and live in the Wyoming Wind River Mountains for one year, C. L. Rawlins will take you there in these 300 pages. You will not find a better companion: his writings proceed in a rythmn -- moving from intricate description of rock, snow, and lake, to insightful and stunning explanations of nature itself, followed perhaps by a down-to-earth philosophical reminder. His humor catches one off gaurd and he tests more than a few other emotions. I returned from a four-day back pack trip in the Wyoming Wind River Mountains August 1996. Several days thereafter, by happenstance I noticed this book. In the early pages, Rawlins and his companion, John are skiing with fully loaded packs on the exact trail. up the Big Sandy Opennings, that I traversed. This book was an extra treat for me. Rawlins loves to walk and hike. He writes: "Walking feels good. It helps me think. The Grail, Mecca, Lourdes, the Frontier, Everest -- all are simply good excuses for going." C.L. Rawlins might be considered the "Annie Dillard of the Wind Rivers." When enthralled with a certain spot in his mountains, Rawlins writes, "Words make no sense at all. Being here does." He is humble. His words do make undeniable sense.

The books you have read in your life likely fall into one of several classes ranging from extremely poor to unsurpassed worth. On that worthy end of the spectrum, there have probably been those books that caused a pause in you upon reading the final sentence; a pause followed by a nod of thanks to the author for having given you so much pleasure. And then there are those even more rare instances where you reach that final page and feel that sense of want for more. Its a mixed feeling of love for what you have just read combined with the emptiness that follows upon closing the pages for that final time. It is as if you have lost a friend. Rawlins hit that chord in me with Sky's Witness. The Wind River Range is probably my most favorite place to wander, and I was led to this book after searching for all I could find written about it. But one does not have to go to The Winds or appreciate their grandeur in order to be captivated by the author's writing style here. His ability to describe thoughts and places and to reflect on their nature is almost a gift of magic. He covers a lot of territory, both physical and emotional over the course of a year. It has been about five years since I read it, and I still miss the times it gave to me. If I were to have any reservations it its regard, it would only be the put-offish nature that his personality occasionally evokes in his writing and some of the personal encounters that he describes. Put simply, he is certainly not one to be with when he is in a foul mood. But in praise, this again also speaks to his ability to convey all those elemental spokes of our humanity. If you are one who loves the outdoors, this book will go a long way for you. But even if you are not inclined to the rugged nature of the backcountry, this book will still bring rewarding moments to you during that time spent in that soft leather chair.

I've just finished smoking my own customized blend for the third time. The author of this book came into the health food store where I work last week and left a stack of these books with us. They were all sold out within a day!

Years ago, I explored sacred smoke while reading the book "Spirit of Place" by Loren Cruden. It has remained a part of my life ever since, but I haven't really explored the great variety of plants that are literally at my feet!

I added a couple of herbs to the Spinning Coyote recipe, and it has become my before-bed smoke. I deal with chronic pain and lying in bed has always been the most difficult time of day for me. Now I'm smoking my special blend about half an hour before lying down, and I'm getting to sleep more easily and resting more soundly.

This book is an absolute delight. Not at all a simple reference book filled with historical information, it rather reads like a good smoke itself; the pages contemplative puffs that needn't be turned too quickly, but lingered in as their meaning wafts skyward.

...and though it certainly warrants rapt attention, you'll no doubt soon feel a welling desire for a nice pipe-ful out of doors.

A pipeful of what? Likely, the very "weeds" at you feet, and within the pages of "Smoke Plants", you'll discover yourself surrounded by an intriguing world of medicine wherever the ground grows green.

A wonderful, wonderful book.

The book is an absolute pearl. The gift of the author's stories is precious. To add to that, the information about the plants makes me want to try smoking some of them as soon as possible! The rhythm of the prose and the way the author has paced the brief statements, the stories and the information is calming and healing in itself.

This is a delightful and elegant book. There is a surprising ease and intimacy in the reading of it. The way the author has intertwined the sharing of the "information" with her "journey of discovery" is masterful. What most people would have made into a dry encyclopedia of facts, the author has magically crafted into a captivating story which draws the reader to want to read more and to even want to learn and share in the experience. I did not expect to be interested in this topic, and now I am -- to my surprise!

This is more than a book about a remarkable community of people. It is an inspiring guideline for how to live.

My family has roots in the Snowbird community; Both of my grandparents on my father's side lived in the Snowbird area, as do many of my cousins to this day. My two aunts moved to the main Qualla rez, and my father left Snowbird for the Navy, and then college in 1956, and never moved back. Even so, there is no place on earth where I feel more at home than the Snowbird mountains.
I preface the review with these statements because when I read this book, I felt like I was "back home." Dr. Neely obviously cares a great deal about this community. Perhaps it makes her ethnology somewhat biased, but it certainly livens up this book! Her descriptions of the annual gospel singing event at Snowbird were on the mark, and her description of the constant factionalism among the Eastern Cherokee band is also (sadly) accurate.
The most useful thing about this book for someone who knows nothing else about the Cherokee is that it explains how the "harmony ethic" is still a part of the way Cherokees live, and how it has subtly changed the Cherokee way of practicing Christianity, and how we deal with modern political and economic life. It shows that it is possible to be "traditional", in a sense, while being fully engaged with the modern world. It also shows that Indians are not the cardboard cutouts so often seen in the movies, or in "New Age" explorations of native spirituality.
If you read this, back it up with Finger's broader histories of the Eastern band, Mooney's classic exploration of Cherokee mythology, and, if you take them with a grain of salt, the Garretts' "Cherokee medicine" series. Then, take a trip to Graham County, preferably around Memorial Day weekend when you can be a part of Snowbird's annual "Fading Voices" festival at Little Snowbird Church, stopping in Robbinsville to visit the Junaluska Burial Place. You'll be welcomed, but if you can't make it Snowbird, this book is the next best thing.

I was lucky enough to take a course from Dr. Neely (Modern American Indians) at Northern Kentucky University and this was a required textbook. Her class was one of the most interesting I have taken as an anthropology major. Her detailed ethnograpy on the Snowbird Cherokees is a must for anyone interested in Cherokee Indians or Indians of the Southeastern United States. She spent several years living with the Snowbirds prior and after writing the book if I remember correctly. You really get a feel how life is like for the Snowbirds. I definately recommend this book!

By the time chapter one is finished, the reader has the comforting sense that they have somehow become part of the Snowbird community. Chapter two, one of my personal favorites, defines a "real Indian." You just might be surprised at the definition Sharlotte uncovered and the source of some of the discrimination felt by the Snowbird population. If for no other reason, this book should be read for this chapter. Far too often, we are satisfied to settle for loose definitions penned by someone without the slightest notion of understanding and the result is invariably and simply wrong. Sharlotte, though, has listened carefully to the voices of these fascinating people; she has let them define their existence within the parameters of their own culture. There is no finer type of understanding than the one which is born within the confines of the specific culture and this book humbly delivers a powerful punch of humanistic reality. Simply put, this work is an import! ant contribution to the very essence of cultural relativism and should not be missed.