North America Books

In the summer of 1985 I spent a day roaming the Rosebud battle site with the author, Neil Mangum. I was lucky to have the "expert" on this fight interpreting the story for me.

For those of you not so lucky, I highly recommend this book. Of all the books written on the Rosebud fight this is by far the best. The maps alone are worth purchasing this book because one gets a great sense of soldier and Indian movements, in time, along with the engagements just by reviewing the maps.

Plus, there is a great chapter entitled, "Crook and the Custer Connection." This chapter should make all those who blame Crook for Custer's defeat eight days later on the Little Bighorn rethink their ideas.

Neil Mangum served as superintendent at the Little Bighorn from 1998-2002. During his administration we saw for the first time red granite markers on the battlefield (similar to the white ones for soldiers) for Cheyenne and Sioux warriors; Lame White Man, Noisy Walking and Long Road. On June 25, 2003 an unknown warrior marker was unveiled on Wooden Leg Hill. The next day a marker for Dog's Back Bone was placed at the Reno-Benteen Defense Site. This year, 2005, we plan to place two markers for some of the "Suicide Boys" -- they joined the fight near the very end promising to give their lives for their people.

The old wayside exhibits that stood along battle road have been replaced with modern interpretations. Most importantly, Neil's efforts finally produced $2.3 million dollars to build the Indian Memorial. This memorial stands 75 yards from Last Stand Hill. Construction began in the spring of 2002 and completed in May 2003. The Indian Memorial was dedicated on June 25, 2003 with thousands of Indians, from all tribes represented at the battle, attending.

Between the confusion typical of any engagement and the scarcity of surviving testimony, it may be that no definitive account of any Euro-American vs. American Indian battle can ever be produced. However, Neil Mangum has produced a through, balanced, and convincing book that is as close as any such work may ever come to being authoritative.

This is by far the most intriguing and accurate book I have read concerning the Rosebud. Neil Mangum's writing is accurate and a complete joy to read.

Mangum, the Superintendent of the Little Big Horn (LBH) battlefield writes a portrayal of the Crook's campaign against the Sioux that culminates in the Battle of the Rosebud 8 days prior to Custer's attack. Since the LBH is roughly 30 miles southeast of the LBH, Mangum is extraordinarily familiar with the battlefield that still looks like it did 134 years ago. The book covers Crook's earlier March campaign where he was first in the field which peaked at a failed attempt to destroy a predominately Cheyenne village which also included some Sioux on the Powder. Crook again restarts in June with almost 200 Shoshone and Crow allies. As Mangum expertly retells the battle, Crook is surprised while encamped leisurely along Rosebud Creek on June 17. Mangum notes that Crook was similarly surprised also with great consequences in the battle of Cedar Creek in 1864 where he was surprised by Jubal Early. In the description of the battle, Mangum points out that if it wasn't for the Shoshone and Crow who spotted the Sioux and Cheyenne first relatively distant from camp while also absorbing the initial attack, Crook's command may have been destroyed. The allies gave Crook's troopers a chance to prepare for the attack. Crook's forces, which included mule mounted infantry and miners, stemmed the attack but as Mangum points out, the Sioux seemed to come at Crook from three sides from the high ground to the north. After Crook seems to control the battle, Colonel Royall with his calvary battalion rolls up the Indian right so successfully, his enthusiasm isolates himself from Crook allowing the Sioux and Cheyenne to consolidate against him requiring a furious battle of retrograde movements causing the most severe casualties of Crook's forces. Mangum states that Crook was in peril with Royall's potential collapse because Crook sent off another battalion to the Indian's left in search of their village that was not in the immediate area as perceived. Only the recall of Mills saves the day but the Sioux and Cheyenne have initiated enough casualties and psychological harm to cause Crook to retire and take over a month to retrofit his command. I was at the Rosebud site in 1999 and had I read Mangum's book with the terrain maps, my tour would have been far more beneficial. The battlefield today is a State park and the modest valley that Crook stopped in on June 17 looks is framed with high hills and interesting landmarks like Conical Hill. This is a great book about a key battle that indicated that the Sioux and Cheyenne were agressive in defending their village which was overlooked by all of Sheridan's generals. This battle besmirched Crook's otherwise great post Civil War career.

Having travelled to Bermuda many times over the past twenty years (and I lived there for a time as well), I have to say this is the finest and most complete "coffee-table" book on the island that I have ever seen. It is large-format, filled with superb color photographs (including a lot of aerial shots as well as some archival photographs of Bermuda in the mid-20th century). The text gives you a concise, intelligent overview of Bermuda's history. I've given a number of copies to friends who love the island. The jacket blurb says the author was once a Peace Corps Volunteer, and it shows ... this is a real in-depth portrait, not just "post-cardy" superficial coverage. I have several other books on Bermuda, but this one is in a class by itself.

This elegant photography book provides a thoughtful and perceptive portrait of a genteel world all of its own. It makes one think that to escape modern life, the place to go is Bermuda. There is a wide variety among the hundred fifty or so photographs, from close-ups of people to scenic panoramas, all in rich, lush colors. The beach scenes and sunsets are breathtaking. A bonus is the extensive historical background presented in an easy to absorb reader-friendly style. Particularly interesting are the stories of how Bermuda found itself squeezed between England and the Thirteen Colonies during the Revolutionary War and between North and South in the American Civil War. The author reveals that there were no cars on Bermuda until the 1940s and describes the more recent transformation of the island into a corporate center, "the Switzerland of the Atlantic." The care and craftsmanship that went into the creation of this work is obvious. This is literally a "Bermudaful" book. And do not forget to catch the sweetheart on page 17!

Extraordinary photography, combined with intelligent, concise, even poetic text. I am English, but I have lived in Boston for many years. Bermuda is perhaps my favorite island--for its civility, its quiet beauty, a little touch of England in the middle of the Atlantic. This book captures Bermuda as I have seen no other book do ... perhaps because it focusses on the small things: the tiny flower known as Bermudiana, the young schoolgirl gazing deep into the camera ... The picture captions are concise, but packed with information; the author chooses and rations his words carefully! There's also, for those who want it, a complete text which conveys the history of the island. A small quibble: there's no information about hotels, restaurants, etc. However, this is not a guidebook, but rather a coffee-table "documentary" book, and in that department it is incomparable.

When I went to Bermuda for the first time recently, I wanted to leaarn more about this lovely island. Labrucherie's book provides exactly what I wanted - a readable and fairly comprehensive history of the island, as well as many beautiful pictures. Just perfect!

Fool's Crow is one of the great holy men of the Lakota tradition. As a while man, I have been fortunate to take part in ceremony, chiefly in the Ute and Lakota traditions. In these days when wantabee teachers are charging for ceremony, true teachers do not charge for ceremony. There is controversy whether whites should be in ceremony. Those that allow this say that the creator looks at the heart. Walking the red road is both hard and joyful. Even though I been in ceremony for many years, I never understood the inner workings, until I read this book. It sheds light on both the teachings of Christ, and the Red Road. This book is a must read.
Randy Kemp
www.randykempcopywriting.com

This is a very enlightening book. Finally, it seems someone has had the courage to divulge some of the more esoteric teachings of Native American spirituality. I have studied esoteric teachings for many years, and there is far between books like these that really gives you many and deep insights. Definitely a book that can be read many times, and each time you will get something more out of it. A far cry from the books of "plastic medicine men". T. ex you can buy books out there that tells you how to make your own medicine wheel, even coming from a non-native background. This book will tell you that you are not reallly ready for any such thing before AT LEAST 30 years of study and practice. No quick-fixes here! As non-natives we need to have an very deep respect for Native American spirituality. First we took their land, then we prohibited their religion and language, forcing their children to go to boarding schools in order to brainwash them into Churchianity and capitalism (this first ended in 1970!!), and THEN well-meaning, if ignorant, people come and demand to be initiated into their spirituality, taking Indian names, charging money for teachings, etc. I do believe we can learn from them, if we will listen with an attitude of respect.It is wonderful that Chokecherry Call Eagle had the mission and the courage to publish the teachings in this book. An extremely honest and higly recommendable book..!

This book was a delightful surprise! The author's words and opinions spoke loudly to me and I appreciate his candor and willingness to present the story and information in a way that is more easily understood by people who are not steeped in the traditions and concepts of Native American Spirituality. While the book was very interesting and entertaining, the most important impact this book had on me was triggering a lot of introspection and thought on my own beliefs, particularly in regard to Native American spirituality. The author's sincerity and seriousness about the subject matter were refreshing, and the depth of his committment is obvious. There is one thing about this subject, book, and author that I was left with to chew on that I have thought of many times before and still have not found much resolution on. For people who are sincerely trying to learn from this Red Road in order to make themselves a better human being, the author's personal experiences are enviable. There is so much "stuff" out there and so few people who truly have the traditional knowledge and the sincere commitment, that experiencing the "real" thing when it comes to interaction with people tends to be the exception rather than the rule. I guess we all have to do as best we can, stay sincere and committed, and trust that the Creator will provide us with the appropriate guidance and direction. In closing, I would like to thank Mr. Gall Eagle for his willingness to share his life experiences, his knowledge, and his wisdom; but mostly I would like to thank him for simply being who he is and living the life he is living. There is much in this book for people to learn from, if you take the time to look within and examine yourself honestly. Take time to sit and "Cogitate" (as my grandfather used to say), to let the messages and wisdom that are there for you individually, manifest themselves. There is much here below the surface for those who ernestly seek.

I read a lot of books on Native American spirituality, Christianity and other spiritual paths, and I don't think I have ever encountered one this good. Chokecherry Gall Eagle has led a truly amazing and unparalleled life. The wisdom he has gained and the fact that he is willing to share this knowledge with everyone is still amazing me. There are so many lessons to be learned from what he has to say. I have read it twice and I am sure will read it many more times, just to soak in as much as I can. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in any aspect of spirituality, or to anyone who wants to read an amazing story.

The Big Wonder took me back to a more innocent time, when me and my sister's would lie out on the cool grass in the evenings and listen to KOMA from Oklahoma City. I especially enjoyed the little bit of romance the story holds, as well as it's suprizing characters, such as Curly, the Burro, and Uncle Clay. This is certainly a book for all ages.

A Review by Kyle

Mike and Clay, two brothers from Seattle, are searching for their uncle Clay. Uncle Clay was a famous all-around rodeo star who lived in northern Arizona. He has disappeared. It is up to Mike and Clay to piece together their uncle's fate, their only clue being a mysterious phone call that was so unclear, all they heard was "Restaurant Hay." Taking their life savings, and a beat up old truck they bought for $75, they head out to Arizona to spend their summer searching for their uncle.

I like how the author blends the era of 1962 with the characters and setting, influencing how they act and what they say, such as Clay mailing a letter to President Kennedy, or having a conversation about the new space program America was developing. The book plays out with the perfect blend of comedy and action, more than enough to keep you reading. The descriptions of all characters and settings are incredibly vivid, giving you a clear picture of what Monument Valley or a Navajo village looks like. The dialogue is simple and easy to understand, and the events are realistic enough that I would believe this story if it were not fiction. The only downside to reading this is that it doesn't seem long enough; I would really like to know what happens after the end.

I recommend this book to ages 10+ and to anyone who enjoys survival stories or books about the old west or the author Gary Paulsen..

This is a great book because of the adventures envolved in it. It was full of excitment and humor. It is about a boy going into the southwest (in the 60's) with his older brother searching for his Uncle Clay who he has not seen in years. I enjoyed this book because it kept me reading all of the time.

The Big Wander is a humorous, thoughtful trip through the American southwest amidst the tumultuous 60's. If that era wasn't enough to fuel the author's creative palette, our hero, Clay, is euphorically approaching adolescent replete with starry eyed infatuation and an all-to-well-remembered awkwardness in his approach to young ladies. The novel sets out as an summer adventure ("The Wander") for Clay and his older brother, Mike. But, the story strays from its origins and delights the reader with its creative insight into the workings of a young teenager's imagination; too young to give up John Wayne, but well on the way to his first lovesick romance. Natural beauty, native american lore, and the love and loyalty of distant family are woven into a rewarding tale. The plot is best shared with a young reader, an excellent bedtime "chapter book" for Dad to read each night. Oh, I imagine the rigidly fixed realist may have problems with the unfolding of events that defy a likely outcome; but the child you read to (and the one kept deep inside) will receive each and every adventure Clay encounters with a smile, a giggle, and a brief reflection on life as they have known it.

This is an excellent read. I was appreciative of the profiles and will look forward to being included in the next issue! LOL!

Titans should be required reading for African Americans that doubt the promise. In spite of our nation's ills, some of these individuals made millions in the 40's. Think about that! Given the current state of affairs (The Don Imus incident) it's clearly evident that race is still an extremely sensitive issue in this nation. Consider current racial disparities then consider the concept of dark-skinned African American male millionaires in the 40's. It's an unbelievable achievement! If they were able to do it and create dynasties for their families in their time, what's stopping present day African Americans from reaching their financial goals and dreams today? This book is yet another small piece of evidence that determination, dedication and delayed gratification are the true components of realizing a dream. It helps prove that good luck is created by hard work; more importantly, it ensures, through the cohesiveness of the family unit, that those characteristics be past on to the next generation creating traditions of success and a grounded since of identity; which is a quality noticeably missing from the present day African American male image repertoire . It's important to note the African American family unit, before the onslaught of the welfare referendum of the 60's, as a pinnacle source of support. I'm usually hesitant about grading generously but I think this book, brief though it may be, with it's little life snippets of successful African Americans lives, reinforces the ethos of hard work and just rewards based on merit. But not a form of merit preached to you by a skeptical public or more acceptable form forced upon you through legislative pity, but a personal merit earned through hard work and family pride.

This is a book of African American business success stories. Until now, the eleven self-made black business leaders featured-The Titans of the Black Enterprise 100s-were virtually unknown, even to American business students. Yet, they run America's largest black-owned companies and have been the vanguard of an entrepreneurial revolution. Achieving success despite lack of capital, diminished access, and outright racism, they used inspiration and drive to seize opportunities and break barriers. They are black America's wealthiest and most powerful players, providing employment, training, and advancement for large numbers of African Americans.

They represent, in many ways, the economic evolution of post-war African Americans. The first step in the effort for black equality was driven largely by the Civil Rights Movement, which led to the social and legal reforms of the 1950s and 1960s. Next, the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which eliminated such barriers to political activity as the poll tax and illiteracy test, gave rise to the increase in black political strength with the election of blacks to Congress in the late 1960s and 1970s. Those events were followed by the propulsion of black economic power in which African Americans gained an opportunity to amass wealth and achieve the American Dream that had been elusive for so long. In the 1980s and 1990s, blacks, who gained access to the nation's leading universities and major corporations, leveraged their education and experience to acquire and finance new companies as well as develop enterprises through emerging technologies.

The eleven chapters of this book each tell the untold story of these titans and the contributions they and their companies have made to American industry and life. Their stories and ideas will instruct, inspire, illuminate and motivate the reader to build on their success. This book is a source of inspiration and motivation to the next generation of captains of industry of all races and both genders the world over.

Derek T. Dingle is an editor-at-large for Black Enterprise magazine. For more than a decade, he has covered the B.E. 100s, which profile the 100 largest black-owned businesses, and he recently served as writer for B.E. 100s Exclusive, a newsletter for CEOs of these companies. In addition to his role as the managing editor of BE several years ago, he served as president and CEO of Milestone Media, Inc., which was America's largest black-owned comic book company.

This is a book of African American business success stories. Until now, the eleven self-made black business leaders featured-The Titans of the Black Enterprise 100s-were virtually unknown outside the United States, and even to American business students. Yet, they run America's largest black-owned companies and have been the vanguard of an entrepreneurial revolution. Achieving success despite lack of capital, diminished access, and outright racism, they used inspiration and drive to seize opportunities and break barriers. They are black America's wealthiest and most powerful players, providing employment, training, and advancement for large numbers of African Americans.

The eleven chapters of this book each tell the untold story of these titans and the contributions they and their companies have made to American industry and life.

Their stories and ideas will instruct, inspire, illuminate and motivate the reader to build on their success. This book is a source of inspiration and motivation to the next generation of captains of industry of all races and both genders the world over.

Derek T. Dingle is an editor-at-large for Black Enterprise magazine. For more than a decade, he has covered the B.E. 100s, which profile the 100 largest black-owned businesses, and he recently served as writer for B.E. 100s Exclusive, a newsletter for CEOs of these companies. In addition to his role as the managing editor of BE several years ago, he served as president and CEO of Milestone Media, Inc., which was America's largest black-owned comic book company.

Reviewed by Azlan Adnan. Formerly Business Development Manager with KPMG, Azlan is currently managing partner of Azlan & Koh Knowledge and Professional Management Group, an education and management consulting practice based in Kota Kinabalu. He holds a Master's degree in International Business and Management.

It has been 140 years since that dark dawn rose over the eastern plains of Colorado bathing the land in blood and gore at Sand Creek. Countless books have been written about the subject, and its story has been recounted in film. Today, there are those who believe it was a massacre, others it was a battle that turned into a massacre, but to all academic historians Chivington's attack upon a sleeping village of Cheyenne and Arapaho was nothing but a massacre turned into a blood bath of unspeakable horror.

A new book by Thom Hatch is now available entitled, "Black Kettle: The Cheyenne Chief Who Sought Peace But Found War" The book is the first ever written biography about the Cheyenne leader. And, Sand Creek is at the center of Black Kettle's life.

Black Kettle is more than a story of one man's life. The story Hatch shares is rich in Plains Indian culture focusing on the Cheyenne people along with their form of government, laws, religion, courtship, and military society. The narrative follows the Cheyenne relationships with other tribes that were both productive and destructive. Hatch also describes life for the Cheyenne after the white man enters the scene. Hatch's passages about the warrior societies are filled with pageantry, color, and ritual.

Much of what Hatch discusses in this portion of the book has been written before, but Black Kettle finally becomes a human being instead of just a symbol of the wrongs committed against the Indians. After Black Kettle witnessed the peace gathering between his people and the Kiowas, Hatch explains its effect upon the Cheyenne leader.

"Perhaps this event made enough of an impression upon Black Kettle that it served as a lesson in shaping his future role as a man who believed that peace with any enemy - even the white man - was attainable if both parties were honorable and sincere with their promise to become friends."

The centerpiece of any story around Black Kettle has to be the Sand Creek Massacre and Hatch does not disappoint the reader. There can be no honest telling of Sand Creek that doesn't move the reader, and the story of Black Kettle at Sand Creek is powerful. Black Kettle leads as many of his people as he can to safety to the Sand Pits except for his wife, Medicine Woman Later, who is shot down near the creek in a hail of bullets.

At twilight, Black Kettle returns to find his wife as the soldiers commit the atrocities around him. Finding Medicine Woman Later still alive, Black Kettle carries her on his back for miles until he catches-up with the survivors, who by now are moving northeast away from the killing field. Putting his wife on a horse, Black Kettle leads his people to the Dog Soldier camps.

So ends the Sand Creek Massacre, but far more of the life of Black Kettle follows. A true leader is one that stands up for what he believes, never wavers, and makes decisions based solely on the betterment of his people, not for how it might make his life better. Black Kettle was such a leader. Black Kettle continued to sue for peace from the white man, even after Sand Creek, even though many of his people chastised him for it, even though the intimidation of the Dog Soldiers tried to stop him. Black Kettle knew his people would be doomed if they continued to fight the people moving into their lands. He believed peace was the only choice the Cheyenne had to save what they could of their way of life.

Tom Hatch brings us the complete life of Black Kettle -- his analysis of the man's life and the events surrounding it is fresh, bold, and provides new challenges for future researches.

Thom Hatch hits the mark on Cheyenne Indian Chief Black Kettle's efforts to uphold peaceful relations throughout manifest destiny. Despite broken treaty after broken treaty by the government and gluttonous bone-headed army generals with personal vendettas and lack of respect for the Indians, it is a wonder that Black Kettle maintained his philosophy on peace for so many years.
It is disheartening that the vision of peace is what eventually killed him along with many of his people.
If surviving the brutal and senseless butchery of Sand Creek Massacre by egotistical Colonel Chivington wasn't enough punishment, Black Kettle was to soon afterwards undergo additional tests of endurance from the thoughtless and misguided behavior of the U. S. military and government.
A very persuasive, gripping and touching account of one man's dream of peace.

This work explores the efforts of a great Cheyenne chief who, despite his betrayal by the white man, continued his search for peace, only to lose his life in the process. It reveals how Black Kettle stood in stark contrast to Chivington, Sherman, Sheridan, Custer and others, who enthusiastically effected our government's policy of destroying the culture of the Plains Indians and killing, with little or no excuse, innocent tribal menbers. Make no mistake, there were elements within the tribes who were no better. However, one cannot read this well-written account without coming away with a sense of revulsion toward those members of the white power structure and our military who made so little effort to understand a people who were different and to treat them with the respect they deserved. Read this book if you want to know more than one will find within the usual histories written by the victors.

The title should read, "Black Kettle, the Cheyenne Chief who Sought Life and Found Only Death". This is a difficult book to read because the story is not only true but shameful. As someone from Colorado, I was horrified to learn many of our streets and city areas are named after men who were often theives, liars, opportunists and some even condoned the murder of the Native Americans. One tries to frame the story in the context of the time and the ignorance and the misunderstandings of the of white America, yet in 2005 the site of the Sand Creek massacre is a minor footnote that most Coloradians are unaware and The Black Hills still have not been returned to the Souix, so has our sense of justice towards Native Americans really changed? The book does a excellent, informative telling of the story of a very shameful part of Colorado and American history.This is the story of an exceptional man who rightly always believed in peace but wrongly believed in the U.S. government. We should be reminded of this past and never forget the genocide that was carried out in the country in the name of westward expansion. Black Kettle should be remembered as man who was as great in statue as any American hero.

I saw Mr Shrake on Evan Smith's Texas Monthly Talks, & learned that he'd written books where much of the action takes place near and around where I currently live: east of Austin in the fertile riverlands around Bastrop.
That made me want to order two books & see what could be learned about the lives people led in this area before the turn of the century. What I discovered was probably an accurate "novelized" glimpse into the rugged, rough, dangerous country that bears no resemblance to the present-day idyllic countryside peopled with artists and university types! The stories about McGill and Custer's brother's horse were mesmerizing & I could hardly put them down, no doubt partially because areas that I am familiar with kept cropping up. All in all, both tales provided valuable insights into exactly why and how this part of Texas was the wild, deadly, lawless frontier back in the days before and after the Civil War. Good stories about real people on their own, the stories take on special interest if the geography is personally pertinent.

McGill is an inspiring hero, immensely capable, with a huge zest for life. He packs incredible adventures into his short life, yet tells his story in a delightfully laid back style. He combines an interest and tolerance of all ideas, religions and philosophies, with a violent intolerance of certain purveyors of them. McGill is a warrior/philosopher, born, raised and ideally suited to this harsh land. His story is one of violence, love, sin and redemption, but it is often hard to distinguish which is which.

This book is a "must read" for all lovers of powerfully written adventure stories, but may make all other westerns dull and unimaginative in comparison.

This is an incredible tale from beginning to end. Shrake has developed a character that is the first person born on the American Continent to achieve sainthood, and until the last pages of the book the reader is kept guessing how he could deserve such an honor. The book reads as a memoir written by McGill as he tells the story of his life while awaiting his death. He lives the life of an indian scalper, buffalo hunter, and gold miner in 19th century Texas from the time of the Texas War of Independence until after the US Civil War. The more you read of this man's account of his life, the less you can believe he could ever desert to be Sainted.

This book has long been out of print, and its re-printing is an excellent opportunity for new readers to discover a classic western. Any fan of Larry McMurty's books in the "Lonesome Dove" will love "Blessed McGill" and recognize that McMurty has probably gotten some of his writting style from reading this book.

As a student of Texas history in general and a reader of fiction about Texas and the Southwest in particular, I found Blessed McGill by Edwin "Bud" Shrake to be rich with descriptive color and accurate detail about the rugged lives and times of both settlers and natives in the 19th century. The characters are developed in depth.

His repeated use of sensory descriptions such as the smells of things adds a dimensional aspect not usually found in this kind of fare. In my opinion, the only other Western fiction writer who stacks up with Shrake is Elmer Kelton.

We bought this for our daughter since she loves dragonflies. Tony Hillerman has wrote many good books for adults and we thought we would try this children's book. It is a Zuni story of creation and has good morals and teaches how we should live and not be greedy. I recommend this book for all.

This retelling of a Zuni tale is very refreshing....an excellent book to share with your children. The story is strong in its content, and the life examples of cause and effect, how one behavior causes negative results, and how a positive behavior can cause a positive result.

This legend brings the reader into the lives of an ancient people, and one young boy. You share the journey, and rejoice in the conclusion.

I have shared this book with many friends, all of whom enjoyed the book.

I would compare this book, in quality of writing and content, to Mary Stewart's "A Walk In Wolf Wood".

"And because you have made me out of unselfish love you have touched me with life"

This is a transcript of a story that was verbally passed down through the generations of the Zuni. It was recorded in 1883 by Frank Hamilton Cushing. He had become a chief Priest of the Bow society of the Macaw Clan. The story is based on a drought that happened to the Ha'wi-k'uh about 1300; before the coming of the Europeans (1539-1540).
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The basic tail is of a people that treated food like mud, and were extremely rude to their corn sprits that were in the form of two old ladies. Only two children and a discarded old woman paid them any respect. This was very bad as the Zuni is part of nature and therefore nature and strangers are to be treated with respect.

Thus the story is of the drought that sent the people away and leaving the two children and old lady behind.
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The version I read was illustrated by Lazlo Kubinyi. It is out of print so I am ordering the one illustrated by Janet Grado. Other things I found interesting is that some of the places and things we read about in this story became titles of Hillerman books.

Hillerman brings to life this story from the Zuni, a Pueblo People of New Mexico. As the cover jacket says, this is "intended to teach both history and morality of a people", like an Old Testament story. The strength of the young boy who constructs a toy insect out of corn, is both touching and has lessons for us now in how we treat others and our resources. The drawings by Janet Grado, add nicely to the story, particularly the portraits of the corn maidens and the old woman. Although suitable for children, fans of Toni Hillerman will also enjoy this.

Originally published in 1917, reissued in 1987, now released again with a new introduction by Jeffrey R. Hansen, Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden presents an agricultural calendar year's activities as remembered by Buffalo Bird Woman, an accomplished Hidatsa gardener born around 1839. Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden was a doctoral dissertation by a man who believed "It is of no importance that an Indian's war costume struck the Puritan as the Devil's scheme to frighten the heart out of the Lord's annointed. What we want to know is why the Indian donned the costume, and his reasons for doing it (p.xix)." Wilson also went on to write Goodbird the Indian His Story and Waheenee: An Indian Girl's Story (biography of Buffalo Bird Woman, 1839-1921). Using biography to study a culture was effective because it highlighted the variety of traumatic cultural shifts, changes, and transmutations painfully experienced by Buffalo Bird Woman and her family. The use of empathy informs the dated, 'superior' dominant culture outlook. Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden has been called a classic anthropological document. It certainly is that and more. As a model of respectful viewing and learning, as a mirror of the complex lifeway of ;the agricultural Plains Indians, as a chronicle of human adaptation, survival and ingenuity in the face of cultural disenfranchisement, Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden sets the bar for the standard. In addition, it gives eloquent testimony to one of the enduring gifts of the Hidatsa - their varieties of corn, squash, beans, and sunflowers. Even more enduring, perhaps, is the contribution highlighted by Jeffrey Hanson: "buffalo Bird Woman's Garden is not the end, but the beginning. It is a foundation, a viewpoint, and it presents a cultural relationship with nature that we can all appreciate and from which we can all derive benefit. (p.xxiii). Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden describes planting, preparation, cultivating, harvesting and storing practices, as well as traditional songs and prayers sung to honor and encourage the garden's yield. Beautifully detailed drawings by her son Edward Goodbird illustrate Buffalo Bird Woman's descriptions of gardening and storing produce and other activities. It is easy to see that modern ethnologists and authors such as W. Michael and Kathleen O'Neal Gear drew fairly heavily from the information presented in Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden. This is an enduring testament to a lifeway revalued today perhaps more as it should be.

Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer

This is a Minnesota Historical Society reprint of the anthropological study done by Gilbert Wilson in 1917, originally published as "Agriculture of the Hidatsa Indians: An Indian Interpretation." Wilson was among the first of a new school of American anthropologists that felt Indian cultures should speak for themselves, and not be spoken for by "white man's" interpretations. Consequently, the book really is, as the subtitle says, "an Indian interpretation." Most of the text is translated directly from Buffalo Bird Woman's own words, complete with stories, jokes, and personal anecdotes about village life. By the time you are done reading it, you will feel as if you met her personally.

I bought it because I am a Minnesota gardener, so I wanted to see what tips I might pick up from the ways of the indigenous people. The book is rich with useful gardening lore, including diagrams of various tools and structures, along with detailed descriptions of the different kinds of beans, corn, and squash that the Indians grew. Plus, there are native recipes you can try.

I was surprised to learn that, when the Indians dried squash, they didn't use mature fruits with hard skins like we do today, but preferred to cut them when they were 4 days old -- at about 3 1/2 inches diameter. They were more tender that way, easier to slice, and they dried better. The best squashes were marked in the field and allowed to mature for seed.

I also found it interesting that the Indians kept the different colors of corn separate, not like the multi-colored "Indian corn" we buy today for fall decorations. Although Buffalo Bird Woman did not understand the science behind genetics, she and her fellow Hidatsa gardeners did notice that corn varieties will "travel" (her word) from one patch to another if different colors are planted too closely together. So, women with adjoining fields would agree to plant the same varieties side-by-side, to help prevent this "traveling."

The Hidatsa women also understood the principles of good seed-saving techniques, and carefully chose seed from the very best squashes and corn ears in the crop, thereby improving their strains from year to year. Composting, however, was apparently unknown. Leaves and brush were burned, not composted, and they regarded manure as a dirty substance to be removed from the garden. But the Hidatsa did know the value of fallowing, and would allow a less-productive field rest a minimum of two years to renew itself.

Some of the techniques in this book are still quite useful today. I have begun pre-spouting my squash seeds, and planting them in the SIDES of the hills instead of on top, to help prevent the heavy rains from damaging the seedlings. Some of the fencing designs have found their way into my rustic Minnesota garden, too.

This book is also a priceless resource for "living history" re-enactors or "back to the land" homesteaders who might want to know how to build a traditional corn-drying platform, a food-storage cache, a homemade rake, or any of the other tools used successfully for many centuries before the Europeans came here. Simply a delightful book!

This is a unique and irreplaceable book. In the early 20th century, the author interviewed Buffalo Bird, an old Hidasta Indian woman about Indian farming methods in the mid 19th century. The result is a primer on how the Indians grew corn and other crops on the Great Plains. Interspaced with the explanation of agricultural techniques are charming stories, songs, recipes, and ancedotes told by Buffalo Bird. She also describes how the Indians preserved their crop.

The Hidasta lived in North Dakota and this book is a primer on how to garden in the State without recourse to chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or motor powered equipment. The Hidasta grew five crops: corn, beans, squash, sunflower seeds, and tobacco. Their methods of cultivation, storage, and usage of each crop is described, usually with enough detail to be copied by the modern low-impact sustainable agriculturalist. A large number of illustrations and photographs supplement the text and show how the Indians built fences, dug storage pits, dried squash, and laid out their fields.

A good introductory essay introduces the Hidasta, Bird Woman, and the author to the reader. The whole book is only about 150 pages, but there's a wealth of cultural and agricultural information here presented in a charming and easy-to-digest format.

Smallchief

A "must have" for anyone who is interested in doing a garden using authentic Native American practices, as used in the tribes in the Missouri Valley area. Details on laying out the garden, maintaining it, food storage, construction of tools, etc. are all included with sufficient clarity for reproduction.

This is a great resource for identifying butterflies. Species that resemble each other and are often confused are located on the same color plates for easy identification. Plenty of good life history information too.

I really appreciate owning this book. It has a huge number of pictures and allows for much more specific identification than the typical field guides. The arrangement of the book, however, makes it a little time-intensive to use. For this reason, and it's a little large, I would not recommend it as a field guide. It is a great book to have when you are pinning, or to really indentify down to the species level, or to nail-down regional variations.

Probably the most valuable feature of this book are its colour plates, which depict a huge amount of subspecies and variations. As the colour plates are made up of photographs and not drawings, the species have certain natural defects and thus make it easier to identify species caught in the wild. The text is also exceptional, pointing out minute differences between species and describing in great detail their natural behaviour. Another extremely useful feature is the maps, which point out the exact distribution of species throughout North America. This is a wonderful book and belongs in the library of any naturalist, scientist, or entomologist, both amateur and professional.

By far the best single volume covering the North American butterflies. I have only one reservation. I don't know if this is a cultural thing, but US guide books tend towards colour photos instead of drawings. For a foreigner (UK) who hasn't been brought up with the American fauna, it is nearly impossible to tell from a photo which marks on an insect's wing are characteristics of the species, and which are that-own-specific-individual-in-the-photo's unique birth marks, imperfections etc. The better of the European butterfly guide books, and most of the world's better bird books all use high quality generalized drawings/paintings.

Superb overall quality and an absolute must for anyone with the slightest serious interest.

This book is a superb natural history. The author has obtained information from studies in scientific journals and from experts in the field. He consulted 700 sources for information on how butterflies overwinter. There is a wealth of detail. For the Spring Azure alone, he describes four subspecies and six forms, giving appearance, range, and flight periods of each. 56 of its host plants are listed, the most common ones marked with an asterisk. There are 10 photographs of the forms. Host plants for all butterflies are listed in alphabetical order in the index with the species numbers on the same line.

There are better books for use as a field guide. This book is too big (8x10) to carry in a pocket or binoculars case. I would be afraid of damaging this large, relatively expensive book. The sheer number of photographs makes a quick tentative identification harder.

This is a book that any butterfly enthusiast should add to his library. However, he should start his library with one of the smaller guides, such as Butterflies Through Binoculars: The East, the Golden Guide, or one of the regional guides.