North America Books

Night Flying Woman is a marvelous little book that captures the essence of the Ojibway way of life. The story speaks about reverence of all - the earth, the animals, the trees, and our fellow women and men. We are all intertwined in a reality that encompasses all. Although this is a major lesson in the Judeo-Christian heritage as well, we Christians have forgotten this lesson from the story of creation. Night Flying Woman helps to reconnect with this web of life of which we are all a part.

In addition to the wonderful story, the book contains evocative and moving artwork. It also contains something that is missing from too many books - a glossary of words that are unfamiliar to the average reader. This was a GREAT help.

It was a great read. The more I read about the Ojibway the more I wish I had been born sooner so that I could have lived with my ancestors the way we were meant to. I cried when I was done reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone whether you care about the people or not!

In "Night Flying Woman, An Ojibway Narrative," Ignatia Broker tells the story of the forest people, the Ojibway. She shows how the white man's ways desecrated the rituals, laws and beliefs of the Native People, all but erasing their long culture. Classed as caricatures in a land that once honored them, Broker shows how the Native People "faced bias, prejudice and active discrimination." The Ojibway philosophy for living, that of keeping in balance the purity of man and nature, is revived through Broker's telling of Oona's story, the story of many as seen through the "eyes cast down" of one. An insightful story that continues the Ojibway circle and gives us all the hope of the past for the future.

I sat and read this in one sitting. It was that good. An excellent lesson in not needing all the gadgetry this world offers in order to be happy. A great reminder for all of us that we need to care for each other in order we all can survive.

In "Night Flying Woman, An Ojibway Narrative," Ignatia Broker tells the story of the forest people, the Ojibway. She shows how the white man's ways desecrated the rituals, laws and beliefs of the Native People, all but erasing their long culture. Classed as caricatures in a land that once honord them, Brokers shows how the Native People "faced bias, prejudice and active discrimination." The Ojibway philosophy for living, that of keeping in balance the purity of man and nature, is revived through Broker's telling of Oona's story, the story of many as seen through the "eyes cast down" of one. An insightful story that continues the Ojibway circle and gives us all the hope of the past for the future.

Paulette Jiles, the author, an American from Missouri, went to Toronto with a draft dodger in the 1970s. When the boyfriend dumped her, she stayed on in Canada and got a job in Northern Ontario running a community radio station for the Ojibway Indians. She lived in a log cabin, learned their language, and learned how to survive during the long cold northern winters. Later, she became a reporter on the Indian language newspaper, writing about forest fires, crimes of passion, and serious bush plane accidents.

Throughout, her love and respect for the Indian peoples shine through her writing as she brings legends and traditions to the printed page. Her quirky personality as well as the world around becomes very real, as does her own inner journey.

She is a reporter and describes what she sees. Perhaps that is why not every character she comes into contact with is fully developed. But there are some Indian elders whose stories she captured in just a few short pages.

And her descriptions of the danger and excitement of being dependent on tiny bush planes made me feel her anxieties.

I thank Ms. Jiles for bringing her experiences to the pages of this book and introducing me to these northern native peoples.

best read ever! an adveture story as well as profound reflections, there's not another book like it.

In addition to the other comments made by earlier reviewers, with which I agree, this book provides an essential and extremely thoughtful look at the varied roles played by language and communication media in culture. During the brief narrative Jiles engages with film, theater, radio, television, newspapers, and several modern (English, French) and native (Cree, Ojibway) languages. She also transitions between "native" and modern technologies and living styles. Her extremely canny and wry observations on these phenomena provide more than they seem on first glance. This book is a deep meditation on the very nature of modernity, media and the social nature of language.

In North Spirit, Paulette Jiles has this amazing non-patronizing voice, which at the same time is conscious that she is a white person writing about Indian people who are letting her-this often goofy white person-see herself as a white person watching Indian people and being watched by them. You get the picture. The book is never sentimental or dismissive; the book never stumbles. I love the fact that she can poke fun at herself learning to be a white Indian, as seen through the eyes of her Ojibway and Cree friends and co-workers who help her to help herself in the new environment. I recommend this highly.

Paulette Jiles cast a wonderful spell over me with North Spirit, and when I awoke, I wanted to return to the world of the Cree and Ojibway: a world of simplicity, honesty, humour, community, connectedness, blessed silence. A world that perhaps never was in the white person's world. North Spirit comes at a time when I am shedding as much material wealth as possible. A time when I seek spirit within. A time when I would like to return to elders telling stories of the past, a time of magic. A time I would like to dwell in the northern woods. Paulette Jiles is magic, and she lyrically, poignantly shares her wondrous sojourn amongst the Cree and Obijway with eloquence, humour, compassion, elegance, care. A beautiful read. A keeper. I will visit North Spirit and Paulette again and again. It connects me with what feels right, real, and true.

This book is a very good book for a third or fourth grader. It tells about all of the family and where they are and then it brings them together with various means. this is a great book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Watch out below!" Thats the sound of the little boy named Junor Blossom about to jump off the top of the barn. This little boy has a lot of problems with his family, he has a big sister named Maggie. Her problem in the family is she has to take care of the family and run things but, she can't go shopping.(her favorite thing to do is shopping) Junior also has a big brother named Vern, a grandpa named Pap, and a dog named Mud. They have a mother too but, she's out on a rodeo circuit. His granpa and his big brother are in jail for disturbing the peace and their dog Mud has ran away. See...this family has a lot of problems. There's just one question to ask you? Do you think that the Blossoms will solve their problems? Now if you read this book I don't know if you wil like it or not but, to tell you I sure did. This book was put on my favorite book list after I got done reading it. The book is realistic fiction so if you don't like realistic books I wouldn't read this book. The author is Besty Byars. She has wrote a lot of books most of them are mystery and romance but, hey she is a really good writer. So are you going to read this book?

When Pap Blossom goes into town that's when it all started. Breaking into jail, jumping off the roof, missing mom and lost dog are some of the interesting things that happen to the Blossom family. If I could I would give it a hundred stars. I think this book is a 4th, 5th, and 6th grade book. Now you know what it is about so go get the book NOW!!

Go into the world of funny things with Betsy Byars and The NotJust- Anybody Family. It's filled with trouble, mischief, and fun! The trouble begins when Pap goes into town. Somebody falls of the roof, someone goes to jail, someone breaks into jail, and people go to trial. Also, there is a runaway dog. All these funny and exciting things plus a teaspoon of sadness fit into this book. I hope I got your attention! P.S READ THIS BOOK!!!

The Not-Just-Anybody Family is a book my whole classroom enjoyed. It has action, humor, a missing dog, an out-of-town mom, and a grandpa in jail. The children in the book are very real and my students could relate to their feelings and difficulties. The settings change from chapter to chapter and Betsy Byars writes just enough about each situation to keep you wanting more. This book helped my students learn the meaning of "suspense" and almost all of them gave the book a rating of nine or ten on a one to ten scale. I plan on ordering the audio version for some of my students next year.

Having borrowed this book from our public library I wanted a copy of my own to use as a resource for children's programming at our local historical society. It gives so much information and the illustrations are wonderful.

There are times when history books written for the younger set are wonderful sources of information that most 'adult' (or mature) history books do not touch upon. And "A Pioneer Sampler" is one of those books.
It is written in storyform about the daily lives of the Robertson family, pioneers living on a backwoods farm in the 1840's. Throughout this 237 page book we learn, in a fun and interesting way, how this family dealt with the everyday living that a typical family of the time might have lived: their chores, crafts, eating habits, their spare time. Tools used, how to milk a cow, making maple sugar, harvest time, visiting a general store, building a house...so much interesting historical living written in a very simplistic manner.
Interspersed throughout are sidelines of information pertaining to the subject being written. For instance, there is a chapter about a peddler's visit to the family and the families reaction to this traveling salesman. But, at the end of the chapter, there are a few pages thrown in speaking of individual peddler's trades and how they do their crafts.
Most of the chapters are set up in this way, which adds greatly to understanding more fully the chapters.
I would love to see more books in this form for other era's in American history, as this style or history writing can entertain and teach all - kids as well as adults - who have an interest.
Highly recommended.

The Pioneer Sampler

The Pioneer Sampler is a fun and fascinating book. It tells about a pioneer family. Can Nekeek and Willy catch fish by hand? You'll find out. This is a fun book.
I'd give this book a five *...

I loved this book. I read it before I gave it to my daughter. It is a fictional family, but all the information is true to life. Interspersed with the story of the Robertsons, you can learn how to make your own cheese, dip a candle, or learn to tell the time from the sun.
This book will add to your library, and is a nice complement to Laura Ingalls Wilders books. Homeschooling familys will enjoy it, I know we did.

Barbara Greenwood has written a wonderful book that is as much fun for adults to read to children as it is for the children to read themselves. She doesn't just 'tell' about the Robertson's, she 'shows', drawing the reader into their lives...a pleasant place to be. I especially love Granny's story about how she came to America,on a ship, from Scotland.

The book is beautifully illustrated...all the way through...by Heather Collins. The pictures are so well done that, even as an adult, I would like to step into the scene!

There are instructions for simple, fun activities such as growing a potato plant, dyeing fabric using an onion, or making a cardboard jumping jack; pioneer games that will even entertain today's children for hours such as shadow shapes or knucklebones; and recipes that are easy for children.

Reading this book to a child is a great 'stress releaver'...it's like a little escape from the treadmill of life!!!

For Novices, all they need to know to be respectful, comfortable and a vital part of the experience. Good job!

This book provides an excellent overview of native ceremonies. You feel that Julia lives what she is writing about. An excellent book for those who want to get involved in native philosophy seriously.

Julia provides her reader with a straight forward and easy to understand guide to Pow Wows. She provides all the information they need to get the most out of their Pow Wow experience.

Julia White has captured the essence of the pow wow. The information provides the proper protocol for being part of a pow wow to prepare the viewer as a courteous participant. I particularly enjoyed Julia's descriptions of the various dances. I have been to several pow wows and have seen "guests" do all the wrong things and act in a way that would be considered offensive to Native Americans who are sharing their culture with us. These events are "gifts" to those of other nationalities and it is important to show respect when attending a pow wow. These ceremonies have sacred meaning and it is incumbent upon us to to know what is expected of guests. Julia presents the information in an interesting manner - straightforward yet very easy reading. The supplemental information about Native American background leaves me wanting to know more. Her knowledge is exemplary and she herself is a very special person. I highly recommend this book to any who attends pow wows or just wants to gain additional insight into the Native American culture. I personally appreciate that I can go to a pow wow and act in an appropriate manner. I hope Julia White is planning on writing additional books. I will be first in line for anything else she comes out with.

This excellent book tells in great detail and wondeful illustration, the history and tradition of the modern Native American Pow Wow. Readers will find great information on where to find Pow Wow's as well as how to act when they attend one. A must read for all those interested in Native culture.

Wonderful retelling of Cherokee story handed down through the oral retelling of old stories by the grandmothers of the tribe.

I am a former fifth grade instructor, a National Board Certified Teacher, and a college professor in Teacher Preparation. I highly recommend the Grandmother Stories series to elementary and early childhood instructors and parents who are homeschooling their children. The books have appropriate vocabulary and tell stories that explain nature in a creative manner. I learned several things I did not know about nature and its interactions from these books. Children love to have the books read to them and to read them to themselves. Duvall and Jacobs are a wonderful creative force as they merge their talents to produce books that will be enjoyed for generations to come.

This review appeared in Roundup Magazine, Oct. 2004. A children's picture book that recounts Cherokee historian and storyteller Duvall's latest rabbit tale. Volume 4 of the University's "Grandmother Stories," Rabbit and the Bears tells the story of Rabbit accompanying his friend, Yona the Bear, to the Mulberry Place in the Smoky Mountains where Yona participates in the bears' ceremonial dances every autumn. Rabbit sees a bear with an arrow in his shoulder running from a hunter. Yona and Rabbit follow the wounded bear to the Magic Lake, Ata-Gahi, where the injured bear is healed. Rabbit wishes to know more about bear medicine, but Yona teaches him many other things...a wonderful story suited for the very young as well as elementary school children.

The Grandmother Stories are eloquent, beautifully illustrated tales that recapture the imagination of Native America. Deborah Duvall and Murv Jacob have done a brilliant job of revisiting the mythic world of Rabbit, Bear and Otter and introducing them to a contemporary audience. These characters are timeless, as are their stories, and readers of all ages will delight in their antics and unique insights. (...)

Takes the reader into a magical world where real problems are solved in the ancient way by teaching examples of timeless characters, such as Rabbit and Bear. Based on Cherokee legend and tradition, the prose and the artwork are subtle and refined enough for adults but also intriguing to children. I'm sending all four of the books now available to all of my grandchildren, knowing that not only will the kids enjoy them but their parents as well. It's a pleasure to be able to recommend something new in the world of children's books that is so fun and worthwhile.

The text is technical and takes some work to understand but the effort pays off. The pictures are beautiful and flesh out the text. A wonderful aid to getting closer to some amazing creatures.

This guide is more like a textbook in its attention to detail, and I rate it the best raptor guide I have seen and read. The photos are great, showing various poses and the way the birds look as juveniles and as adults of both sexes, and the text covers all the traits, habitat, morphs, etc. to help I.D. and understand the birds.

This book is wonderfull. With dozens of photos for each bird, this REALLY helps an amateur identify a bird. The best in it's class!

This is the most comprehensive guide available. The species discussions include practically everything you need to know (molts, morphs, subspecies, habits, etc), and covers Western variants rarely covered in other works. The range maps by Economidy and Wheeler are the gold standard and will, it is to be hoped, encourage others to produce such extremely precise maps. It is a reference work, too large to fit in a pocket, but is indispensable. Keep this in your vehicle and Clark & Wheeler's Hawks of North America in your pocket, and you've got our western raptors covered.

Brian Wheeler has created what are likely to be THE standard guides to these taxa for the foreseeable future. Excellent photos, tremendous detail--a heroic effort with incredibly helpful results.
But what is wrong at Princeton UP? First they mess up Olsen's _Gulls_ to the point that the entire edition is pulped; and now Wheeler's text in both books is marred by what you would think would be embarrassing editorial errors. Wheeler's prose, for the most part serviceable, was obviously never read by an editor, and there are entire passages that make no sense (fortunately, they only rarely include identification matters). The very first page of the author's introduction has a shameful printing error, an entire half-line left blank.
This is a great book, I own it, I use it, I recommend it every chance I get; but the editorial and production slips make me wonder if Princeton has given up on its birding program--or whether it maybe ought to.

In 1801, France acquired the vast Louisiana territory from Spain, and in 1803, France sold it to the United States. President Jefferson wanted to explore some of the new territory as well as to establish some claim on the Oregon territory to the West of it. The plan was to look for a route to the source of the Missouri river and from there to the source of the Columbia, and then to follow the Columbia to the Pacific. Captain Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) and Second Lieutenant William Clark (1770-1838) were chosen to lead the expedition.

This book tells us a great deal about the expedition of Lewis and Clark, with some great photos of the terrain they encountered. We read about their encounters with grizzly bears, buffalo, fish, and mosquitoes. We find out how they coped with white water (in fact, they were even better than the Native Americans at handling it, although they were no match for the Chinook Indians when there were high waves near the coast). And we learn how they handled portages when they reached waterfalls or had to cross the Continental Divide (they abandoned their canoes and carved new ones at the top of the falls).

As the Schmidts explain, the expedition began to get organized in December of 1803, and it left Saint Louis on May 14, 1804. It went upriver on the Missouri to what is now North Dakota (the only death to an expedition member was on this portion of the trip), and the team wintered at Fort Mandan from November, 1804 to April, 1805.

The Indians local to Fort Mandan were the Hidatsa. But the ones who lived near the source of the Missouri were the Shoshone. The idea was to find some Shoshones, or even better, a Shoshone guide. The Shoshones could then explain how to get to the source of the Columbia, a region inhabited by the Nez Perce.

The official party of 25 left Fort Mandan on April 7, 1805 and headed immediately into uncharted territory. Along with them were Sacagawea (1788-1812), her husband Toussaint Charbonneau (1758-1840?) and their two month old son, Jean-Baptiste (1805-1866). Sacagawea was a Shoshone and spoke both Shoshone and Hidatsa, Toussaint spoke Hidatsa and French, and a member of the Lewis and Clark party spoke French and English. The presence of Sacagawea and her infant son helped assure various Indian tribes that the Lewis and Clark party had peaceful intentions.

They reached Great Falls (more than halfway across Montana) in June and Three Forks (the Missouri headquarters, which Sacagawea recognized) in late July. In August, they managed to reach the Lemhi valley (which Sacagawea also recognized) and looked around for some Shoshones. They did indeed find a Shoshone party. Truth being stranger than fiction, the Shoshone chief, Cameawait, turned out to be Sacagawea's brother.

The Shoshones did guide the party from the Continental Divide to a tributary of the Columbia. In September, they emerged from the Rocky Mountains, and they soon reached the Clearwater river. In October, they took the Snake river to the Columbia, reaching the Columbia estuary in November.

The party wintered at Fort Clatsop in Oregon, and even took Sacagawea to the Pacific to see a beached whale in January. They left Fort Clatsop on March 23, 1806, and were back in Saint Louis exactly six months later.

The first transcontinental railroad was completed in May of 1869 by crews which had headed West from Omaha, Nebraska and East from Sacramento, California. I wondered if any of the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition were still alive then. One was, namely Patrick Gass (1771-1870). It is sobering to realize how quickly this previously uncharted land became settled. When one compares the Montana of 1806 with that of 1906 and 2006, the differences are truly remarkable.

I highly recommend this book, which tells of a land which has changed greatly in a mere two centuries.

An exciting tale of the journey of these two adventurers and their crew is retold through sufficient text and plentiful images. The photos are striking and abundant and a great way to lure kids into reading the book. It's both educational and entertaining to learn of their trials. However, if you are looking for expansive, in-depth text of every moment, you should check out other books that are a reprinting of their diaries. While this book is thorough, it is really just an introduction to the whole adventure and easy enough that you'll probably finish it in just a few sittings.

This is a wonderfully illustrated retelling of the incredible expedition to the West and the Pacific Ocean undertaken by the Corps of Discovery, that amazing group of men (and women) who trekked over four thousand miles from St. Louis to the west coast and back over the course of two years from 1804-1806. The story of Lewis and Clark's journey to the West has been told many times, but never in such an accessible and enjoyable format as this. It is pepppered with excerpts from the expedition's meticulously kept journals and vivid descriptions of the unknown land and the native tribes they encountered in their travels into the vast Louisiana Territory. This book is bursting with beautiful photos, paintings, and drawings that draw the reader into this truly amazing story of adventure and discovery that shaped a young new nation.

Beautiful, bright color photos pepper every page and often offer full-page spreads to accompany timelines, topographical maps, and rich accounts of the Lewis and Clark journey. Their words and experiences come to life in The Saga of Lewis & Clark, a survey which reveals different aspects of the travelers' discoveries and experiences, with Wayne Mumford providing the beautiful photography.

"The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri river, & such principal stream of it, as, by it's course and communication with the waters of the Pacific ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the most direct & practicable water communication across this continent for the purposes of commerce." -Thomas Jefferson, Instruction to Lewis, June 20, 1803

The Saga of Lewis & Clark is richly illustrated with lavish full-color photography, annotated topographical maps, pictorial timelines, sketches of the animal and plant species first recorded during the "voyage of discovery," archival images of native cultural arts and crafts, quotes and pictures of the land Lewis and Clark viewed on their journey to the Pacific.

There are pictures of Clark's field journal and a fold-out map of the journey to put it all in perspective.

The chapters include:

Members of the Expedition - pictures of the letter from Jefferson and gorgeous

pictures of the scenery.
Underway - Bound for the Pacific through the interior of the continent
Onto the Plains - Stories of the Tribes living on the plains.
Off the Map - Confrontations with grizzly bears
Over "Those Tremendous Mountains"
On to the Sea - Rapids and finally, some pictures I recognize as home! I can almost smell
the salty sea now as I look at the pictures. We visited Fort Clatsop once with my aunt.
Homeward Bound - Humorous story about fending off the herd of bison. Yikes!
Log - Expedition Roster, Index, Credits, Animal Listings, Plant Listings, Glossary

A retelling of the greatest wilderness trip ever recorded. Thomas Schmidt and Jeremy Schmidt truly have created a magnificent keepsake of this journey into the uncharted West.

An Epic Journey!

It is no easy feat to define savages and civilisation literally. The author brought us back right to the origin, ie. the formation of continents, the climate changes, changes of food chain, the formation and usage of tools and fire which subsequently change homo sapien's nature to hunt and forage into farming. With gradual changes of homo sapien's tendency of mobilisation into stagnation, infrastructure is needed to sustain their activities and thus, the formation of cities. The author used examples from Australia, Russia, South America, Pacific Islands, et cetera to illustrate to us the points that he was making and I find those components to be of interesting read. He continued on to explain about what we have known all along about people from countryside that shifts in huge numbers to the cities for better opportunities to the extent that it overextends the infrastructure and thus, the destruction of the Great Nature. Subsequently, the original city slickers move further away from the degradation that has become of the city. With advent of sophisticated technology, those city slickers are not worse off as they can both play and work at the same place nowadays. What he found shocking was the so called "tribes" or gangs that formed themselves in cities to carve up their own territories. His example was relevant and notorious ie. Washington D.C. Continuing on, tribes no longer need to be held in one place as technology allows the tribes to continue embracing their own cultures no matter where they are. For example, Asians that are living in USA are still able to watch TV programs from China through sattelite TV these days. He striked to the heart of the matter when he said that indigenous people are viewed like curios nowadays where people visiting specially allotted reserves to view how they live their day to day lives. The answers are not found from there but rather, from the displaced indigenous people that are trying to sustain their livelihood in the big and hostile cities. To summarise the book, it is to say that the countryside people have an uneasy relationship with the city people and vice versa. It is no longer relevant to separate people through religious affiliations, cultural differences, national borders. With the emergence of globalisation, it is becoming clearer that we are neither countryside nor city people but simply people. And to ensure the survivor of our species, we simply need to respect one another. A simple lesson of live and let lived. Alas, very few people take heed of this lesson these days. Highly recommended.

I have taken one class from Prof. Weatherford, and plan on taking another this coming year. He is one of the most popular and well-liked professors at Macalester College because he is, in a word, fascinating. He combines an immense field of knowledge with an engrossing lecture and discussion style. He does the same in this book, penning a book that both broadens awareness and understanding, and entertains. I would often intend to read one chapter then go to bed, but would end up many chapters later wondering what happened to the time. If you want a book which is written for those not steeped in anthropology, and which contains a great amount of educational material of interest to people from all fields of study and interests, this is an excellent book to buy, read, and enjoy.

Educational and entertaining. If you love this, you will love his new book about "Genghis Khan". This complete and concise reintroduction of 850 years of glorified Mongol history will be shocking and eye opening experiences for you. According to his long journey of tireless research, Genghis Khan had established our modern civilization. What a history, what a extraordinary work.

I have taken one class from Prof. Weatherford, and plan on taking another this coming year. He is one of the most popular and well-liked professors at Macalester College because he is, in a word, fascinating. He combines an immense field of knowledge with an engrossing lecture and discussion style. He does the same in this book, penning a book that both broadens awareness and understanding, and entertains. I would often intend to read one chapter then go to bed, but would end up many chapters later wondering what happened to the time. If you want a book which is written for those not steeped in anthropology, and which contains a great amount of educational material of interest to people from all fields of study and interests, this is an excellent book to buy, read, and enjoy.

Jack Weatherford has written a wonderful book on the topic of tribal or "primitive" cultures, generally nomadic, often pastoral ones in world history and today, seeking to explore the relationship between tribal peoples and the people of cities and what is thought of as civilization. The fact that these people have gone by so many names throughout history, whether stigmatic names like barbarian, savage, pagan, or heathen or more modern less pejorative names like ethnic group, folk tradition, or national minority shows that urban cultures have generally had a difficult time coming to grips with those outside the mainstream of global civilization.

Weatherford covers a great deal of history in his discussion of tribal cultures. He visits with and discusses the Australian aborigines; those that still have their traditional hunting and gathering lifestyle, he writes, with slight modifications, could have lived almost any time in the last 200,000 years in the temperate and tropical zones of Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia (covering something like 99 percent of human history). The modern Aleuts and Inuit of North America, the Sami or Lapps of Scandinavia, and such northern Siberian peoples as the Yakut and Chuckhi represent remnants of the thousands of such groups from the last Ice Age, groups that had to give up foraging and worked in groups to hunt the massive megafauna of the Arctic regions, whether mammoths or whales.

The fact that tribal peoples did not settle into the dense concentrations that urban peoples did and many tribal groups had relatively few domesticated animals would have a profound impact upon world history. An interesting point he makes involved pastoral people and disease; virtually every infectious or epidemic disease known among human has a close animal counterpart (smallpox is similar to cowpox in cattle and myxomatosis in rabbits, measles has similarities to distemper in dogs and rinderpest among bovines) and those cultures that did not have much in the way of domesticated animals (such as the Polynesians and Native Americans) were free of these epidemic diseases.

Weatherford wrote that the political and technological interaction between the wandering tribal peoples and civilized peoples for the three thousands years between 1600 B.C. and 1500 A.D. was the focal point of Eurasian civilization. Once indigenous people played a huge role in world history, one group occasionally assimilating the other or forcing millions to move in vast relocations. In some cases the nomads were technological innovators (inventing the horse-drawn chariot and the stirrup, for a time dominating urban peoples until they in turn assimilated these new inventions), in other cases acting as conduits for technological change (the Mongols for instance borrowed animals, ideas, and technology from all parts of their territories, spreading them from Europe to China). For centuries there was, despite the conflicts, a symbiotic relationship between farmers and nomads, as one helped the other (the former supplying cereals, tea, sugar, metal-working, and chemicals for leatherworking, the latter important in bringing in exotic items and introducing new products and ideas); this has been obscured by the fact that most written records about the nomads were left by the settled agricultural peoples and were often biased against the nomads. On occasion this was recognized; North African scholar Ab-ar-Rahman Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406) wrote the first historical analysis of the relationship between tribal and urban people; he said that the city people needed the tribal people because the latter reinvigorated the civilized world, bringing in new blood and new ideas (such as Islam and Judaism). They brought a simple, direct, honest way of dealing with the world, a strength that accounted for the success of the Hebrews against the Canaanite cities, the Arab Bedouins in the Middle East, and the Moors in Spain (among others). However, the longer tribal people associated with urban people, the weaker they became. Weatherford makes the point that this assertion of Ibn Khaldun's was predated by the Old Testament of the Bible (evident in how the Hebrews viewed the corrupt cities of Jericho, Sodom, and Gomorrah), unique in being one of the few texts by a nomadic group.

Weatherford definitely wrote what some might call a "big picture" analysis of world history. He devotes several chapters to how eventually the urban peoples of the world came to complete dominate tribal cultures. He wrote that it took roughly 8,000 years for a truly world economy to emerge, the time between the first agricultural village and the start of the first trans-Pacific route from Acapulco to Manila (via the famed Spanish Manila galleon). This process required three major technological and social breakthroughs; the unification of Asia and Europe via the horse (made possible by the invention of stirrups, bridles, and saddles), the connection of sub-Saharan Africa with the Mediterranean world via the camel, and the voyages connecting Europe and Asia across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (made possible by the mastery of celestial and compass navigation and by paper and the invention of the printing press and movable type to maintain contact over thousands of miles and to aid in the creation of modern nation states by standardizing language, culture, and national identity).

I can only give a very brief introduction to this book. Though a quick read, it is epic in scope. Later chapters are devoted to how tribal peoples were treated during the age of imperialism, the advent of anthropology (the "study of the exotic by the eccentric"), and the future of tribal peoples today (which ironically may be aided by technology as it has aided widely separated people to maintain touch with one another and facilitated broadcasting and printing in tribal languages).

I enjoyed how the author opened many chapters with personal experiences. They ranged from traveling by camel in the Sahara to drinking chicha (homemade corn beer) in the isolated town of Pocona, Bolivia, to recounting experiences with the Kuna of the San Blas Islands of Panama, the only Native Americans visited by Christopher Columbus that are still alive. A great book.

A great book about some common and uncommon plants you have admired, but didn't know the names.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. I photograph wildflowers, and reading these fun, little-known tidbits has been very informative in my research of the flowers.

This is an essential read for those that want to further explore in an in-depth manner wildflowers of all types. The story telling format blends science and folklore and flows in a pace that is most pleasing to the reader. Highly recommended for those that have any interest in this topic.

This is simply a wonderful addition to any library. I was looking for a native wildflower handbook with a little extra, but this surpassed my expectations. You don't need to be a botanist or a naturalist to enjoy this offering. It has tidbits of fascinating information about native U.S. wildflowers, from its history to medicinal uses to mythological lore. The layout is nice and there are many additional artistic touches here and there to make it a pleasure to read.

I guarantee you'll never look at a wildflower the same way after reading this little gem.

"The Secrets of Wildflowers" by Sanders is phenomenal! I am a naturalist in training and this book has helped me tremendously to find interesting facts to share. I wish there were more out there like this one, but I have just not found them. "The Secrets of Wildflowers" talks about a lot of plants native to North America, which is why it is so special. I can't thank Jack Sanders enough for making my homework a thousand times easier.