North America Books

this is a great book, lots of detailed photos. i am reading this book for a chicano studies class and its a bit hard to read at times.

I have been reading books on pre-Columbian America for over 20 years, and Michael Coe's titles have always been amongst my favorites. He has not dissappointed me this time either. This book is a great summary of what is known, to date, about pre-hispanic Meso America. Good reading, good archeology.

This is a simple and easy to use reference to the archeological history of Mexico. Simply laid out with lots of examples. Good book.

Manuel's review of this book is excellent - I couldn't have written it any better! However, here's my two-cents worth:

This book is a must read for anyone who lacks basic knowledge of the ancient Mexican cultures. It provides the reader with brief (and in some cases, more than brief) summaries of several of the various cultural groups that existed, covering geographic, cultural, agricultural, religious, architectural and political backgrounds. It has timelines and drawn maps to aid the reader's temporal and geographical orientation. It contains many illustrations and photographs of artifacts found, temples, statues...etc. excavated. It even includes a brief section and tips on visiting Mexico.

The only gripe I have with this book is that it provides you with a lot of information on some cultures, such as the Aztecs and Toltecs and leaves you with insufficient info on other cultures mentioned, such as the Totonacs. However, this is probably because what archeologists have unearthed of Mesoamerica is only a tiny fraction of what actually existed, i.e. the less than brief information on some of the cultural groups mentioned in this book is probably due to archeologists not having unearthed enough remnants of the existence of these cultures/not being able to fully interpret or place what they have found to date. I'm sure Coe would have provided more info if there was more in-depth info, though in the case of the Maya, there is simply too much information to be made known and hence, rather than trying to simplify everything into one chapter, a whole, separate book has been dedicated to that group.

To make up for this lack of info on some groups, Coe provides us with pictures of artifacts found, as in the section on the Olmecs, and illustrations and descriptions of their distinctive artistic/architectural style and states the likelihood of the origination of these styles and what they probably signified. I must admit that I found the more than just brief descriptions/concentrations on the artistic styles/pottery work/architectural preferences...etc. of some of the lesser-known groups a little annoying, for I am not an art/archeology student and was looking for info more on the way of life, beliefs...etc. than on their pottery and carving skills and architectural styles. Nonetheless, I am grateful that these were brought to the reader's attention rather than nothing at all mentioned.

I enjoyed this book as a kick-start to my growing interest in ancient Mexican and Andean cultures and think that it makes a good quick-reference book. At least now I have an idea/starting point of some of the ancient Mexican groups. One should read this book keeping in mind that a lot about ancient Mexico has yet to be discovered and will never be discovered (afterall, a majority of the remnants of these cultures were destroyed by conquering forces) and thus, should be thankful for whatever is divulged in this book.

This book makes it clear that the bulk of Mexican history (and Central America) has NOTHING at all to do with Europeans or anything "Latin American."

In fact, only 5 centuries of Mexico's archeological history has any European trace, vs. 28,000 years of indigenous Mexican occupation.
Michael Coe tells the story of Mexico through it's common denominator: the indigenous people, the "Indians. "

Dr. Coe shows that Mexico is more than just the Aztecs with whom we are most familiar. He presents a breath-taking parade of pyramid-civilizations going back 4,000 YEARS:
Olmec, Tlatilco, Cuicuilco, Izapan, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Mixtec, Tarasco, Toltec, Huaxtec, El Tajin, Pipil, Western Mexico, Zacatecas, Chalchihuites, Cacaxtla, Xochicalco, Chichen Itza, Nicarao and the multi-layered "Maya".
He even includes the Casas Grandes civilization near the Texas border.

Prof. Coe presents recent archeology showing that Mexico had developed the elements of a true civilization between 2300 B.C. - 1800 B.C. This Olmec Civilization predates the Jewish presence in Israel and occurred before there was a single town or city in all of Western Europe.

(By the time Solomon built the First Temple in Isreal in 960 B.C., the Olmec capital at San Lorenzo was already over 400 years old.)


Coe's book is unique in that it presents Mexico's history through an objective long view, and not merely through the ethnocentric cultural lens of Europeans. He presents a refreshing analysis of Mexico that does not use the Spanish Invasion as the starting point (he hardly mentions the Spanish all until the very end). European divisions are not the way to understand Mexico's history, just as British imperial definitions do not do justice to the understanding of the Irish people.

Coe delves deeply into the incredible creation of corn domestication 9,000 years ago in Mexico. The corn plant requires human intervention, and the ingenuity of ancient Mexican farmers gave rise to one of the world's most unique and vigorous civilizations, just as wheat did for Iraq, and rice did for China.

Coe demonstrates, that unlike Europe, Mexico did not "borrow" new technologies and ideas from established foreign cultures (i.e. writing, agriculture, mathematics, religion, gunpowder, architecture, political structures, etc). This isolation makes Mexico's achievements all the more impressive, Dr. Coe asserts, making it one of the 3 or 4 "pristine civilizations" in the world (i.e. Iraq & China)

Modern Mexico is really an artificial political concept, historically speaking. The modern boundaries have only existed for 150 years and as late as 1823, Central America was part of Mexican territory. And until 1848, Mexico included everything from Texas to California.

This book shows that this history is not confined to the Rio Grande nor to Mexico's border with Guatemala. He includes "The Turquoise Road" trade relations with the U.S. Southwest and discusses the "transmission of Mesoamerican traits" into that area, using the Hopi as an example.

Coe does a great job of presenting several satellite states of these great civilizations as well, such as the incredible influence of Mexico's mightiest civilization: Teotihuacan, whose pyramid city (larger than the city of Rome at its height) is today Mexico's #1 tourist attraction.

Considering that Mexico lacked metallurgy until after 800 AD, it is astonishing to behold the thousands of temple-pyramids, hundreds of ceremonial centers, and hundreds of towns and cities that indigenous Mexicans created across the land-- WITHOUT METAL TOOLS or draft animals. Europeans had animals like oxen and horses to do work for them, but Mexicans had only human muscle and no oxen, hence the lack of use for the wheel.


Our indigenous people call the land Anáhuac, meaning "the land between the waters" in the still-living Nahuatl language. Just as there is something historically known as "Christendom" or "Western Civilization"
(oddly enough, both are based upon non-Western achievements in Sumeria and Egypt).

As the reader of both of the recent editions of "Mexico" and "The Maya" will also learn, there was a unitary and common cultural matrix which connected and sustained all the cultures of Mexico and Central America down to Costa Rica. The divisions were far more political than cultural, just as in "Christendom" or the the modern European world.

I wish that Dr Coe would have addressed the similarities of the "Moundbuilder" civilization across the Eastern United States which built flat-topped pyramid structures with a temple at the top, astronomically aligned. These "Pyramids of the Mississippi" are so similar to Mexican pyramids that it warrants an investigation into cross-cultural contact.

(In fact, the Natchez people of Mississippi to this day maintain the story of ancient Mexicans passing through their lands, and is recorded by a French explorer a few centuries ago.)


Another small gripe I have with this the book is Coe's insistence on the "gods" school of thought, when we know from Spanish and Nahuatl records that there existed the Toltec concept of One Single God, Ometeotl, of which all the other "gods" are really manifestations/emanations. I thought a little more time could have been spent connecting those theological dots.

Coe acknowledges the existence of their Supreme Duality named OMETEOTL. But he continues to use the Spanish interpretation of "deities" instead of the notion of Manifestions of OMETEOTL, according to the High Priest tradition of the Aztec/Texcoco state alliance.
(and for the Maya this One God who is the Many is called HUNAB-KU.)

Christians are able to accept the concept of a Three-In-One God (Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit), along with deified Saints, a multitude of demons, Mary the Mother, and Satan the Lord of Hell...and yet Christians still consider themselves to be Monotheists who don't believe in different gods.

But hey, the "gods angle" sells a lot more books to a Western audience who seems to delight in the notion of "Aztec polytheism" while ignoring blatant Christian polytheism (The Trinity, the Saints, demons, angels, The Devil).

A lot of this rich and impressive history has only recently been gleaned from what are it's "leftovers".
95% of the astronomical almanacs and encyclopedias were burned by the Spaniards, by their own admission and only 40 years ago did serious archeological finds occur.

What other wonders went up in those flames?! What else lies beneath the surface?

This is a fascinating history that reads like a real-life detective story. Buy the book!

I love how Dr. Coe ends the book showing that modern indigenous culture still lives on in Mexico today. He didn't assign them a "dead" status like other books.
Well done, Dr. Coe.

Duncan is best at his research and then going out and finding people to interview for his topics. He doesn't leave anyone out, from 80-year-old homesteaders who refuse electricity or running water, to polygamists, questionable cattle rustlers to religiuous survivalists in New Mexico. He put his heart and soul into this book, and the chapters read easily, going from writing about the history of the places to the current people in the towns along the way.

His descriptions of the surroundings, the descriptions of the people he stays with for his interviews make this book a worthwhile read for lovers of the old Frontier. Although slightly dated now (references are from 1990) there is no doubt that many of the facts still remain; there are still many void regions of the West where few people dare to plant roots.

This book is comparable to Jon Raban's "Bad Lands" of eastern Montana, another good book on how the West was settled. Both were written in the late 1980s/early 1990s. How much of the information is still valid? Duncan toured every county in the US that had less than two people per square mile. Out in West Texas, New Mexico or Montana, that is still a lot of land.

You thought the American frontier had disappeared? Well, Dayton Duncan spent a couple of years visiting those American counties that still meet the definition of frontier -- less than two people per square mile.

In Miles From Nowhere, Duncan sheds light on what it means to live alone, really alone, no neighbors in sight or in small communities where there is no "next town over." There are quite a few counties in the mid-west and far west that meet the Census Bureau definition and the author provides an excellent sampling of what makes people stay or in some case move here.

The place stories are sometimes fascinating and also interesting. One area of Nevada was the fallout zone for early nuclear tests -- chosen because it was almost empty. Duncan explores some of the people who lived under where the white ash fell and explores their continuing health problems as well as their exasperation with an unresponsive government.

In Montana, there are still one-room schools where teachers live in trailers at the school site and teach one to ten kids from an attendance area measured in the hundreds or thousands of square miles. There are people in the mountains of Washington and Oregon who pack their cars with a week's worth of provisions in case they break down because that's how long it could take someone else to happen upon their stalled vehicle. And in Love County Texas, a county with under 1,000 people, the local elections are decided by feuds and family grudges that separate people into warring camps for elected offices which hold no real power and have no real money to spend.

I found a peak into these lives and stories fascinating and couldn't put the book down. Duncan has a way of getting these folks to open up and treats them matter-of-factly in a manner which allows the stories to speak for themselves.

This is a very interesting book that opens up a part of America that almost all of the rest of us will only ever drive through while considering it empty. Its not all empty, in valleys and nooks and up miles of dirt trails and in other hide-a-ways live some of us who are Miles From Nowhere and live a life the rest of us would have a difficult time enduring.

Here Dayton Duncan takes us on a fascinating tour of counties in several Western states that have fewer than two people per square mile - under which communities are considered "virtually uninhabited," at least in terms of standard sociological expectations. In addition to descriptions of jaw-dropping emptiness that people from more populated areas would find either uplifting or terrifying, Duncan provides many engaging stories of the real people toughing it out in these areas in which few are hardy enough to live. Examples are fractured politics among the Navajo in Utah; victims of nuclear testing in Central Nevada; an elderly woman living alone in Montana without modern conveniences dozens of miles form the nearest road; and the compelling story of the last few Seminole Negroes - descended from escaped slaves who mixed with Florida Indians and eventually ended up in West Texas. Included are great examinations of the cyclical boom-and-bust economics and strange politics confronting these lonely places, as they are alternately overlooked, romanticized, dumped on, and fought over by know-it-alls from far away. (On the other hand, Duncan also examines the irony in how such people often despise government interference, even though their existence would likely be impossible without Federal subsidies.) Duncan shows that these under-populated regions are still home to hardy and interesting people who continue to fulfill the American ideal of breaking off from the rat race and making it on one's own. [~doomsdayer520~]

In "Miles from Nowhere," Dayton Duncan travels to all the least populated counties in the continental United States--the frontiers--just about all of which happen to be in the West.
He explains that the definition of "frontier" has to do with how many people live within one square mile, and then he commences to visit all the loneliest, most offbeat, most middle of nowhere spots in the entire country.
What he finds, he writes about in flowing, clear prose, and he does a good job understanding and explaining the lives and lifestyles of the people he meets.
This is the kind of book that makes you pack your bags. It could be dangerous. It could make you load your wife into a car and head out to a mice-infested trailer on some tired patch of Arizona soil where cows block your driveway, your water comes from a windmill, and your nearest neighbor is a gun-toting survivalist who homeschools his kids.
I know it can happen. See my profile for evidence.
The book is worth it alone for its portrait of Alex Joseph, his many wives, and the polygamous citizens of Big Water, Utah. Their group is a subject worthy of whole books, but this is one of the few printed references on them, and Alex Joseph's son told me himself that they consider this book to be almost completely accurate. They like it too.

I read this book several years ago, and it still crosses my mind often. Dayton Duncan is a wonderful author, and you immediately are in the vehicle with him, sitting right along side him and experiencing all the highs and lows of this trip in 3-D. Soon after I read this book, I sought out and read everything else he'd written by then, each of which was a joy to read. If you enjoy road trip books and learning something about the nature of we Americans, you'll not go wrong by reading this book. I've read most other contemporary American road travel books, and this certainly ranks at the very top (along with Bill Bryson's "The Lost Continent"). Get both books, you'll have traveled the length and breath of the country by the time you've finished andyou'll have met some very interesting, fun companions along the way.

In planning Native American Stand for a day camp...this book is awesome. Has wonderful games, crafts, foods etc and it breaks it down into which tribe was known for each...very educational and a wonderful resource.

This is the best, most extensive book on Native American crafts for children I have ever seen. Teachers doing a unit on Native Americans will find this book a tremendous resource for creating all kinds of not authentic, but good semblances of Native American crafts. Using mostly ordinary materials, there's enough here that you can create a classroom museum and invite others to see it. In your display you can have: miniature teepees and wigwams, an "adobe" house, pottery, "bark" boxes (made of brown paper), chamois and bead pouch, coup stick, breechcloth, leggings, grass anklets (made of yarn), warbonnet, headband, breastplate, and much more. These clothing items can also be used in a play or other enactment. In addition, there are some interesting recipes, including: corn soup, steamed clover, fried squash blossoms, roasted pumpkin seeds, and other more familiar foods.

I am a K teacher and I found this book a great resource for my Native American unit. It has so many activities for that could be used at any grade level! I learned many new things and loved that the children were making and learning about actual Native American games, garb and food. They loved it!

This was the most valuable toolwe found to help my 3rd grader make her diarama herself. The directions are clear and simple, she was able to build evereything herself. A MOst, Great!

More than Moccasins is this homeschooler's dream come true. Homeschooling a six year old, who is also a very hands-on learner, this book fits the bill. Each section, from Indian dwellings to pottery to traditional games, has activities that are fun and EASY TO DO! Very general household items can be turned into bakeable clay for pottery, teepees, etc. So many books with crafts require tedious materials that are difficult or cumbersome to obtain. Plus each section has a bit of information and history on that particular area of Native American culture ~ short enough for the younger set but detailed enough to provide accurate historical information to go along with the project. There are MORE activities, games, crafts and recipes than you could ever do in an entire unit. This is a book I will return to over and over. GREAT JOB!

I interviewed Jacqueline Duheme when she was promoting this exquisite book, and one thing remains in my mind that she said about "The Grand Dame, Jacqueline" - that she could have been a painting woman!!!

As an ardent admirer of Mrs. Kennedy for the past 40 years, I have read every book on her that I could get my hands on. "Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad" is a refreshing change from the repetitive narratives and recycled photos that are the mainstay of so many other books about her life. Ms. Duheme's illustrations are elegant and sumptuous but also embrace a childlike purity and simplicity which capture the essence of Mrs. Kennedy's persona and mystique. The commentary has the simple charm of a beautifully written children's book. It is obvious why Mrs. Kennedy chose Ms. Duheme to accompany her on her more memorable trips abroad as First Lady. A truly enchanting book.

Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad is an adorable little book filled with colorful Fauvist-like illustrations. Anyone who likes Laura Stoddart's simple-chic illustrations for Kate Spade will probably enjoy it. Fans of the recent exhibition at the Met that highlighted Jackie's White House clothes may appreciate it too. The commentary is kept to a minimum and black and white photos from Mrs. Kennedy's travels are included, but the focus is on French artist Duheme's amusing miniature paintings that capture Jackie in all those great pink sleeveless dresses and crisp suits in Paris, India, London and Italy.

As a side note: Duheme and Jacqueline Kennedy became friends who shared similar painting styles, and Duheme was invited to Cape Cod to give the First Lady an art lesson.

This book has wonderful pictures that captures the "facts" from actual photographs and transforms them into scenes of "fantasy". I really enjoyed the background information that accompanies each picture. A real treat of Jackie fans.

"Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad" is a beautiful book. The illustrations are lovely to look at, and the book is fun to read. A good choice for anyone to add to their library; especially recommended for those interested in the Kennedys and Jackie in particular. Evokes the fun mood of Jackie's scrapbook written with her sister Lee, "One Special Summer".

if you know a child or adult who needs a good fun laugh and has the imagination to enjoy this child/adult book then don't hesitate to get it. i received it just before new years day and had a good laugh to blow 2007 blues away completely. know someone in hospital who is allowed to laugh --- best gift ever. my father would have enjoyed this book during his hospital stay. i intend to share it with him shortly and he's 84.

Excellent Book. Fun Read. We loved the Edge Chronicles - this is just as good.

My granddaughter and I share a love for these books and enjoy reading them and then talking about them. Great book!

Muddle Earth is a great humourous book, which will make you laughing in a min.
Joe is a normal school kid on Earth, that is until he gets sucked up to Muddle Earth with his dog, Henry by a Wizard Randalf that only knows half a spell and who turns him to a warrior hero. The other thing is, he can't go home! He's stuck with Veronica, a sarcastic talking budgie, the clueless Wizard Randalf, and Norbert the Not-so-big, a troll, who's obsessed with baking, and icing sugar.
Soon he finds out that the thing about Mudddle Earth, is that it's really muddled! There's cutlery stampedes, talking trees, and babbling brooks.
AND He's expected to fight dragons, defeat trolls, and Stop Dr. Cuddles from taking over Muddle Earth!
This was a really great book, with a humourous plot, and with even more funnier characters! 5 stars just isn't enough for this book!

I thought that this book was great. From the very beginning it hooks you. I picked up muddle earth because a friend of mine was reading it. It has a great plot that is entwined throughout the whole book, you're always wondering how the silverware fit in. I highly recommend this book. Don't drink anything when you're reading this book, I guaruntee it will come out your nose.

This book is amazing. It saved my relation with my children. I have two teenagers and one pre teen. I had lots of problems with them. A friend of mine gave me this book almost three years ago as a gift. I read it more than once and started using the tips to treat my children. It worked like a charm. I'm really thankful to my friend and those authors. I recommend this book for any parents who have teens. As a matter of fact you don't have to wait till you have teens to read this book. It provides you with great advices to use with your young children to avoid future problems

In the well chosen title and subtitle for their book,the Beshirs' have succinctly encapsulated the essence of their message to parents and their teenage children.Whilst the focus of the book is Muslim Teenagers -the principles of parenting which the authors clearly delineate have relevance for all parents and teenagers.Yes ,the teenager is paradoxically the source of much concern and at the same time represents the hope for the future.It is this dichotomy that the Beshirs with their characteristic clarity and pragmatic approach help us to understand the teenagers life-world-a world charecterised by conflicting values,of tremendous peer -pressure and a world in which these young adults have to live in,undrestand and to establish a solid foundation on which to build the society of the future.This book makes for compelling reading because it is intelligible,practical and it is not esoteric or theoretical.It tackles real concerns and fears.The overriding message one gets is that with wisdom,compassion and meaningful intervention ,parents can effect positive behavioural changes.
Following on their very succesful book Meeting the Challenge of Parenting in the West;an Islamic Perspective,the Beshirs contextualise the situation for parents and children by emphasizing the need to understand teenagers and the bewildering changes that take place during this phase,and their socio-cultural environment which is often diametrically opposed to the values and norms of religion.The six practical signposts offered in their Road Map clearly point out steps that all concerned parents can follow on the journey leading their teenagers to responsible adulthood.We are shown how to nurture and develop a strong personality in our youth and how to transform them from passive apologists to confident young men and women who willingly and joyfully are convinced about their way of life.The principles derived from Koran and Sunnah underpin the practical advice and guidance offered.
As in their previous book,I found that the typical case studies very aptly illustrate the dilemma that confronts parents and their teenage children.How to analyse a situation,how to evaluate the options and how to arrive at acceptable solutions present the reader with many valuable insights.For me personally ,the 'cherry on the top' is always the contribution of the Beshirs' own daughters.In relating their personal experiences,they provide a refreshingly authentic perspective on thr pressures that confont them and the manner in which their parents'meaningful intervention has helped them to make the right choice.Here then is positive proof that even in this day and age ,it is possible to raise Muslim teens who despite being today's concern are yet tomorrow's hope.
Finally,this book is a must for parents and teenagers alike.

In the well chosen title and subtitle for their book,the Beshirs' have succinctly encapsulated the essence of their message to parents and their teenage children.Whilst the focus of the book is Muslim Teenagers -the principles of parenting which the authors clearly delineate have relevance for all parents and teenagers.Yes ,the teenager is paradoxically the source of much concern and at the same time represents the hope for the future.It is this dichotomy that the Beshirs with their characteristic clarity and pragmatic approach help us to understand the teenagers life-world-a world charecterised by conflicting values,of tremendous peer -pressure and a world in which these young adults have to live in,undrestand and to establish a solid foundation on which to build the society of the future.This book makes for compelling reading because it is intelligible,practical and it is not esoteric or theoretical.It tackles real concerns and fears.The overriding message one gets is that with wisdom,compassion and meaningful intervention ,parents can effect positive behavioural changes.
Following on their very succesful book Meeting the Challenge of Parenting in the West;an Islamic Perspective,the Beshirs contextualise the situation for parents and children by emphasizing the need to understand teenagers and the bewildering changes that take place during this phase,and their socio-cultural environment which is often diametrically opposed to the values and norms of religion.The six practical signposts offered in their Road Map clearly point out steps that all concerned parents can follow on the journey leading their teenagers to responsible adulthood.We are shown how to nurture and develop a strong personality in our youth and how to transform them from passive apologists to confident young men and women who willingly and joyfully are convinced about their way of life.The principles derived from Koran and Sunnah underpin the practical advice and guidance offered.
As in their previous book,I found that the typical case studies very aptly illustrate the dilemma that confronts parents and their teenage children.How to analyse a situation,how to evaluate the options and how to arrive at acceptable solutions present the reader with many valuable insights.For me personally ,the 'cherry on the top' is always the contribution of the Beshirs' own daughters.In relating their personal experiences,they provide a refreshingly authentic perspective on thr pressures that confont them and the manner in which their parents'meaningful intervention has helped them to make the right choice.Here then is positive proof that even in this day and age ,it is possible to raise Muslim teens who despite being today's concern are yet tomorrow's hope.
Finally,this book is a must for parents and teenagers alike.

This book is an excellent guide for helping parents raise their teens in today's society.
I found that the book highlights many of the family values and principles that are missing from our modern society. The information in the book is complemented with input from professionals in various fields on the psychological, physical, and spiritual aspects of growing up as a teen.
I enjoyed very much reading the case studies and practical examples; I thought they were very informative and helpfull in highlighting solutions and recommendations to many issues.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has young children or teens, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims.

I really enjoyed reading this book for many reasons. It was comprehensive and practical, covering many of the real-life issues we may face raising teenagers today. It was also simple and easy to follow, while still educating me on some issues that are quite valuable, such as the physical, psychological, spiritual and emotional changes that teenagers go through.

The one thing that I liked the most about this book is the case studies, because they gave me the chance to see the application instead of just the theory, and they really helped me bring to home all the issues discussed in the book.

I am a beginner backyard bird watcher and I really enjoyed this book. It has some great pictures to help you identify birds, or even just to look at. The book doesn't stop there, however, it gives you nice detailed information of bird behavior, sounds, nests and habitat. I recommend this book to beginner or intermediate bird watchers.

This book is a really nice reference book for the backyard birdfeeder. It's not just a bird identifier book, it has chapters on bird survival and behavior. I'm glad to have it my small bird library and refer to it often.

...to receive this fine book! Trying to identify the birds visiting my backyard feeder with old field guide books was not working. They simply had too much information geared for experts. This book is nicely laid out and clear, offering tips for attracting, feeding, watering and identifying the birds visiting your backyard, as well as instructions for building bird houses, feeders, and so on. I put several of the ideas to use immediately! If you are an amateur backyard birder, this is the book for you!!

This lovely DK (Dorling Kindersley) has the trademark vivid photographs on every page. Detailed information on discouraging squirrels, plans for making your own feeders of different types and lists of various birds you can attract using various methods.

Each bird page has a detailed photo of the bird, a map of the United States showing where and when you can see the bird, behavior and description of sounds and songs, nesting habits, and the best kind of food to attract and benefit the birds you want.

Information on bird baths and nesting boxes is also provided.

A great resource for those who love to have God's creatures in their yard, but don't know the best way to attract them.

This revised edtion will make an excellent gift for the beginning or intermediate backyard birder. Photographic plates thoughout serve as good visual aids. Photos are exquisite in detail despite the size of some color plates. This book also contains plans for feeders of various types. Overall, a good addition for any birding enthusiast.

As both an instructor of adult learners and one of the interviewees in the work (who faced many stereotypical situations growing up in New Jersey...there are Cherokees in New Jersey?!! Amazing!), I can say that a book like this should be mandatory in the school systems of America. Without it, teachers proliferate the same unintentional prejudices they have, and kids receive that and pass it on as adults.

The book was clearly laid out, with seemingly much thought into how the information could be displayed in an informative and easy to understand fashion. As an educator, I rely on such layouts to make classes easier to design, and I appreciate the work the authors did in making my job of teaching adults how to teach to diverse groups a little easier.

To Yvonne and Arlene... wado! (thanks in Cherokee)

Donada!

As a teacher concerned with intercultural realations, I was so excited to find a book that would finally tell the truth about Indians. They exist today and are involved in all kinds of things from Tai Chi to engineering. As a social studies teacher, I am relieved to finally have a book that gives an accurate picture of Indians with easy activities that I can use with any age. Although this book is a teaching guide, grades 4 - 8, it can be used with all ages and in a variety of subjects from sports to science to career exploration to current events. Not only does this book celebrate Indian culture, but it compares similiarities with other groups, finding the strength in all.

There are web sites, resources on books, films, curriculum units in the appendices and at the end of each chapter. All of the chapter titles are interesting and witty like "Where We Live" which includes a brief history of how Indians were moved about and map exercises on identifying where Indians live today. Another chapter is "Paying the Bills" which has photos and mini-biographies on Indians in a variety of professions and activities on tribal businesses. Students can learn what is offensive to Indian people and what problems confront them today in "The STruggle Continues." Art projects, writing projects and even games for the classroom are all in here! This is a fantastic book! Every classroom needs it!

I am a Cherokee New Yorker (Nuyagi Tsalagi) who volunteered for ten years working with the Native American Education Program for New York City as a member of the Parent's Committee. It was during this time that I met Yvonne Beamer and the other dedicated men and women who worked so hard to identify and help Native American children in the city. It was humbling to understand that every time we identified a new child for our program we found a damaged child, one who had been hurt by the mistaken stereotypes perpetuated in the larger population of the city. A large part of our struggle as an institution was to get appropriate information in the hands of teachers so they could be accurate and informative when they augmented their lessons with Native American materials. After too long, Yvonne and Arlene Hirschfelder have put together a book with many activities and resources for teachers grade 4-8 to use in their classrooms. The material is appropriate sociologically and pedagogically and fills a gaping void for teachers. It was always our experience that once we talked to teachers and showed them materials to use in their classrooms all their students become better, not simply the Native Americans in their midst. There is a deep hunger for accurate, relevant information about Native Americans in the youth of today. This book is a giant first step at feeding that hunger.

Native Americans Today is a sensitive comprehensive and imaginative education activity book that helps teachers and students dispel stereotypes and explore diverse realities of modern Native Americans. This book works nicely with multi-cultural studies and Native American studies for middleschoolers. Lessons are divided into 8 chapters/categories: Ground Rules, Where We Live, Growing Up, Growing Old, å Day In the Life, Communications, Arts (Walk In Beauty), Economics, and The Struggle Continues. Each lesson is carefully organized and clearly presented with grade level materials, time, objectives, activities, and enrichment/extensions plus reading and resources. The lessons on Native American terminology and stereotyping are particularly good. Field trips to the community and crafts and research projects flesh out the classroom discussion exercises. Students learn to define respect as well as racism. One of my favorite sections is the chapter on Indians in Careers/employment under Paying the Bills/Economics. There are 32 biographical sketches of Native American individuals and their employment along with black and white photos. Careers range from teaching/research, social work, casino poker dealer, computer instructor, and bank president to massage therapist, aeronautical engineer, repatriation director and osteopathic physician. The objective is that students will learn Native Americans are employed in many vocations and locations,become familiar with credentials required for certain careers, and use mapping skills. Another interesting lesson is Burial Ground Desecration and Repatriation. Students read "No Peace For Indian Burial Grounds" and discuss related issues. An energetic approach encompasses many ideas and stimulates the students. Also useful are the appendices on web sites, Native News Radio Stations, and other resources. As a teaching guide and multicultural studies resource, Native Americans Today is a rich resource, carefully and authentically created. But it is more than just effective. It is a clear labor of love.

Nancy Lorraine Reviewer

As a teacher concerned with intercultural realations, I was so excited to find a book that would finally tell the truth about Indians. They exist today and are involved in all kinds of things from Tai Chi to engineering. As a social studies teacher, I am relieved to finally have a book that gives an accurate picture of Indians with easy activities that I can use with any age. Although this book is a teaching guide, grades 4 - 8, it can be used with all ages and in a variety of subjects from sports to science to career exploration to current events. Not only does this book celebrate Indian culture, but it compares similiarities with other groups, finding the strength in all.

There are web sites, resources on books, films, curriculum units in the appendices and at the end of each chapter. All of the chapter titles are interesting and witty like "Where We Live" which includes a brief history of how Indians were moved about and map exercises on identifying where Indians live today. Another chapter is "Paying the Bills" which has photos and mini-biographies on Indians in a variety of professions and activities on tribal businesses. Students can learn what is offensive to Indian people and what problems confront them today in "The STruggle Continues." Art projects, writing projects and even games for the classroom are all in here! This is a fantastic book! Every classroom needs it!

"Neighbors" is a book I read after living around, and learning the places and people of New Mexico. "Neighbors" does something neat. It transports you to the dirt roads, the yards, the homes of people living simple, straighforward yet spiritual lives in the Southwest. Not unlike "Shiloh", her latest work, Woodruff succeeds with her invitation for you to visit and learn from her story. And a great story "Neighbors" is... Intelligent, entertaining... I like Woodruff's work because it is extremely true to the Southwest - and the people who could possibly be your "Neighbors".

A hilarious and heartfelt detour through New Mexico's hinterlands. Its portrayal of the protagonist's pueblo neighbors leaves more stereotyped "colorful native characters" whimpering in the dust.

Joan Leslie Woodruff writes with a voice that warms the heart and makes the reader smile. I couldn't put this book down. The characters are quirky and entertaining and the story held me in its grip from page one.

Joan Leslie Woodruff is one of the most refreshing, original voices in current American fiction. Her books rank well in the company of such writers as Barbara Kingsolver and Amy Tan. "Neighbors" is a quirky story, humorous yet spiritually deep. The Native American sensibilities are authentic, derived from the writer's ancestry and her experiences in New Mexico. The heroine, Dana Whitehawk, moves from Los Angeles to New Mexico, where she discovers that some of her 'neighbors' are not ordinary folks. The beauty of Woodruff's tale is in the language. She explores the boundary between magic and reality, leaving readers to make up their own minds about some of the book's questions. Both comparatively short and generally upbeat, "Neighbors" is a good read for someone with a tight schedule who would like a "feel good" book. If you like this one, try "The Shiloh Renewal" -- it's topically different, but told with similar skill.

Neighbors, an enchanting book about a woman from California who moves to New Mexico, captured my interest from the outset.. Her adventures take the reader into realms of the psyche and ancient times which sparkle with contemporary dialogue and surprises on nearly every page.The author's handling of the characters in the wonderful New Mexican landscape color the scenes with easily imaginable situations even when you are not sure if you are in present time.

Harvey Arden has once again written a superb piece of work. Along with several of his other works, Arden continues the tradition that he, along with Steve Wall, began many moons ago; a tradition of listening and learning. Arden has stimulated my own path and for that, I am truly grateful. I also highly recommend his book, "Have you thought of Leonard Peltier Lately." A sad episode in U.S. history to make the ultimate understatement. Brother Arden, Keep Hope Alive!

Very good and truly authentic..

This is one of the best books written about Native American spirituality. It is a book I shall treasure always. My one regret this that I was not able to meet and talk with Mr. King (Noble Red Man).

This book enlightened me with the wisdom of the original Americans. It's hard to believe the Christians were trying to convert a people most likely much closer to God than themselves. Several Indians performed acts that would be considered miracles by those of other faiths. Wonderful book.

"We Lakota people have our giveaways. When something important happens we celebrate by sharing what we have," said the late Chief Mathew King, known as Noble Red Man in Indian Country. "Even the poorest among us share what we have....The more you share the more you're given to share."

Which is precisely what editor Harvey Arden has accomplished with his passion for keeping alive the wisdom of the American Indian. In this book, Arden, a former senior editor for National Geographic, has compiled a comprehensive volume of the thoughts, philosophy, humor and spirit of the great Oglala Lakota (Sioux) chief.

Noble Red Man was born Mathew King in 1902 in Grass Creek, S.D., a small community of Indians from different bands. He died in 1989. In the long stretch of time in between, he absorbed knowledge, wisdom and experiences that molded him into a sage and respected leader.

After three years in military school, his parents enrolled him in the Springfield Indian Seminary to become an ordained Episcopal minister. Hunger, more than faith, was his motivation.

"If you converted you ate better," said Noble Red Man. "To help feed the starving Lakota my father and uncles became missionaries." During training, he concluded that - despite being very spiritual - that the clergy was not his calling. He had misgivings over Christian theology. "I have always believed in the Great Spirit and worshipped Him in my own way," he said. "These people don't seem to want to change my belief in the Great Spirit, but to change my way of talking to Him."

Instead, Noble Red Man set out to do the Great Spirit's work by teaching Indians to "earn their bread by the sweat of their brow," finding work and securing labor rights for thousands of Indians over the years. He became a voice not only for the Lakota people, but American Indians everywhere, taking their case to court, before Congress and even overseas. His passion was fighting to regain South Dakota's Black Hills, sacred land promised the Lakota by the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, but swindled from them five years later when gold was discovered.

The federal government belittled the Indians' claim to this revered land in the 1970s by offering them $100 million. Noble Red Man retorted: "The Black Hills aren't for sale. What if we offered you a hundred million dollars for the Vatican, for Jerusalem?" The money still sits in escrow, unclaimed.

Arden first met Noble Red Man in 1983, on the 10th anniversary of the Lakota occupation of Wounded Knee, S.D., a reservation hamlet that was the site of the American Indians' last stand in 1890, as federal troops massacred over 350 Indians. The 1973 occupation - which was met with an FBI siege for 71days - was staged by the American Indian Movement (AIM) in protest over the government's harsh treatment of Indians. He and venerated Chief Frank Fools Crow provided moral support to the occupiers, while placating armed FBI agents.

As Arden attempted to explain to Noble Red Man why he'd come to Pine Ridge, the chief shot back: "I know why you're here! White Man came to this country and forgot his original Instructions. We Indians have never forgotten our Instructions.... I can't tell you what those were, but maybe there are some things that I can explain...."

That is what Arden has done. Culled from his interview notes and tapes, Arden felt that he didn't have enough material to compile the book that was Noble Red Man's unrealized dream. After the chief's death, Arden visited his daughter, Lavon King, who had kept her father's old reel-to-reel tapes in a trunk. In a labor of love, by 1994 Arden finished the job he began 11 years earlier. With this book, he has put into print Noble Red Man's credo, reflections, recollections and hopes.

There is even a good measure of humor, which captures Noble Red Man's keen sense of irony. My favorite anecdote was how he became a smoker at age four (!) by rolling cigarettes for his grandmother, Cane Woman. She "was blind, and I had to guide her around with her cane. People really laughed when they saw us....We must have been quite a sight, the two of us, both smoking Bull Durham cigarettes while I led her around by the elbow."

Reading his words, I was struck by how senseless the gulf between American Indians and the Americans occupying their land is, for they aspire freedom in the truest sense. However, more than any other people, American Indians have been systematically denied that freedom.

Yet, Noble Red Man kept optimistic. He counseled his fellow Indians to stay true to their heritage.

"Only one thing's sadder than remembering you once were free, and that's forgetting you once were free. That would be the saddest thing of all. That's one thing we Indians will never do."