North America Books

There are some books that are just so informative that no library should be without them. There are some books that are written so well that it is a positive joy to read the text. There are some people who have such a way of looking at the world that you feel comfort hearing them speak. There are people who have seen so much that their opinion is something you seek.

All of these traits are combined in this volume that only Foote's Civil War trilogy can compare with. The small stories that are routinely missed (such as the origin of "the real McCoy) and the relevence of these ordinary people making extrodinary things happen are coupled with the tales of the extraordinary people who had their ordinary vices. (Franklin's advice to take an older mistress because they are both more discreet and more grateful) Both named and unnamed he tells their tale as it fits in the piece of this puzzle of America

Unlike much of history which seems to have an agenda, Cooke's masterpiece is classical, telling a story of grandur without fawning and of warts without lambasting. It is a grand overview rather than a list of presidents, wars and laws. He captures the essense of what is importnat. It is as if he wished to give a consice guide to his compatriots in England of what facinates him about this land that he eventually settled as did many in his story.

It captures what America and Americans are very well and would be an excellent guide to any person who wants to understand us. With so many Americans ignorant of their own history it would be an even better guide to todays college or high school students to make them understand this land of their birth and how it came to be what it is.

This book is 30 years old as I write this (July 4th 2003) at the time he wrote this Cooke was in his 27th year of his Letter from America Broadcast for the BBC. When you finish this book you will find yourself wanting more. Have no fear Mr Cooke is now in his 57th year of his broadcasts telling the story of America 15 minutes at a time continues. Lets hope he dictates a sequel filling in these 30 years.

Besides being a beautifully written, poetic portrait of America's history, the author's British background provides for a totally different perspective. This viewpoint provides a different insight on people and events that an American writer might not have grasped and that I found very interesting and refreshing.

No stiff upper lip Brit here, not at all. As a transplanted British journalist Alistair Cooke who studied in America's Ivy League universities and then returned to America as a BBC correspondent seems to have been deeply affected and impressed by what he saw here. He stayed here and became a citizen. If the little man and his small cracker-barrel anecdotes represented the collective spirit of the country Alistair Cooke's fascination of the common man's philosophy captured that spirit simply and eloquently in his writings. This simple eloquent approach addressed and exposed the heart and feeling of the people that drove the great country for higher aspirations of the human experience. This is what he wrote about. His observations and examination of the Civil War capture the fervent feelings that Americans held be they morally right or wrong. Yet at the end of this struggle the common purpose of the people did not deter them to find their destiny in this land. The spirit never died and that is what Cooke seems to capture, explore and explain in such eloquent words.

Alistair Cooke, who died very recently, was a Briton who first came to America during the dark days of the Great Depression as a very young BBC correspondent. The venerated justice Oliver Wendell Holmes was one of the very first people whom he met - and he writes eloquently of that encounter in the Civil War chapter of this book. Finding our spirit and our optimism contagious, Cooke spent much, if not most of his life here for the next seven decades, getting the know the best and the brightest, the celebrity and the common man on the street, learned about our history with an appreciation that very few - even many Americans - have for this country.

The result is "Alistair Cooke's America" first published as a loving tribute to this country at its Bicentennial in 1976, with a revised forward in 2002, though with no mention of the tumultous events of September 11, 2001. Cooke writes movingly of our history and of the spirit of the American people, the fight for Liberty during the American Revolution, the move westward, that "firebell in the night" (to quote Thomas Jefferson) as the country tore itself apart over the question of Slavery. He writes of the Civil War, interestingly considering Antietam to be a much more significant battle than Gettysburg. His views on Abraham Lincoln are also surprising, in his view that President Lincoln was venerated in great part due to his death, and being the leader of the winning side.

Cooke also spends much more writing space on Woodrow Wilson, whom he clearly admires for his domestic and foreign policies, but either ignores or just wasn't aware of Wilson's Racist policies. By contrast, Theodore Roosevelt, whose Presidency bridged the gap between the Civil War years and America becoming a major power, gets barely two pages.

Cooke's chapter on the "Arsenal of Democracy" is a revelatory look at how America's policy of "Lend Lease" and our subsequent entry into World War II did save the world from Hitlerism, especially when France had fallen and Britain was on the ropes.

Despite some of his views, or perhaps because of them - This well-written and profusely illustrated book deserves the five-star review because Alistair Cooke wrote a history that belongs on every thoughtful American's bookshelf alongside Stephen Ambrose's "To America". The things we take for granted about how great this country is were never missed by this great British writer.

His prose depicting the American people throughout our nation's historical record are eloquent and shear poetry to read. His endearing objectivity and love of this land through his insightful words are stirring and heartwarming. You do not come across this type of writing with genuine devotion, respect and love for what comprised the greatness of the American spirit.

As the youngest son of Jim Thorpe, I want to thank Bill Crawford for finally bringing out the truth in writing as to what happened to our father. For years our family and others have tried to clear his name. Much still needs to be done. Although his Gold Medals from the 1912 Olympics have been returned, dad is only named co-winner. His trophys from the games are still held by the IOC.

Mr. Crawford writes a wonderfull book. But,there is still a lack of understanding of the Indian culture,and what took place in the Indian School System during the early years of the last century, the Indian were not citizens of the United States and held on legal status. Dad did what he was told to do and suffered for his lack of knowledge and having no legal support.

As a family, we still want his name fully cleared and his full honors returned. Then the day would come when he can be put to rest.

Bill Crawford has written a fairly thorough and detailed account of Jim Thorpe, without a doubt the greatest athlete of the 20th Century. Mr. Crawford, however, fell short when relating, on pages 231-232, Thorpe's passing and eventual burial. At his death he was brought back to Shawnee, Oklahoma, by his family. He was NOT BURIED, as Mr. Crawford states, but his body lay in the mausoleum at Fairview Cemetery. Many local people visited the site in respect, myself included. During the months his body rested there several prominent citizens began work on a project to build a permanent monument for him. Designs for a burial place and a museum were developed and funds began to be raised. Preliminary plans were to put it between the football and baseball field on the west side of town. However, before the total could be raised and the plans finalized Thorpe's body disappeared, literally, in the middle of the night - much to the surprise of his family and to Shawnee citizens. It was a terrible disappointment. In 1949, on one of his trips back to Oklahoma, he had stated that he was born May 28, 1888 "near and south of Bellemont - Pottawatomie County - along the banks of North Fork River . . hope this will clear up the inquiries as to my birthplace", signed Jim Thorpe. (Bellemont was on the county line between Pottawatomie and Lincoln counties, 8 miles off Hwy 18 - Shawnee is the county seat of Pottawatomie County and about 11 miles from the site). Thus, Shawnee citizens were very proud to be known as the home of the greatest athlete of all time. When the town didn't get to be the resting place of Thorpe's body it was decided to name the football stadium in his honor anyway, and it's known as Jim Thorpe Stadium to this day. It was surprising to read in Mr. Crawford's book that "Shawnee refused to erect a memorial for her husband". It just wasn't so and a little further research on his part, maybe perusing copies of the Shawnee News-Star in the local library. Also, just a few years ago (haven't been out there in a while), there was a marker on the vault at Fairview describing that was where Jim Thorpe's body had lain.

Bill Crawford's "All American: The Rise and Fall of Jim Thorpe" is a well crafted, insightful and poignant portrait of one of the 20th century's greatest athletes. That alone would be sufficient to give it all-star status among the scores of sports books published in recent years. "All American," however, is far more than that because paints a unique and compelling picture of "amateur" intercollegiate athletics in its infancy and thereby helps us to understand behemoth that it has become today.

Jim Thorpe's story has been told in other biographies as well as in a grade B movie. Crawford's contribution is its investigation of the complex relationship between Thorpe and his legendary coach, Glenn "Pop" Warner - the same Pop Warner who is the namesake of the youth football leagues that are supposed to instill in young men the spirit and ideals of honest and fair competition. Yet, as early as the first decade of the century, Warner, the football coach at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, was earning more than his school's president, was recruiting "student athletes" who were far more athlete than student and was disbursing under the table cash. Although Warner won the trust and loyalty of Thorpe, he ultimately betrayed him by denying that he knew that he had played semi-pro baseball for petty cash. As a consequence, the Amateur Athletic Union and the American Olympic Committee ruled that Thorpe had compromised his amateur status and stripped him of his 1912 Olympic medals. In fact, Crawford makes clear, Warner not only was aware of what Thorpe had been doing in football's off-season, he most likely made the arrangements.

"All American: The Rise and Fall of Jim Thorpe" should be required reading for anyone wishing to gain a perspective on the sports scandals du jour. It's an important book and a great compliment to the daily sports section.

This book provides the most detailed history yet of America's greatest athlete. In an era where athletes could not enhance their performance with drugs, Jim Thorpe was clearly, naturally the best. Bill Crawford's detailed account of Thorpe's life leaves no doubt in my mind. I am amazed by the amount of information Crawford provides on Thorpe as well as other athletes of the time. The history he provides of Carlisle and the Indian school system in general illustrates how poorly the BIA and the US government treated Indians. "All American: The Rise and Fall of Jim Thorpe" should be required reading for all BIA officials as well as strongly recommended reading for others in government. Certainly student athletes and athletic officials would enjoy and learn from it.

All American: The Rise And Fall Of Jim Thorpe is the biography of one of the greatest athletes of the twentieth century - who was also at the center of one of the greatest scandals. Jim Thorpe was a grand football running back, a proud Native American, a college player who led his Carlisle Indian Industrial School team to victory, and the winner of gold medals for the decathlon and the pentathlon at the 1912 Olympic Games. Yet a scandal ensued over whether he was truly worthy of "amateur" sports status, whether playing in certain professional ball games required that he be stripped of his titles. The scandal dragged his reputation through the mud and left a black mark on his life, even though he would go on to play professional baseball and become president of what would one day be the National Football League. All American is the candid portrayal of a courageous and dedicated athlete, and one who was essentially used as a guinea pig to determine the rules - who is an amateur, and who is a pro, and what amateurs and pros are allowed to do or not do. Enjoyable in its own right, All American is a welcome addition to prominent Native American biography collections, and highly recommended for American sports history shelves.

One of my uncles served in the Rangers during world war two, faught in Anzio. My father served in the Rangers in Korea. He idolized Robert Rogers. His favorite novel was North West Passage, and was just as fond of the movie. And if either were alive today, I would send them this book.

This is the best book on the Colonial Rangers I have yet found. though Sketch Book 56 volume one Rogers'Rangers by Ted Spring is a good second. Very informative. Well illustrated. Straight to the point. Each of its sixty three pages is solid information gold.

For those with a desire to know more about this subject this is The Book to get.

It is probably the best book produced by Osprey.

There has been occasional grumbling from Osprey series authors about the limits of the format in the various Osprey series ( Men-at-Arms, Warrior, etc.). Within the 64 page limit for the Warrior series this is a fine reference work. However, it is not an exhaustive study of all Ranger units operating in the time period and geographic region indicated. Mr. Zaboly is clearly an expert in the Ranger units associated with Robert Rogers. But there is very little mention of other Ranger units that existed in the same place and time. The activities of Roger's units are illustrative of most aspects of Ranger operations though. Roger's Rangers exploits are generally acknowledged to represent the pinnacle of Ranger achievements at the time. There are stirring tales of struggle in accomplishing epic raids deep into enemy territory here. There is also no shying away from Ranger participation in the grislier aspects of frontier warfare. Overall, Mr. Zaboly's historical text is informative, substantive and fully informed by many first-hand source documents.

What sets this study apart from other Osprey Warrior series titles though are the illustrations. Mr. Zaboly is an accomplished artist who has illustrated his own work. The numerous drawings by the author that populate this book are vivid illustrations of the way Rangers dressed, encamped, fought and survived in the Eastern wilderness. These outstanding drawings make the modest price of this publication a real bargain. As long as the reader is not dismayed by a tight focus on Roger's Ranger units, this title will not disappoint.

The quality of Osprey's illustrated military histories varies widely. Some volumes are produced by qualified authorities who know their respective subjects inside and out. Others are shoddy rush jobs put out by hacks. Gray Zaboly's _American Colonial Ranger: The Northern Colonies 1724-64_ deserves to be ranked among Osprey's best. Indeed, it is unexcelled by any volume that Osprey has put out in the past thirty years.

_American Colonial Ranger_ is the result of decades of intensive research. Zaboly is universally acknowledged as one of the leading interpreters of the history, dress, weapons, and equipment of Rogers' Rangers and the other ranger units raised in the North American colonies to battle the French and their Indian allies. His mastery of a wide array of sources is evident from the text, which is as well written as it is authoritative. Zaboly is not only a skilled wordsmith, but he is also a leading historical artist, and his superbly rendered color plates make this book a feast for the eyes. In too many books of this type, the plates resemble groups of mannequins modeling various uniforms. In _American Colonial Ranger_, six of Zaboly's plates are painted scenes that capture important moments in ranger history -- as well as giving the reader a good view of what these remarkable frontier soldiers wore and carried.

With _American Colonial Ranger_, Osprey has set a new standard for itself and its competitors. It can only be hoped that it will commission Zaboly to turn out more titles as outstanding as this one.

An excellent source on the colonial rangers, experts at surviving in brutal situations-and an even more brutal war. These rangers, many being Scotch-Irish in descent, formed a unique fusion of European and Indian tactics and fighting styles which proved to be both effective and savage. The author's text is readable, interesting, and detailed, while his color plates are absolutely awesome.

This is easily one of Osprey's best titles in the Warrior series. Not only the usual color prints but several of the authors own drawings. It mixes facts with folklore which makes this title very informative. A must read for French and Indian war studies!

Outstanding book; fascinating stories told by an amazing woman; so important for minority women writers and all serious readers.

Wonderful book. Gives insight into not only Lakota Cultural Past and Present, but very personal looks at life through the eyes of a Lakota woman at a tenuous time in US history.

"American Indian Stories, Legends, and Other Writings" is a collection of pieces by Zitkala-Sa (also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin). The book is edited, with an introduction and notes by, Cathy N. Davidson and Ada Norris. Born on the Yankton Sioux reservation in South Dakota in 1876, Zitkala-Sa worked as a writer and activist for Native American causes, and died in 1938.

The editors divide Zitkala-Sa's writings into 4 main sections: "Old Indian Legends," "American Indian Stories," "Selections from _American Indian Magazine_," and "Poetry, Pamphlets, Essays, and Speeches." I really loved the legends, which are Zitkala-Sa's versions of tales that had been passed down orally. These stories are full of magic, transformations, fantastic beings, and amazing feats. Many tales feature Iktomi, a "spider fairy" who is a mischievous trickster.

The section on stories features realistic narratives of Indian lives. All together these stories create a vivid and fascinating portrait, with details about Indian crafts, food preparation, and social customs. The many nonfiction pieces in the book cover a number of topics, such as Native American soldiers in World War I, Native American religion, and Indian political issues. Many of these pieces show the author to be a really forward thinking woman with a global perspective; her acknowledgement of the "universal cry for freedom from injustice" really seems to foreshadow the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. and other great activist-writers of the later 20th century.

The book is full of great supplemental materials: a comprehensive introduction; a lengthy bibliographic list of suggestions for further reading; an informative note on the texts; and endnotes. Zitkala-Sa is truly a fascinating figure. As the book's introduction notes, she "trod the unstable terrain between radicalism, separatism, assimilationism, and intermittent conservatism." The American Indian experience as embodied in her writings shows both fascinating parallels and contrasts with other ethnic American experiences. I consider this book a valuable contribution to Native American studies, women's studies, and American literature; I recommend it highly both for classroom use and individual reading.

Zitkala-Sa: American Indian Stories, Legends, and Other Writings edited with an introduction and notes by Cathy N. Davidson and Ada Norris. Highly recommended.

Zitkala-Sa (Gertrude Simmons Bonnin), a South Dakota Sioux (through her mother; her father was white) born in 1876, the year of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, was an educator, musician, writer, and activist. She served as the secretary and treasurer of the Society of American Indians (SAI) and as editor of SAI's American Indian Magazine.

This collection of Zitkala-Sa's work includes background information about the author; a chronology of contemporary events; selections from "Old Indian Legends" (retellings of oral story traditions); "American Indian Stories"; selections from American Indian Magazine; and some of her poetry, pamphlets, essays, and speeches.

"Old Indian Legends" introduces Sioux traditions, including Iktomi (a trickster who often takes the form of a spider), Iya the glutton (able to consume whole villages), and the characters of the Sioux world-coyotes, ducks, the terrifying Red Eagle and the stranger who slays it, turtles, toads, mice, bears, badgers, and more. While at first these traditions and stories may strike the outsider as different and alien, to some extent they can evoke some European fairy tale traditions (which also may seem alien to modern sensibilities). Some of the most charming, like "Dance in a Buffalo Skull," are written in human terms but have no human characters. "Dance," with its "two balls of fire" growing "larger and brighter" and building of suspense, is an excellent short horror story as well.

The editors note that Zitkala-Sa "makes significant changes to the traditional tales in order to address key political and social issues . . . specifically, land infringement, challenges to tribal sovereignty, and the effects of missionary boarding schools on Yankton or Sioux culture more generally." Careful in her use of her second language, English, Zitkala-Sa makes a telling transposition in her preface to "Old Indian Legends"; the Indian is the "little black-haired aborigine," while the European-American is the "blue-eyed little patriot." Can the people who subjugate and destroy the original natives of the land be anything more than "little" patriots? How great can their patriotism be? The answer is implicit, but Zitkala-Sa believed the old Indian legends belong as much to him simply because of "our near kinship with the rest of humanity" and because "After all, he [the Indian] seems at heart much like other peoples."

Several of "American Indian Stories" (which established Zitkala-Sa's literary reputation) are mostly autobiographical. Some describe her representative experience at a Quaker boarding school in Wabash, Indiana. In these, Zitkala-Sa masterfully makes the reader feel how shocking and horrifying our comfortable culture was to children who grew up in a different-but comfortable-culture, beginning with the cutting of her hair. There are the "loud, metallic voice" of the bell and the "annoying clatter of shoes on bare floors." There is always a "clash of harsh noises"-but mostly there is the "murmuring of an unknown tongue." Zitkala-Sa and others are lured to the school by the promise of "red apples"-a clear reference to Genesis. She refers to her own culture for her revenge on the devil.

The most poignant tale, one that is frequently anthologized, is "The Widespread Enigma Concerning Blue-Star Woman," in which a woman must obtain rights she never would have needed but for white man's law through the trickery of two Indian men who have learned dishonesty in the white men's schools. "A Warrior's Daughter," also often anthologized, tells of an Indian woman who takes action and therefore fate into her own hands-Zitkala-Sa's prescription for women and for her people.

"Selections from American Indian Magazine" and "Poetry, Pamphlets, Essays, and Speeches" are largely exhortations and expositions of Zitkala-Sa's viewpoint. In "The Red Man's America," she satirizes "My Country, 'tis of Thee" to reflect the Indian's disenfranchisement-a favourite theme. Although her advocacy of Indian citizenship was not shared by all Indians (for example, the tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy), Zitkala-Sa felt that, without that right in their own country, Indians would continue to languish unnecessarily as wards of the state, without power or basic rights in a democratic land. Other topics include warnings against the use of peyote; the bravery of Indian soldiers during WWI as well as the place that bravery should have earned the Indian in American society and the brotherhood of man; the need for Indians to become educated and to learn English (her own painful school experience notwithstanding); and the Black Hills claim and similar injustices, such as theft of Ute grazing land, the laws against Indian dance, and the lost treaties of the California Indians. To Zitkala-Sa, Indians were not on an even playing field with whites and, until they took action to educate themselves, secure their rights, and obtain the power of legislative and legal representation, they would continue to be helpless to manage their future.

I recommend that you read Zitkala-Sa together with On the Rez, Ian Frazier's description of today's life on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Together, they tell a tragic tale of the past 130 years that does not bode well for the "brotherhood of man."

Diane L. Schirf, 22 September 2003.

There are two short stories by Zitkala-Sa (Gertrude Bonnin) that have greatly effected my consciousness.

"Why I Am a Pagan," writen for the Atlantic Monthly in 1902 is a brilliant essay. It deals with the spritual independence of Native Americans. An independence found outside the walls of a church, as Bonnin herself writes:

"A wee child toddling in a wonder world, I prefer to their dogma my excursions into the natural gardens where the voice of the Great Spirit is heard in the twittering of birds, the rippling of mighty waters, and the sweet breathing of flowers. If this is Paganism, then at present, at least, I am a Pagan."

Her voice is innocently defiant, because she is a native of a land under the occupation of a foreign government. Only by being conquered are her beliefs, and customs, found to be immoral. To hold on to them in the face of oppression takes great courage.

This theme is continued in another short story "The School Days of an Indian Girl" (Atlantic Monthly, 1900). In this short story, Zitkala-Sa, writes about the experience of a young Native girl going to a distant "White" school. The story hits upon the cultural clashes that occur.

At home the young Native girl is the apple of her mother's eye. Taken from her home she becomes a subject to authority. Zitkala-Sa describes the event of her hair being cut at the "White" school:

"I cried aloud, shaking my head all the while until I felt the cold blades of the scissors against my neck, and heard them gnaw off one of my thick braids. Then I lost my spirit. Since the day I was taken from my mother I had suffered extreme indignities."

Zitkala-Sa's writing is unrelentingly honest, but has some comedic tones in it as well.

I have had a long-time interest in the Aztecs but had not yet had the chance to read extensively on their culture. I was looking for an overview, and this book was excellent in its sensible organization, which was easy to grasp for someone unfamiliar with social science research and writing in general.

The book title reflects the contents perfectly. Professor Dossick covers rituals and history associated with birth, early life, social and moral education, religion, the military, arts and sciences, and agricultural and vocational pursuits - and he ends with death rituals. The book was both readable and informative. I feel that it gave me a good start in understanding this fascinating culture.

Historically, women have had to find a way to live in the patriarchal societies throughout the world, as their destinies most often involved marriage. Marriage offered safety and social acceptance; the man was the unquestioned breadwinner.

The world of the ancient Aztecs was governed by men.

The story of the Aztec men and women can be seen as an object lesson in stoicism and strength, religious devotion, and attendance to duty.

As the officers, politicians and church leaders commanded the soldiers and farmers, so the men tended to command the women. The oppression becomes very real, as the rules of the state and the church break whatever resistance they might encounter with the application of utter control and overwhelming brutality. The women spend their time cooking, cleaning, spinning cloth, and tending to the children.

The tales of sacrifice, and their methods, are ever-present.

Professor Dossick intelligently weaves the social issues together into a communal narrative that slowly generates a life of its own.

What emerges is a portrait of a brilliant and creative people that nourishes introspective contemplation and a profound examination of the patriarchal society.

The socioeconomic, political, and emotional complexity within The Ancient Aztecs, always understated, delivers a harrowing tale of a people's struggle to survive in a hostile environment.

The intricacies of the roles of men and women emerge, as the state forcefully oppresses all those who resist.

The Ancient Aztecs by Dossick leaves the reader with an unforgettable experience from an economical, political, historical, social, and psychological perspective.

My younger brother is planning a long trip through Mexico, and has become interested in all things related to Mexican history. I bought several books for him and his wife, and this one quickly became their favorite.

It's eminently readable and authoritative. After reading it you'll be able to visualize what life was like for the Aztecs as you roam their ruins in Mexico.

Perhaps Dossick's best

The Ancient Aztecs - A complete account of the life of the ancient Aztecs from birth to death - is painstakingly detailed,
referenced, and scholarly.

Well thought out, well reasoned, and well written, Professor Dossick ties together events and history masterfully.

The book has a discernable thesis: that the fall of the Aztec nation before the Conquistadores, which resulted in the
loss of its religion, its art, its social structure, and its language, was a complete disaster for these singularly remarkable
people.

The Ancient Aztecs progresses by argument and example, and does not suffer from some of the assumptions of prior knowledge
that many other books on the subject do.

Overall a top choice for anyone interested in this eternally fascinating subject.

This book goes into wonderful detail on the daily lives of the Aztecs, one of the most formidable empires the world has seen. The rich imagery provided by the author touches on all aspects of the culture and society. The author also goes into great depth on the educational system of the Aztecs, which I found particularly interesting in comparison to our own modern educational practices.

I was maybe five when my dad read this book to me and now, 25 years later, I can still remember the wonder it instilled. If I had $50 to spare I would buy one of these old copies in a heart beat. As it is I can only implore any one in a position to reprint it to do so. You will not be disappointed: it may not seem like much to adults but to children this book is captivating. I can attest to the fact that this is a book a child will never forget.

For anyone searching: this is the one. An easily irritated moon carries off a child and her friend (brother maybe), Lupin, goes on a quest through dark primeval forests of the pacific northwest to save her. From a five year olds perspective this story is epic. I think the thing that stands out the most are the illustrations: dark blues and bright orange, two tiny little kids in a vast, malevolent world.

Found an old hard copy at the library. It was so old that I figured if they still had it after all these years, it must be good! Took it home and the kids and us all loved it. They have changed the way they look at the moon, a new found respect for it's power! We have a number of Native American story books, I especially like the way they tend to incorporate elders as the members with the greatest power. Too many contemporary stories make grandparents out as less valuable. Truly a classic - now off to hunt down my own copy to own.

This was one of my favorite books as a child. I wish they would put it back in print in hardcover so I could get copies for my friends' children.

A young Tlingit boy goes in search of his friend whom the Angry Moon had kidnapped. He meets friends along the way who help him. It's a Native American "Jack in the Beanstalk" story. The art work is lovely, very worth it if you can find a copy. Great for teaching values about having good manners and finding friends in unlikely places.

An amazing picture book by William Sleator (known for HOUSE OF STAIRS and other dark pieces of science fiction) and illustrated by Blair Lent (Caledecott winner for A FUNNY LITTLE WOMAN). It follows a young indian boy through an incredible journey to the moon to rescue his beloved. The artwork is resonant and meaningful and the story compelling. Lots of transformations and magical switcheroos make it satisfying for children of all ages. It is a shame this book is out of print. It needs to be brought back!!

My father told me that no Irishman lets the truth stand in the way of a good story. Who knows what of history is true in any culture. This book recognizes it and makes it an excellent blend and easy reading.

Seumus MacManus is a great story teller in the finest of the shanachie tradtion. This is history through story telling. Most is factual, but the folklore is weaved into the telling of the tale. The descriptions of the life and work of Daniel O'Connell are priceless. As a boy, growing up, I was never certain of what was real and what was fanciful about my Irish heritage. But, isn't that much of the charm of the Irish? I highly recommend this book to the reader who wants to be entertained and disdains dry history books. This is a fun read and a wonderful way to learn of the surprising and incredibly interesting history of an amazing people. I also recommend a new book by Frank Delaney, Ireland, published in 2004. Read it and you will understand why I prefer my history learning to include people like the Shanachies who passed on the oral traditions. But, if you really want to learn about the Irish, go to Ireland, and let the people tell you of their history and culture. I learned more in 16 days in Ireland than anything I have ever read. It is a proud culture of wonderful people. It is important for the reader to know that this was published in 1921 and reflects the attitudes of that time in Ireland.

A classic work of Irish-American partisan history. This was the Irish history taught at our grandparents knee and stories both whispered and shouted at many an auld shebeen. Unfortunately, much of it is highly exagerated and based more upon cultural politics than verifiable history. There is no doubt that the history of the English occupation has been long and cruel, but that in and of itself does not make all things Irish angelic. According to the poet MacManus, Ireland before 1169 was an idylic wonderland inhabited by saints and scholars and noble warriors. Do not misunderstand: I love this book. I retell these tales to any and all who will listen. But it is not history as much as folklore. His dedication to his deceased bride- the poet Ethna Carberry- is touching and sad, but gets obsessive as she is mentioned in almost every chapter. My old copy - 1921- contains blank pages in the back with the instructions to paste the newsclippings about the Treaty there. This book is perhaps one of the last places one can find the stories of Fin MacCool, St. Patrick, Owen Roe O'Neil, Patrick Sarfield and the Fenians all in one volume, and each capter ws writen by different experts (and Nationalists).

The gentle nature of the Irish people is greatly emphasized in this book. The ideas of democracy were practiced in ancient Ireland, according to MacManus. Women were treated as equals in a time when they were but chattle in other areas of the world. The desire to aquire knowledge is clearly evident in the way the scholars of celtic culture were respected and looked to for direction. I was amazed by the Englishmen that participated in the destruction of Irish culture. In particular, Sir Walter Raleigh and the masacre of the Spanish soldiers that came to assist the rebellion of the English invasion of Ireland. That is a part of history not taught in American schools today. We were taught that Raleigh was an heroic man. This book opened my eyes to the true barbarian he was. These are only a few of the details that shocked and interested me about my heritage. I am still reading and anticipate the aditional information I to come.

Genocide has recently become an issue again in current events. The Yugoslavians are having at the Albanians. Africans have and are decimating Africans. Germans have reduced Jewish and Roman Catholic numbers efficiently and effectively. Spanish, French, Scandanavian and English swacked the native Americans and their cultures from Alaska to the southern most end of South America. It's an old story. The English are not alone in their chapters. In fact, they still pompously and righteously perpetuate their own form of genocide at the hands of the native Irish, as they have with South Africans and Indians.

Seumas MacManus allows this to be perfectly clear, not as a biased self appointed judge, but as a historian making available in print information previously unavailable to me and others of Irish descent who have lost their roots because they've been hacked away from them by shame.

It seems once again unjust that a work which salutes the dignity, power and grace of a people is left to die its own death and is no longer published. I was looking for a copy to purchase so I could leave it for my children and their children. I know of no shenachies to continue the tales. Another positive cultural influence destroyed by the insecure British. Just think of what could have been if the British weren't so afraid of the people they didn't understand and therefor massacred and worked with them toward their mutual benefit. We'll never know.

Wonderful history of the native Indians of the Connecticut River Valley and their ancestors from Canada. As you read each chapter, the author provides you with a visual view of the life of her family and those who played a part in their lifetime. You are left with a great respect for your environment and the care that all of us need to take with it or we may loose it. Ms Parker causes you to pause and smell the sweetgrass, listen to the crunch of snow under your feet and appreciate every living thing for the part each plays in our existence. A thoroughly enjoyable book!

Wonderful history of the native Indians of the Connecticut River Valley and their ancestors from Canada. As you read each chapter, the author provides you with a visual view of the life of her family and those who played a part in their lifetime. You are left with a great respect for your environment and the care that all of us need to take with it or we may loose it. Ms Parker causes you to pause and smell the sweetgrass, listen to the crunch of snow under your feet and appreciate every living thing for the part each plays in our existence. A thoroughly enjoyable book!

Aunt Sarah Woman of the Dawnland was a book I would recommend to anyone who wants to read a book that will give you the opportunity to learn and be amazed at the same time. This book tells the life story of Sarah, a Native American Healing Woman and the 108 years that she lived. The author really put her heart and soul in writing this book. I don't want to reveal too much. I just want to say this is a must read book!

Wonderful history of the native Indians of the Connecticut River Valley and their ancestors from Canada. As you read each chapter, the author provides you with a visual view of the life of her family and those who played a part in their lifetime. You are left with a great respect for your environment and the care that all of us need to take with it or we may loose it. Ms Parker causes you to pause and smell the sweetgrass, listen to the crunch of snow under your feet and appreciate every living thing for the part each plays in our existence. A thoroughly enjoyable book!

I was at the Big E in Springfield last year (1998) and I saw a Native American woman that I was compelled to speak with. Her story started coming out at the beginning of the conversation and continues with me to this day. In between I read this book and it was inspiring and yet historical. It was nice to read something about Native Americans that was positive; something that showed their love and devotion to their families; something that talked about their culture; something that spoke about their spirit; something that spoke about the early settlers from their perspective..... I could go on an on. If you want a book that you won't be able to put down -- this is it. If you liked Angela's Ashes and the other McCourt books, you will love this. If you are a Native American you will finally be proud. If you are a human, you will relate to this story. It can have a profound effect on your life.

I like reading about other people's experiences in the spirtual realm. This is a good book about following your inner intuitions and getting back in touch with the root matters of life. A bit depressing at times, supporting at others, this book makes for a great read to add to your spiritual repretoir.

Spirituality lived in real life; the way this man literally follows his dream was so inspiring my husband and I set out on a journey of our own especially to meet the writer.

Spirituality lived in real life; the way this man literally follows his dream was so inspiring my husband and I set out on a journey of our own especially to meet the writer.

I could not put the book down. He had a spiritual repeative dream an he followed it across the country. You must read the book, I don't want to give anything away. Very spiritual. I want to know where the Totem is , Jonathon .

Transcending time, space and material reality, this author takes a giant leap of faith by following his divine visions and dreams to fulfill an ancient Hopi prophecy. His nearly 10 year journey takes him through a series of spiritual awakenings and mystical revelations that compel the author to carve an enormous totem pole which must then be transported from his home in Maine, to an unknown location in Arizona.

This book stirs not only the longing to believe in guidance from a higher source, but also the awakening to the understanding of a greater purpose that we are here to serve. From the mystical to the practical, Jonathon shares his emotions, pain, doubts and fears. An ordinary man (an artist and a carpenter) with an extraordinary gift of vision, he ultimately helps us to understand the power of our spiritual connection to one another and to other frequencies of existence within our universe. Never again will I feel afraid to trust in the divine! This book has answered so many questions about the meaning of life and the discovery of true bliss. A must read for anyone who wishes to rise above the fear and control consciousness of planet earth, to reconnect with the essence of the divine.

The photos are beautiful, the content is fascinating. I bought this book after visiting Bermuda and realize how much I missed. It's not really a travel book, more like a love story (with Bermuda).

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!