North America Books

The discovery of the New World has always been a topic that both fascinated and horrified me. As an American, I recognized that it as the foundation for much of who I am. But as a sensative, caring person, I could not help feeling ashamed of the greed, racism, and cruelty exhibited first by the Spanish conquistadors towards the Aztecs, then by Europeans in general towards all the first nations that were here before us.

By providing a history written by the conquered as well as the conquerors, "Aztec, Death of a Nation" has helped me understand some of the complexity behind the history I learned in school. There are no "good guys" or "bad guys" in this story. Rather, this is really a history of individual human beings.

Some of the people I read about struck me as cruel and barabaric, but because the accounts also provided insight into the social, relgious, and politcial climates and into the personal struggles endured by these people, I came to realize that I couldn't lay blame on any of them. Some of the people I read about struck me as good and kind - more of what I think as as truly civilized - but because I could see that the goodness and kindness came out of individual strength and conviction, I also couldn't judge any of groups of people as being better or worse than any other.

"Aztec, Death of a Nation" is the first book I have found that has been able to help me come to terms with my heritage as a member of the conquering race. Rarely are we given an opportunity like this to see through the eyes of past civilization.

Kenneth Pearce's collection of eyewitness acounts of the rise and fall of the Aztec Empire is a book most fantasy fiction readers won't want to miss. This book weaves many short personal stories together to provide an epic tale of power, glory, and the ultimate clash between two races.

It paints a picture of a culture, religion, and history so different from our own that it feels more alien than many stories set on other planets or in other realities, and it is true.

Those of us who love roller coasters do so partly because they are more than just a thrill; They are real, with a hint of real danger. Reading this book provides that same added edge for the fantasy reader. As this book took me on journeys into the underworld, showed me prophecies from the past, ritual cannibalism and invasion from abroad, a spine tingling whisper in the back of mind kept reminding me that it was all true

I had the pleasure of reading an early draft of this book. The detailed and scholarly endnotes were the only reminder that I was not reading a work of pure fiction, but rather the actual words of soldiers, priests, chiefs, even pesants who were present at the downfall of the Aztec empire. "Aztec, Death of a Nation" is a fractured ancient vase carefully restored by a knowledgable archaeologist.

This book is not just a book, it represents a call for the world to return to sanity and life. everyone must read this, must examine their conscience and decide how much they value life, nature, and the dignity of every human being. we cannot afford to keep moving toward the precipice of total destruction. a wise man once said that if one loses his way and is on a wrong path, turning back is progress. we must turn back, turn away from a path of death and devestation and untold human suffering to a path which embraces wholeness, wellness, and recognition of our connectedness to all living beings. this goes beyond any previous dichotomies be they political, religious or cultural. it is a question now of life or death. if we die, if we destroy life on earth, then what hope have we of transformation? in order to change and grow we must first survive, and survival depends upon the immediate cessation of the wholesale destruction of this Earth that is now going on...Indigenous Peoples of the world have the knowledge of life and sustainability. They are the Original Human Beings, and they represent our collective Humanity. the future is in their hands. modern man is totally insane and the path of western civilization has brought us to the edge of extinction. in order to heal we must first recognize in what peril we have placed ourselves. Indigenous Peoples would be justified in denying us their teachings, for we have violated everything that the Creator has given us to hold sacred. i beg Native American communities and Indigenous communities worldwide to forgive us and to share their Way of Living that we all might have a chance to survive. we have only our own lies and selfishness and corruption and the total sum of our injustices, to lose. we have a world out of balance to restore. join the forces of life, sustainability, connectedness, and respect. you are not really happy anyway. examine yourselves and see the sickness rotting away at your soul. break your hearts of stone and let them be turned to hearts of flesh, hearts which feel, hearts which can be truly human. this is my plea.

The plea of the Hau de no sau nee Nations to the UN in 1977 that exposes the oppression of natives by civilization. The tone is amazingly candid, true, and determined. A good read despite poor editing.

This collection of position papers from the Haudenosaunee does a lot more than outline the values and traditions of the People of the Longhouse. It comprises an historical assay of Western Civilization and a political manifesto for all people who would choose to end the legacy of colonialism. An ancient nation that has existed in peace in prosperity without recourse to laws and jails, the Haudenosaunee were the first to establish a league of "United Nations" to ensure peace, harmony and respect among disparate groups of people. Incidentally, it was their pact, the Iroquois Confederacy, which inspired the government of the United States of America. Of particular notice in this collection was the last paper, "A Basic Call to Consciousness," which succinctly outlines the original instructions given to the Haudenosaunee by the Creator of Life; the destructive processes which are eradicating their way of life and most life on the planet; and lastly the Haudenosaunee strategy for survival. Absolutely essential for anyone who wishes to better understand and change the oppressive, exploitive, and destructive traditions which drive Western Civilization, I cannot over recommend this book.

This book is an example of the new attention ethnographers are paying to writing. Not only is it wonderfully written but it is an honest account of Zuni lives today. Tedlock went to the pueblo with her husband Dennis Tedlock (author of the "Popol Vuh" and the "Rabinal Achi") as a painter and after a number of visits and encouragement from Zuni women she decided to become an ethnographer. During her graduate education she also did work in Guatemala, see her classic book "Time and the Highland Maya." There is now a new book about to appear "The Woman in the Shaman's Body: Reclaiming the Feminine in Religion and Medicine." I've seen the advanced copy and it is fabulous! All these books are must reads for young documentary writers and spiritually alive women and men today!

This is a beautifully written, honest, book about a young woman ethnographer coming of age. She first went to Zuni Pueblo as a young woman painter with her anthropologist husband and fell in love with the people and place. As a result she went on to get graduate degrees in Ethnomusicology and Anthropology herself and began working with the Maya in Guatemala. Since then she has written a book on women shamans worldwide: The Woman in the Shaman's Body. These books are worth the time to read.

I really enjoyed reading Tedlock's work. The writing reverses the notion of "participant observation" to the "observation of participation." Instead of a removed, monological account, we are offered a polyphony of voices, including the authors. In fact, the ethnography reads much like a novel; however, these are real people with real stories to tell. The text offers a rich and evocative account of the Zuni people and their experiences in the borderzone between the past and present. Tedlock's work and writing strategies were central to the writing of my own ethnographic account of a Southeastern Native American Tribe in search of a visible past--the Pee Dee of South Carolina (Title: Native Americans in the Carolina Borderlands: A Critical Ethnography, Carolinas Press, 2000). Tedlock's ethnography is a must read for those on the verge of engaging ethnography, no matter the methodological bent, and students and academics interested in Native American Studies, Cultural Studies, Cultural Anthropology, and alternative ethnography.

What a beautiful book! As an artist and a painter I often rely on photos to give me historical detail. This book is the best I have ever seen for native american clothing. Each turn of the page shows a high definition close-up including a very informative description of not only the item but insights into it's making, purpose and meaning. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to visually examine native american clothing. Newer examples of current native clothing artists are included. I appreciated this additional insight as well. I learned much from this book and it will be a valuable addition to my reference library.

stunningly beautiful photos of amazing shirts.
graphic detail makes this book a must for anyone interested in the indians of the plains.
these shirts are truly works of art and by just looking at them you can feel all the mystical and magical power that they evoked then and still do today.
useful text accompanies the photos,highly recommended!!!!
simon mote.

over the past several years, i have read and acquired a good number of books about indian beadwork. all have included at least one or two war shirts. none of them prepared me for the overwhelming impact of this book.

war shirts were given to the men of the plains nations for remarkable courage and character and for impressive deeds. the shirts would be transferred to other men of equal standing. the designs were worked by women who were unusually talented in quill and bead embroidery. occasionally, the design of the shirt would be directed by the man to wear it, based on his dreams/visions.

since it is oversized, the book allows larger, more detailed photos of the shirts. quillwork, paint, beads and other materials show up clearly. the workmanship is stunning, the designs are magnificent. the use of materials is inspirational. the examples range from the early 19th century to contemorary shirts.

the text, aside from a couple of areas where the proofreader failed miserably in his job, is almost as interesting as the shirts. this is not to insult the authors. no words could equal the shirts. there are also quotes from contemporary indians about the shirts that are interesting and illuminating.

if this book had been published by abrams, the price would have been at least doubled. given the quality of the photos, that fact alone is worth a couple of stars.

this is a must for anyone interested in indian beadwork, history or art and for anyone interested in beauty and great design of any origin.

I received the book very quickly, even though it was ordered over the holidays.

I enjoyed this book very much because it's a part of our history many Americans are unaware of. I was a child during World WarII and I seen the POW's working on the farms. My Grandchildren took the book to school to share with the History class and even the teacher was amazed. It's a book you will keep and re-read.

This is a book about a little known or less remembered phase of World War II history as it relates to Minnesota. It suggets the success of the Geneva Convention regarding treatment of prisoners of war in the United States. In the simple presentation of factual information, the author allows us to feel something of the fears, the loneliness, and concerns of prisoners and their willingness to work rather than be idle. The concerns of citizens are also presented clearly concerning escapes, those of labor unions interested in protecting American labor, as well as the general concern about work necessary to pursue the war. It is a facet of the war that most histories neglect.

Brutally honest, but not so cynical that it's annoying.

This is a query as to what happened to the On the Loose Series. Did the big boys (Fodors, Frommers, Let's Go swallow them up?) Any information about the demise of these student writers would be appreciated.

This is the best guidebook I've ever read. It's brutally honest, concise, and seriously funny. Offers great resources and detailed maps. Have fun !

Beautiful book. Great gift to anyone but especially to our Native American family and friends.

This is my third copy. . Its a wonderful overview of many Native American cultural traditions. The map in the back is also outstanding. I keep giving it away. I really think it is special

This book is beautiful and has inspired my class to write & draw.

This is just one of those books that anyone involved in higher education needs to have. As a student of a university that is struggling with just how to reach out to our community, I would highly suggest it to anyone who wants to spend some time and reevaluate the relationship between institutions and communities.

This book is well written and very insightful. It can defintely be used as a tool for colleges and universities to form positive relationships with the community. I highly recommend it!

David Maurrasse has produced a thoughtful study in his book which examines four rather different and distinct IHES (Institutions of Higher Education). By studying how each IHE serves its community, readers can get a good picture of the different approaches in use today. The IHEs--which include a state, an Ivy League, a private, and even a community college campus--serve as a fine set of baseline campuses for study.

Hostos is my particular concern, since I am a Dean at Hostos, and I am well versed in the challenges we face each day in serving our South Bronx community. I believe that Dr. Maurrasse has indeed hit the mark and hit it well in this study. I can, at least, verify his contextualizing of the Hostos mission and its community's needs. His method of becoming thoroughly familiar with the physical aspects of each campus and its history by closely interviewing members of the community as well as faculty, staff, administrators, and students is laudable. At Hostos I know he spoke to long-time stakeholders from the college community and the community at large.

The book should be challenging higher education policy makers to focus on improving community outreach strategic plans for years to come. IHEs can not afford to be percieved as "ivory towers."

This book is exceptional in so many ways. The writing is good, the photographs outstanding. Good research and intellectual honesty makes it a good source for history, ecology, and natural studies.

The approach to creating the book worked extraordinarily well but at its inception must have seemed very chancy. The author chosen to write this account of the Nature Conservancy's Tallgrass Prairie Preserve was unfamiliar with the Preserve and its surrounding area in Oklahoma. The advantage was objectivity but there are lots of hazards in such a choice. Annick Smith is from Montana's Rocky Mountains, separate from the Oklahoma grasslands in many ways. Her recognized writing skills, coupled with drawing on three years of research, getting a first-hand feel of the Preserve, and interviewing a broad cross-section of local people produced this fine addition to any library.

At first glance, the beauty and physical appearance tempts a person to call this a "coffee-table book." However, this is a book with depth. Although easy to read, it takes far longer to read than a person expects at first glance. There are several photos and illustrations per page. Harvey Payne, director of the Preserve, took the majority of current photos over the Preserve's relatively short existence. His skill with a camera is extraordinary and complements Smith's writing well. The photos are mostly well captioned, although the people responsible for writing the captions and laying out the format made a few errors - one of only two negative comments that you will find in this review.

Smith chose to organize her chapters by major subject and then present them in rough chronological order. It was the correct choice to provide smooth flow, and she avoided the trap of duplicating information from chapter to chapter.

After several tries at preserving something of the vanished tall grass prairies that covered much of the central United States, the dedication of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve was in 1993. Mostly local issues kept it from being federally administered and The Nature Conservancy stepped in to keep the drive for protection from failing. The Preserve includes over 30,000 acres carved from one of the big Oklahoma cattle ranches. To think of the Preserve as being the same as the original tall grass prairies, is incorrect. It will never be. For one thing, we don't even know for sure what that was; what plants were there, how it changed in response to climate and chance events over centuries. This bit of Oklahoma is an infinitesimal part of the original and each acre of the original differed. Obviously, the historic prairie was unmanaged except for minor burning and other efforts by the Indian tribes. The Preserve is highly managed, albeit with a goal of creating something close to the original. The administration sets fires to represent the random burning which natural forces might have caused. Cattle are gradually being replaced with buffalo to recreate historic grazing patterns as much as possible. However, tourism is a significant source of gaining funds and public support. Oil drilling and pumping continues through agreements between the Preserve and the oil companies. Fencing is required not only at the perimeter, but also in the interior.

Annick Smith first gives the history of the Preserve, and then circles back to that at the end of the book. She begins with the character, plants and animals of the Preserve. At that point, she steps back and covers the Native American history of the area, including the dismal record of broken agreements and various Indian relocations. The Osage are the predominant Native Americans in the area today. Smith's narrative then goes through a progression of white incursions of buffalo hunters, settlers, cattle ranchers, and finally oil exploration. It is necessarily a summary history but still provides a lot of detail. There is a generous amount about people in this book; those who created the Preserve and run it, the past and present inhabitants of the area.

At this point, I must interject my second negative comment. In portraying the community surrounding the Preserve, Smith adequately covers the people of lower income, as well as the large cattlemen and oilmen. Although mentioning some of the people in the middle, she goes too quickly past those who operate businesses in the towns that support the preserve. There isn't any mention of mini-ranchers running a few head of stock while holding other jobs to make ends meet. The people who attend PTA meetings, lead 4-H clubs, and cooperate in soil conservation districts are part of the core element in such a community.

Now back to the positive. The final chapter is "The Politics of Preservation," and the book ends with a delightful Epilogue, a great resource list for further reading, and a helpful index.

Thanks to those who brought the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve into being, and I wish them the best of luck. Thanks to Annick Smith and Harvey Payne for a great book.

I fully enjoyed this book. In her discussion of the prairie preserve, Annick Smith delved into cowboys, cattle drives, Indians, The Trail of Tears, Oklahoma land runs, buffalo, cattle, oil, the Civil War, controlled fire, prairie grasses, outlaws: all the makings of 10,000 Western movies. The book is beautiful: oversized and full of color photos. I especially enjoyed it since I was born in Oklahoma, still live here, and have spent some time on the prairie. But for anyone who likes Western history, prairie photography and preservation, this is a spiritual journey into a new home of grasses and buffalo in Oklahoma.

....this is a book you must own. Harvey Payne is one of the greatest outdoor photographers you will ever find. If you have lived in Oklahoma or are at all interested in this area or ecosystem, you will find this book fascinating. There is so much beauty in our state that is overlooked, and this book brings it to life, along with engaging stories of the people who tamed this rough wilderness. This is a book that makes me proud to be an Okie while looking at it. If you have ever been entranced by the stoic, proud majesty of the bison who once ruled the prairie, and are now relegated to wildlife preserves, buy this book!

A contemporary child gets help from an old story in this bright picture book set in a small desert village on the Papago reservation in southern Arizona near the Mexican border. Marta Enos' day is ruined when the wind blows her papers out the window and the dogs chew her homework into trash; then she trips and breaks her glasses. Grandmother comforts Marta Enos, repairs the glasses, bakes her some warm tortillas, and tells her a traditional tale about how to deal with a problem. Sometimes it is good to be a tree and look all ways at once; sometimes it is best to be a rock or a fierce mountain lion; but Marta Enos chooses to be an eagle, who can fly high and see how small the problem is. Strongbow's watercolor paintings set the story in wide desert landscapes as the sun sets and the full moon rises, and warm portraits show the loving bond across generations. (summary by Heather Roselle)

I really enjoyed this as a book to read with my 4 1/2 year old daughter. It has a neat story line, wonderful word pictures, lovely illustrations and is suitable for 4 years and up. It encourages kids to think about different ways of solving the problems that arise in life.

The story follows a young girl who, in a hurry to join her Indian grandmother making tortilla's, upsets her homework and eventualy breaks her glasses. The girl is devestated by the turn of events. The grandmonther gently restores her, giving her options on how to solve the problem while gently repairing the glasses. Is this a time to "be like a tree in the desert, standing tall and looking all ways at once" .... "a time to stay still like stone and wait for the problem to pass" .... or a time to fly high like and eagle looking far down to the problem which now seems so small and laugh at it..... As her glassess are mended and the homework reworked the girl can decide that the best option is to look at the big picture. To put the day in perspective and fly high like the eagle. The other options can be considered, thought about and keep hidden away for another day when maybe they will be the most approprite solution for life's problems.

I love this book! So does my 4 1/2 year old stepson, and his Dad has gotten a lot out of it too. The idea of choosing how you are going to respond to a problem rather than just throw a tantrum is something we are teaching the children, and constantly learning for ourselves too. This book is warm and loving, an excellent quiet time read for people of all ages.