[net.books] Books on N.A. Indians wanted

alfred@ctvax.UUCP (07/24/84)

#N:ctvax:50700006:000:504
ctvax!alfred    Jul 24 08:34:00 1984

Does anyone have any recommendations
for a good general history of North American
Indian tribes both before and after the
coming of the Europeans?  I am loooking
for something pretty comprehensive (although
it doesn't have to be in just a single book)
and accurate (I don't want to read an author
with an axe to grind and a thousand pages to do
it with)...

Similar recommendations for Central and South
American native peoples would be appreciated later
on down the road if you care to make some now...

paul@uofm-cv.UUCP (Paul 'da Kingfish' Killey) (08/02/84)

Try 'White Man's Indian' or something like it, by
Robert Berkhofer.  It's a different and (in my mind)
interesting approach.

I think it is out in paper.  He also wrote 'Missionary and the
Savage' I think.  

heahd@tellab1.UUCP (Dan Wood) (08/02/84)

Ruth Bebe Hill's book Hanta Yo is very interesting. While it is written in
novel form I think it provides valuable insights into the day-to-day life of
the northen plains indians. The book is far far superior to the reccently
brodcast TV mini series based on it  (The Mystic Warrior) so don't draw any
conclusions about the book from the TV show. Another good book on the subject
is Across The Wide Missouri by Bernard DeVoto. The book is actully about the
Rocky Mountian fur trade during the 1830's. But, since the trade was with the
indians, the book goes into the customs of several NW tribes, including the
Black Foot, Crow, Flat Heads, and Nez Perce. For info on the tribes around the
Great Lakes try Indian Tribes of the Western Great Lakes. I don't know the
author's name off hand but, I think the book was published by the University
of Minnesota Press. And of course there's always Black Elk Speaks which has
become a classic in the field.

If there is enough interest in this subject I'll be glad to post a
bibliography of my entire library which consists of 20 or 32 books on various
North American indians.

"Come on Lakota!
It's a good day to die!"
DW @ ...!ihnp4!tellab1!heahd

wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (08/06/84)

So you want Indian information? How about:

HANDBOOK OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS, William C. Sturtevant, General Editor
20 Volumes [!!]

Volumes 9 ($23, 1979) and 10 ($25, 1983) are reviewed in the July '84 issue of
Scientific American, p. 36 ff. This is a Smithsonian/ US Gov't Printing
Office series.

This set is a new edition of the previous 2-volume Smithsonian reference
on Indians. Five volumes have appeared so far. The two volumes reveiwed
are devoted to Southwest region cultures. They consist of many collected
essays, studies, and treatments by many diverse authors. The review mentions
that the two volumes discussed have "a readability that will repay many
general readers." The next volume, due in the fall, will be devoted to
the peoples of the Far North.

Hope this is of interest.

Will