Indian Books

How does one take seriously the recommendation of a reviewer who refers to the "mid-evil" period?

Faur has published the authoritative book on the Guide. Faur shows an uncanny ability to simplify and clarify the hidden meanings incorporated in the Guide that have baffled all mid-evil and modern commentators.

I can describe Homo Mysticus in three words: un destello repentino. This means in Spanish, a sudden flash. Yet it is a flash that one will always remember.
When one is trying to understand something, after going in rounds and rounds about one thing, thought, idea, the moment when it actually sinks in your mind, when one has actually "seen" or reached partial understanding, this is the sensations that Faur's Homo Mysticus leaves you with.
In it, only open ended discourses prevail, like Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed, it shakes the intellect, it forces it to go upwards without actually telling you how to believe.
Imagine a flock of birds in the lake, all without order, taking care of their own business, and all of the sudden -- without any previous warning -- they take flight up in the air forming a cloud that looks as if conceived by a powerful mathematical mind, perfect in form and flow, to then descend to the lake and do it once more at a later time.
I began reading The Guide 6 years ago, I have not finished; I have just begun to read Homo Mysticus; I just now realize that I will never finish "reading" The Guide. As the continous reading of the Torá, both works give you tools to articulate the everything.
Faur did it again. He makes form and flow effortlessly by following simple rules of Jewish nature.
As in my last review of his Golden Doves with Silver Dots, this is a must buy.
DR

This is the most up-to-date and complete reference available on Hopi Katsina Doll carvers and their works. This book spans many genreations of Hopi carvers and thier families. This is a "must have" reference for the serious and occassional Katsina Doll collectors.

The book provides a great overview of (most of the) katsina carvers.
Through the accompanying pictures and the added text it provides an excellent insight into the different emerging styles of katsinas.
It also is a great tribute to this survival of the Indian cultural heritage.

As patrons of Native American arts, and specifically Hopi katsina carvings, we were thrilled with Dr. Schaaf's latest volume. In keeping with his exhaustive approach, Dr. Schaaf has left no stone unturned. Never before has such a comprehensive volume on Hopi carvers been assembled.

It seems that his volumes continue to improve with each subsequent publication. This title is rich with color photographs and important artist content. Examples of nearly every katsina by a variety of carvers appear throughout its pages. The only possible drawback is the fact that there is no cross reference for those searching for particular katsinam. But seeing as there are many other publications dealing with the different types of figures, this volume is welcome addition to the field.

Carvers and their families will no doubt benefit from the exposure they will receive, while collectors and other readers will appreciate the wealth of information between its pages.

Dr. Schaaf provides many photographs of the artists and their carvings, along with additional information on museum collections and galleries where their work can be found.

For the serious collector, this is an outstanding reference. It is not for the casual history buff. As regular reading material, it is very dry. It has to be taken as a guide: text supporting illustrations. The detailed drawings of uniform items, accoutrements, and equipment along with the dated regulations and orders makes this book an indispensable aid for identifying and dating U.S. cavalry items of the period that this book covers.

as a collector of militaria this book is one of the indispensable tools that i need to identify historicaly significant US cavalry uniforms and accoutriments.

I was a friend of Randy from meeting him in 1970 til his death. He was one of the most persistent men I ever knew. Born in Oklahoma of mixed descent, Anglo and Native American, he attended the Naval Academy and served for many years. He became an accomplished artist and illustrator. He spent many years preparing his monumental work. Just when it was finished and ready to submit, he went to town on an errand, upon returning, he discovered his entire collection gone--the studio had burned to the ground. And he had to begin all over again.
It is a testimony that he finished it and sent it in. Even though Volume Four was published post-humously. Not every man gets to fulfil his life's ambition as Randy did. Every illustration in this multi-volume work has been drawn by him from original materiel. Where relevent the complete text of regulations is quoted.
For example, in the period which I research, that from the 1880s to today, the volume three, reprints the complete Army uniform regulations in the nineteen-teens, not just the portion on mounted men. Thus, the work is useful also for those generally interested in the military through the period covered.
One must elucidate on the title a bit. As stated, it is not just on the mounted horse cavalry so celebrated in John Wayne movies, but covers all the mounted troops, dragoons, mounted rifles, and cavalry in the period of the frontier expansion, before the Civil War, then both North and South, and the post war frontier patrolling days. Not only is the equipment, both individual and horse, of the cavalryman covered, so is that of the artillery man where it differed. The coverage is relevent to all mounted men--quartermaster troops, engineers, signalers, and hospital corpsmen, and their clothing and equipment.

This collect of Native American poetry is excellent. Joy Harjo relates her experience in a way that is accessable and meaningful. Mrs. Harjo is a poet that needs to be read and read again to explore her depth. We discussed several of her poems in a Great Books book club.

I have followed Harjo's poetry (and recorded music) for many years, ever since I saw her on PBS reading from "She Had Some Horses". This volume contains selections from her available books: "She Had Some Horses", "Secrets from the Center of the World", "In Mad Love and War", "The Woman Who Fell from the Sky" and "A Map to the Next World". As is frequently the case, the selections for this book are not precisely the poems I would have chosen. It does include the most powerful poems, for example "She Had Some Horses" with it's pounding litany rhythms, "Letter from the End of the Twentieth Century" which is the title track of her cd, "The Creation Story" with its exquisite line "I never had the words / to carry a friend from her death / to the stars / correctly." Somewhat to my surprise, the poems from Secrets from the Center of the World which fit the photographs so precisely in their original context, also succeed as poetry only in this volume (although I'd still recommend the original).

New to me in this volume are the poems from her early chapbooks "The Last Song" and "What Moon Drove Me to This?" as well as new poems from 1999-2001. The chapbook poems are interesting as the beginning of Harjo's development as a poet as well as being interesting poems in their own right .."Four Horse Songs" and "I Am a Dangerous Woman" stand out. In the new material, "Morning Prayers" has memorable lines "the nothingness / is vast and stunning, / brims with details ..." as does "Faith" with "I might miss / The feet of god / Disguised as trees."

Harjo's poetry is strongly political - a Native peoples voice angry at the European invaders/immigrants. More importantly, her voice is one seeking a way to live well in contemporary society where living well requires memory of a time we lived with greater respect for our environment, greater responsibility for our network of relatives.

It is profound, inspiring experience to read this collection. These writings are courageous and life-affirming.

This is one of those books that you find laying somewhere burried in the back of the library perhaps covered in dust that has been long forgotten! Nevertheless, this is a little gem of a read! The main reason why I liked it so much was because of the eloquent creative and heartfelt ways in which the Native Americans conveyed all their messages. So genuine, trusting, and true were their words and not conjured up by money or greed.

Thie book Just might have even Americans of today looking at themselves and questioning our seemingly prevailing atrtitudes that "we are the best" and that "more" and "bigger is better"... It will have the reader questioning a Government's activity towards national expansion in the name of freedom, while opressing many others at the very same time. These "others", who, the reader will learn, actually taught settlers how to survive in the new frontier.

Among other reasons I liked this book is that it made me look at myself and learen something in how I live. "I Have Spoken" had me looking at our current lifestyles that we so embrace as "having it so good", as perhaps the total opposite, and that perhaps it is we, the people of today, who struggle more to survive in this convenient lifestyle, more so than ever did the native peoples to sustain their lifestyle!

As many at the time in history which this book covers, looked at Native Americans as "inferior", the reader will learn why many Native Americans began to look at the settlers as inferior. This is a refreshing change of opinions we may have been used to hearing in history, and a welcomed one at that!

Through the many eloquently expressed words of Native Americans the reader will guess that they they viewed our lifestyle as somewhat being "enslaved" by adopting and living in such a system that has us "working for..and oweing money" to be able to sustain ourselves and lifestyle. They recognized a stressful life in this resulting in menatal and physical sickness of which was virtually non-existent in their lives.

This book is a really thought provoking read and at least for me, has left me looking around at all so called "progress" in our culture and questioning whether it is really progress at all if it destroys the very gifts nature "God" or "The Great Spirit" has bestowed upon us to make ALL life possible.

I strongly suggest this read to anybody, especially those who seek to not see the world as something we "own" and can see that this notion is really the root of all humankind conflict with each other.

Another final thought this book inspired in me was perhaps looking at history through the eyes of other cultures around the world, and seeing how they came to be, so we shall better understand each other and accept each other's customs without forcing them to live and think as we do. Maybe this can go a long way in preventing conflicts with other nations. Read the book "I Have Spoken" and this review will then come into perspective for anyone who is reading it now!

We used this text at the University of Minnesota back in 1971 for a Native American History course. The book voices treaty interpretation and words used by Tribal representatives. I won't use the word "Chief's" because the Government did'nt always get the real leadership to sign treaties. But, we noted a lack of aggressive language at the beginning of colonization (east coast), but by the time we read text from treaties from the Plains Natives the verbage used more aggressive and warlike themes. Sum it up! Indians found the need to be aggressive and began to use words to voice their frustrations with negotiations with Government respresentatives.

Any "red blooded" American citizen would surely have a "red face" from embarrassment after reading the compilation of words and speeches from original settlers of our beloved country in "I Have Spoken, American History Through the Voices of the Indians." From those documents so meticulously collected by Virginia Irving Armstrong and introduced in this book for all to read, one concludes that even here in America, an atrocious holocaust took place.

The book tells the truth. It will make you mad. It will make you sad. You will feel ashamed to belong to the culture that was responsible for the near extinction of the once prosperous, peaceful people who just wanted to live life as they had been taught by their ancesters. Simple and earth loving.

"I Have Spoken" should be offered in every school as a learning tool on an important aspect of our American history. We made a mistake. We cannot bring them back, but we can read aloud what they said and feel their spirits.

The photos that were included in the June, 1971 and August, 1972 editions are sadly not included in the most recent copies for sale now. It's more of an impact to see their faces as well as read their words. I hope subsequent issues will reincorporate those photos, especially of the ones of the Wounded Knee massacre. "...I will fight no more forever." Chief Joseph, Nez Perce nation, 1877.

I read this book years ago and it had a profound effect on my life. I stopped. I've taken a different path since. To this day, I still lay on the ground for Mother Earth to speak to me or for healing.

I happened across this book in the strangest way. It certainly makes a person wonder when something like this happens. Only a few days before I purchased this book, I had the distinct pleasure of talking to Terry Eaton, who just happens to be Evelyn Eaton's daughter. Terry had called me to inquire about a writers workshop I was going to sponsor. Because of the attack on the WTC, the workshop had to be cancelled, but I did talk to Terry a couple of times on the telephone. During our first conversation, she told me she had written and published a book titled "Joy Before Night". Impressed with her conversation, I looked the book up on the Internet. We talked on the phone a few days later and I told her how nice I thought it was that she had written a book in honor of her mother. Terry said she thought I might enjoy looking at some of her mother's work. She hit the nail on the head. I ordered "I Send A Voice" and after I finished reading it I ordered two more of Eaton's books.
I was amazed by Eaton, who was born in 1902, being among the Indians in 1965 at the age of 63 and learning the spiritual teachings of her Indian ancestors. Eaton's journey took her into many Sweat Lodge healing rituals, several Fasts, and even found herself worthy of having a Sacred Pipe. After many years of being active in the Indian way of life, she fell into the political war of Indian against White Man. Indians she had developed a friendship with came to resent her presence and shunned her. Because she was a non-Indian and of white skin, she was no longer accepted. It broke her heart but it didn't break her spirit.
Eaton's last paragraph of her introduction to this book pretty well sums up the things she learned during her time spent with the Indians: If we ask aright, with integrity and total committment, the way will be revealed, step by gentle step. So it is for me, so it is for you, so it is for everyone.
I highly recommend this book.

This is a wonderful story about a white woman that became a medicine woman (winan pejuta).

At the beginning of the book Ms. Eaton was living in a shack, in ill health, and barely surviving. A friend suggested that she go to a medicine man (wicasa pejuta) and ask for a healing at a sweat lodge. As time goes by; attends cerempnies, and as more time passes she goes through fasts, and later obtains a Catlinite (pipestone) pipe and becomes a medicine woman, and used her gift to help the people around her until her death in 1983.

Unfortunately; she had MANY problems with some indians because she attended the ceremonies, and was a pipe carrier. It did NOT matter to them that she helped the people, she had undergone three fasts, and the spirits had chosen to work with her.

This animosity is STILL going on from some indians to whites, and mixed bloods that are not indian enough (in their opinion) to practise this form of spirituality. I have received some very angry E-Mails from people that claim to be indians, and are offended that I am a pipe carrier, and choose to follow this path. One person went so far as to challenge me with "Your people stole our land, and how dare you now steal our religion!".

I am not stealing anyones religion. I am only following a path that works for me. I know there is real spirituality in this path, and it answers more of the questions I have (It even explained the experiences I had 40+ years ago). I have studied most religions from agnosticiam to zen.

Now; I do have a few minor problems with this book.

1. There are several misspellings in this book.

2. She incorrectly assumes that all medicine people or holy people MUST use a Catlinite (pipestone pipe).

The spirit helpers choose to work with the person based on their integrity, and sincerity. In 1999; the Bear Totem animal would NOT be denied. The Bear repeatedly showed up trying to get my attention and let me know that it had decided to work with me. At that time I neither had a pipe, nor used tobacco in any way...

Evelyn writes as a long-time sister/friend, who opens her life and heart to you in a way that makes you feel she is sitting beside you in the desert. Her words cause you to feel every step of her journey as your own. Don't even consider asking your elder for the honor of becoming a pipekeeper without understanding the sacredness of this responsiblity. I understand that Evelyn is no longer walking this mortal path, but I am sure wherever she is the adventure is one of Honor. A respectful, and authentic picture of the Native American through the eyes of a woman who will become one of your heros.

One of the best of it's kind that I have seen in 20 years of researching primitive American artifacts. Detailed research, wonderfully clear photography, great descriptions, excellent documentation.

This was a good choice for Native American clothing. It helped with ideas on creating new outfits.

I am a traditional dance dress artist, although not as prolific (or even as expert) as some of those featured in this book. If I could have given more than 5 stars it would receive them. The photos were beautifully clear, although there only one or two photos of some of the featured dresses, they showed the splendor and detail of artistry from the past. I hope this doesn't spawn more artifakes, especially those coming to the US from overseas. This book is a long-awaited dream come true.

Great photographs and wonderful text. Steve Raymer has captured in images and words the hopes and challenges facing people leaving their homeland for a new life in often quite different countries. He embodies the best in journalism, the ability to cross disciplines and yet excell in both. This book should be required of all of us concerned with world change and how people meet this change.

Steve Raymer's photography career is legendary, and in this book he captures the Indian Diaspora as it's never been done before. There are some 25 million people of Indian origins living outside India, a country of 1.2 billion people. How do these expatriates live? Why do they retain their cultural heritage? Why do they many of them flourish outside their native milieu? The portraits tell it all. Buy this book also for Nayan Chanda's superb foreword. Through his text, and Raymer's pictures, you will understand the global face of India -- and Indians.

Steve Raymer's new book is just one more outstanding example of his ability to blend passion, clarity and a real gift for communication. As in his previous books (on Islam and another on Vietnam) his photographic skill prods the reader into asking questions that are well answered by both the photographs and accompanying text. (This was the hallmark of National Geographic Magazine in days gone by, and it is a real treat to see it captured again in his latest work.) Images of a Journey is extremely informative and helps us to better understand the impact of the Indian people and culture not only in the United States but throughout the world. Definitely a worthwhile and successful effort that simultaneously teaches and entertains!

The book illustrates and studies many new, as well as older well known theories behind the Lutyens Delhi Plan. Volwahsen demonstrates a tremendous amount of research as well as insight that has gone into the subject, which in turn, make you think for yourself.
A must for anyone remotely interested in the subject.

Wow, this book is incredible, it is quite frankly a perfect book on this subjuct. This book does not leave one leaf unturned, it has amazing B&W photos and the research is impecable, I just kept thinking, this took a great deal of time and effort to put together, that it had to have been a labor of love or they would have never gotten through it. The effort by the British Raj to build Imperial New Delhi from scratch in two decades is a tribute to British imperial power at its zenith. Whether you think it was wrong or right of the Raj to brand its imperial power on India forever, in the form of Western classical meets Indian mogul, you can't help but be blown away by the scope and beauty of Imperial Delhi. Anyone who has any, I mean any, interest in this subject should buy this book, they will not be disappointed, it is a facinating story of the ultimate colonial power and its effect on this amazing country called India. I will have this book in my collection forever and if you knew me you would know that this is high praise indeed.

As someone who lives and works in New Delhi, I've often thought that Raj Path (the Central Vista) reminded me of Washington DC and Paris, and now my suspicions have been confirmed thanks to Volwahsen. I've been to most of the prominent buildings built by the British in New Delhi and the author does them justice. The book is beautifully illustrated and supported by numerous maps and photos. The text is well-written and knowledgable.

My only criticism (a minor one) is that Volwahsen at times assumes that the reader has more than a general knowledge of architecture. For example, he frequently refers to the "stupa" without ever really defining it (a sort of Buddhist roof style). I would have added an appendix with a listing of architectual terms used along with definitions and context.

This should not detract from anyone's decision to read Volwahsen's work, however, as he has done a masterful job. I heartily recommend this book.

A BEAUTIFUL book and great addition to a home library. This book is about Carl and Grace Moon who had a special connection to the Indians of the southwest, however it is also about the wonderful Native people who inspired them. Many beautiful photos and very in-depth text! These people are still there, I have visited with them often. I hope this book will serve as a wonderful tribute to them.

Mr. Driebe has done beautiful creative work in his compilation of In Search of the Wild Indian. It is packed full of photographs and has enough history and information to provide the reader with a great understanding of the photographer's life work while instilling the desire to want to learn more about these native peoples. The subjects in the photos are uplifting, haunting and expressive. The energy in this book is amazing. I thank Mr. Driebe for this gift -- it is ageless and will continue to take top billing on my coffee table.

Not often am I willing to spend this amount on a book; this one is worth the price. Excellent pictoral, and the details are just wonderful. Portrays Native Americans as no other work has; in detail and with respect!!