About the Author:
Peter C. Mancall is professor of history and anthropology at the University of Southern California and director of the USC-Huntington Early Modern Studies Institute. He received a Ph.D. from Harvard University and is an elected member of the American Antiquarian Society. He is the author of several books, including Deadly Medicine: Indians and Alcohol in Early America, Hakluyt's Promise: An Elizabethan's Obsession for an English America, and Fatal Journey: The Final Expedition of Henry Hudson. He is also the editor of eight books, including Travel Narratives from the Age of Discovery and The Atlantic World and Virginia, 1550-1624.
From Booklist:
Noting that “no single work . . . can do justice to the enormous complexity of the Native American experience,” this three-volume, alphabetically arranged encyclopedia makes an admirable attempt. The focus is almost exclusively on those peoples indigenous to the area north of Mexico, with some mention of tribes south of the Rio Grande. In a series of 450 detailed, interconnected entries, one can reconstruct patterns between groups as well as the changes experienced by singular tribes and Native Americans generally over time. The articles reflect significant studies done by archaeologists, anthropologists, linguists, and historians, showing the interlocking effects of politics, economics, culture, and religion as well as historical shifts. The detailed yet readable entries cover tribes, significant individuals, concepts such as the totem pole and the sweat lodge, diseases and their impact, and events (e.g., the Trail of Tears, the Pueblo Revolt). Of particular note are the excellent articles dealing with constitutional law and Native American tribes. Cross-references are noted in small caps within entries, with see also references and notes for further reading at the end of each article. Black-and-white photographs and period illustrations are infrequent but are well placed and clear. Each volume gives a list of all entries in the front matter, and the final volume concludes with a list of Indian tribes recognized by the U.S. government (and an appended list of Alaskan native entities also recognized); a two-page bibliography; and a comprehensive index, with main entries noted in bold type. Although it is not William C. Sturtevant’s magisterial Handbook of North American Indians, running thus far to 17 volumes and projected to complete at 20, this is an excellent reference tool for academic and large public libraries, providing at once detailed information and access to other sources. --Ann Welton
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