Peoples of the Plains (Library of Native Peoples)

Thomas E. Mail's collection is a treasure trove of information on Plains Indians. The books detail all aspects of Plains Indian life -- ceremonial and spiritual practices, honor codes, warrior training, family and community customs, arts and crafts, and more. Each book contains 35 black and white illustrations.

A specialist in Northern Plains culture, Mails is known for large-format works, made especially distinctive by his own illustrations (e.g., Mystic Warriors of the Plains, 1973), which are now collected as art items and have also been reissued in paperback. As short, handy treatments of the Plains Indian culture for general readers, these four slim texts?the first in a series?are good compilations of accurate information on art, anthropology, religion, and history. Those who most appreciate Mails's previous work for its beautifully crafted art displayed in a generous format will be disappointed by these books (despite the instructive black-and-white illustrations), but sensitivity, accuracy, thoroughness, and even enthusiasm for the interesting lives of Native peoples survive. Recommended for public and school libraries.?Margaret W. Norton, Morton West H.S., Berwyn Ill.
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