A companion to American Indian history /

This volume testifies to the strength and comprehensiveness of the "Blackwell Companions to American History" series with 25 original essays by as many authors, both Native Americans and non-Native Americans. The selection of writers and topics is excellent, and the quality of the historiographical essays matches or supersedes the spate of recently published books that have attempted similar tasks. Separate chapters discuss demography, religion, kinship, warfare, languages, art, literature, labor, environment, gender, racial identity, captivity, cultural brokerage, education, law, and tribal sovereignty, among other topics. The essays go beyond a mere listing of sources to intelligently integrate shifts in interpretation over time and to indicate weaknesses in the existing canon of knowledge. Academic researchers, general readers, and members of Native American communities can all profit from these sophisticated essays. This is especially true in the latter case because most of the selections offer insights into cultural revivalism and affirmation of sovereignty in today's world. Specialized topical bibliographies follow each chapter, and a more comprehensive 19-page bibliography concludes the book. Despite its high price, this reference work deserves a place in all libraries, and it should be widely used to spark further debate. M. L. Tate University of Nebraska at Omaha