Life With an Indian Prince: By Archives of American Falconry

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Wonderful.......2005-06-18

The fact that this book is so richly illustrated is amazing. The images were printed, using slides of photos that the Craighead brothers took over 60 years ago, yet they are absolutely beautiful. (a testament to the legitimacy of their involvement with National Geographic)
The experience of reading this book is truly like tagging along on the adventure vacation of a lifetime. You will yearn for time in India, and for time with enthusiastic naturalists.
If you're in need of a cheap vacation... buy this book.

Life With an Indian Prince.......2003-11-01

This is the best book I've ever read! It's the next best thing to time travel. The Craigheads were invited to visit India as the special guest of a Maharaja's brother, with National Geographic footing the bill. They kept daily logs of their, thoughts, experiences, observations and political debates as they traveled to and from India by ship, just before the US entered World War II. The Craigheads were young collage students who were defining the state of the art in wildlife photography. They experience falconry in India a level that is no longer possible, hunt with Cheetah and attend a lavish royal wedding.

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Lakota Woman
Non Fiction
Lakota Woman
Excellent
Powerful and compelling account of a woman on the reservation

Lakota Woman
Mary Crow Dog
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse
Black Elk Speaks
Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux, Twenty-First Century Edition
Trail of Tears

ASIN: 0060973897

Book Description

A unique autobiography unparalleled in American Indian literature, and a deeply moving account of a woman's triumphant struggle to survive in a hostile world.

Customer Reviews:

Lakota Woman.......2007-10-02

I learnt so much from this book, and felt myself getting angry because of her experiences. good on her for telling her story. L'Ohanna

Non Fiction.......2007-09-03

An autobiographical account of Mary Crow Dog's life, this includes experiencing the events that happened at Wounded Knee, and her relationship with her husband, as well as the politics and experiences associated with the AIM political movement.

A look at the disturbing state and problems these people were facing at the time, very interesting.

Lakota Woman.......2007-08-23

An interesting look at the American Indian's struggles in the latter half of the 20th century. The perspective of Mary Crow Dog is helpful for those who have no similar life experiences to compare to it. Very good insight.

Excellent.......2006-11-10

The book came in perfect time and is in excellent condition. I have added it to my collection of Native American History

Powerful and compelling account of a woman on the reservation.......2006-07-28

This is a very powerful book about Mary Crow Dog's experiences growing up as a Lakota (Sioux) woman on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. It should be required reading for anyone who feigns ignorance of the ways that Native Americans continue to be treated in the US today. Local whites, the state of South Dakota, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the rest of the power establishment have their inhumanity exposed.

Crow Dog writes in a very sparse style, and writes of brutal incidents in a matter-of-fact way. While this style makes the book compelling, it is also responsible for a major weakness of the book. Throughout the book, Crow Dog is never introspective. Things happen (she uses drugs, starts shoplifting, chooses men poorly) or happen to her (she is raped, among other things), but she doesn't think about why these things happen. She conveys neither a sense of her own agency in these events, or a sense of her own lack of agency.

Oddly for an autobiography, Mary Crow Dog is the object, not the subject, of this story. Even at Wounded Knee, she doesn't really understand why she is there, other than the fact that she has followed the male authority figures of the movement into the siege. She made her choice and put her body on the line but can't really explain why. How life on the reservation produces people like this is certainly worth reflection.

This siege at Wounded Knee provides the centerpiece of the book, and its natural climax. Crow Dog has a very different view of these events than the accounts provided by the leadership, who knew their history and knew what they were trying to do. Crow Dog also talks about the aftermath of the siege, and the period when her husband was in jail. At this time, she also followed him into the practice of Native American religion, and - - more implicitly than explicitly - - explains why this religion is attractive to many.

Finally, this book also provides a valuable insiders' perspective of the dysfunctional communities on Pine Ridge. It's interesting that the politically correct crowd condemns Ian Frazier's "On the Rez" while praising "Lakota Woman"- - both paint similar pictures of the same reservation. It's true than a Lakota insider brings perspectives not available to outsiders, but a white outsider also bring perspectives not available to insiders. Read them both and make up your own mind.

Dressing in Feathers: The Construction of the Indian in American Popular Culture

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Dressing in Feathers: The Construction of the Indian in American Popular Culture

Manufacturer: Westview Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

The White Man's Indian: Images of the American Indian from Columbus to the Present
Going Native: Indians in the American Cultural Imagination
American Indians: Stereotypes & Realities
Selling the Indian: Commercializing and Appropriating American Indian Cultures
Playing Indian (Yale Historical Publications Series)

ASIN: 0813326672

Book Description

One hundred members of NatChat, an electronic mail discussion group concerned with Native American issues, responded to the recent Disney release Pocahontas by calling on parents to boycott the movie, citing its historical inaccuracies and saying that "Disney has let us down in a cruel, irresponsible manner." Their anger was rooted in the fact that, although Disney claimed that the film's portrayal of American Indians would be "authentic," the Pocahontas story their movie told was really white cultural myth. The actual histories of the characters were replaced by mythic narratives depicting the crucial moments when aid was given to the white settlers. As reconstructed, the story serves to reassert for whites their right to be here, easing any lingering guilt about the displacement of the native inhabitants.

Native Americans: A Portrait : The Art and Travels of Charles Bird King, George Catlin, and Karl Bodmer

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Native Americans: A Portrait : The Art and Travels of Charles Bird King, George Catlin, and Karl Bodmer
Robert J. Moore
Manufacturer: Stewart Tabori & Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

The Cheyenne Indians, Vol. 2: War, Ceremonies, and Religion

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The Cheyenne Indians, Vol. 2: War, Ceremonies, and Religion
George Bird Grinnell
Manufacturer: Bison Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Native American | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Cheyenne Indians, Vol. 1: History and Society
Keeping Promises: What Is Sovereignty and Other Questions About Indian Country
The Fighting Cheyennes (Civilization of the American Indian Series)
Cheyenne Memories: Second Edition
The Cheyennes: Indians of the Great Plains (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology)

ASIN: 0803257724

Book Description

The Cheyenne Indians: Their History and Their Ways of Life is a classic ethnography, originally published in 1928, that grew out of George Bird Grinnell's long acquaintance with the Cheyennes. In Volume I he wrote about the tribe's early history and migrations, customs, domestic life, social organization, hunting, amusements, and government. Volume II looks at its warmaking and warrior societies, healing practices and responses to European diseases, religious beliefs and rituals, and legends and prophecies surrounding the culture hero Sweet Medicine. Included are appendixes on early Cheyenne village sites, the formation of the Quilling Society, and notes on Cheyenne songs.

La mujer que brillaba aún más que el sol / The Woman Who Outshone the Sun

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A staple for children's gifts
Beautiful Book
beautiful story with strong female protagonist
A beautiful tale of forgiveness and respect

La mujer que brillaba aún más que el sol / The Woman Who Outshone the Sun
Martinez
Manufacturer: Children's Book Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Calling the Doves/El canto de las palomas
Hairs/Pelitos
The Upside Down Boy / El niño de cabeza
El sombrero del tío Nacho / Uncle Nacho's Hat
Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet In Spanish And English

ASIN: 089239126X

Customer Reviews:

A staple for children's gifts.......2005-10-31

I don't know how many copies of this book I've purchased over the years to give away as gifts for all the children I've encountered through family and friends. It's a wonderful story that breathes tolerance, humility, and respect and appreciation for one's differences. This is one of my favorite books! It's visually stimulating and speaks so much to the tradition of oral storytelling in Mexican culture. I also love the fact that the Lucia is gorgeous, and brown with deep black hair. It's empowering for little girls of color to see a strong protagonist of color---my students love her and connect with her character.

Beautiful Book.......2003-08-25

This is a powerful and beautiful retelling of this story. This book is written in Spanish and in English and anyone interested in Latino storytelling will buy this book for their collection. I also highly recommend DRUM, CHAVI, DRUM! by Cuban author, Mayra L. Dole, and TRINOS CHOICE, by Chicana author Diane Bertrand.

beautiful story with strong female protagonist.......2000-09-22

Unlike the usual simpering heroine, Lucia is strong, mysterious, natural, and good. Children who are different from others--foreign, language difficulty, intelligence higher or lower--will appreciate how this stranger bounced back from hurt.

A beautiful tale of forgiveness and respect.......2000-06-16

This retelling of the Legend of Lucia Zenteno is beautifully illustrated with vibrant colors and imagination. The text is given in English and Spanish. It is the story of Lucia who has the most beautiful long hair. It is so beautiful that the river that runs throught the town falls in love with her, and when the people of the town, because of their fear, drive her away, the river and all its inhabitants leave with her. The town has to learn humility and they try to get her to return. A wonderful book with a strong female hero.

Ravensong: A Natural And Fabulous History Of Ravens And Crows

Average customer rating:

Ravens and crows from a literary standpoint
Great illustrations!
well intentioned but useless
I admit I was irritated...
justice for ravens

Ravensong: A Natural And Fabulous History Of Ravens And Crows
Catharine Feher-Elston
Manufacturer: Tarcher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Folklore & Mythology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

In the Company of Crows and Ravens
Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds (P.S.)
Bird Brains: The Intelligence of Crows, Ravens, Magpies, and Jays
Crows: Encounters with the Wise Guys
Ravens in Winter

ASIN: 1585423572
Release Date: 2004-12-29

Book Description

From the raven's role as trickster in Native American religion to its capacity to captivate ornithologists and biologists, the raven is an archetype in myth, dream, song, and ritual.

In this beautifully illustrated study, Catherine Feher-Elston looks at ravens and crows in the contexts of Native American folklore, history, and science. Through interviews with Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest and other native peoples, and drawing on the most recent ornithological research, Feher-Elston offers a well-rounded consideration of this enigmatic species, bringing to light its roles as messenger, symbol, harbinger, and totem.

Customer Reviews:

Ravens and crows from a literary standpoint.......2007-01-19

Not a book to read if you are seeking more science than legend.

Great illustrations!.......2006-11-05

This is a good book for people who want to learn about ravens and crows. For more knowledgable readers, there's not much new information, but it's a very nicely written book. The black and white illustrations are special, however, and the book makes a good addition to any bird library for that reason--they beautifully capture the 'crowness' of these magnificient birds.

well intentioned but useless.......2006-07-26

This is a book by someone who obviously loves corvids but is unequipped for realizing the task she set herself. The "fabulous" part of the book deals with old world history in two sentences, spending the rest of the space on folksy retellings of stories from Native American traditions. The "natural" part of the history is anecdotal, sentimentalized and inadequate. Other works serve far better for each of this one's stated purposes.

I admit I was irritated..........2006-06-06

when I first began reading this book. I expected that this book was going to be a mix of scientific report and anecdotal evidence illustrating the intelligence of ravens. I was wrong.

As I began to read through Feher-Elston's story, I was annoyed by her persistence in discussing religion and spirituality in connection with the raven. However, as I read on, I found myself more and more reluctant to set this book down. Before I knew it, I was reading on voraciously, completely consumed by the story.

Feher-Elston very successfully weaves together science, history, and spirituality, guiding the reader through many different and equally important perspectives on these birds. Through her exploration of the importance of Raven in Native American religion, the ghost dance, and creation stories, it feels as if one somehow begins to grasp the gravity of this bird through the wisdom of ages of man.

Folded into this story of history and legend, are the modern scientific truths of these birds. The author offers the reader the benefit of humanity's whole history of observations of these birds, and layers it with modern scientific knowledge. Through this book, the reader is left with a greater scientific and emotional understanding of the both the corvid, and of all of man's hopes and fears that it embodies.

justice for ravens.......2005-04-01

Several books have been published exploring the amazing intellignce of ravens, and ravens also appear in various books on mythology, but you can't do justice to ravens until you combine both perspectives, both their real lives and why they have appealed to the human imagination. This book finally puts everything together, the biology and the mythology, the raven psychology and the human psychology, and that's why it deserves to be called Ravensong, for it is a song, a tribute to the complete creature.

Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest

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Raven -Great childrens book
Raven
glorious, sumptuous and respectful
They ask to listen to it again and again!
Beautiful Illustrations

Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest
Gerald McDermott
Manufacturer: Voyager Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest
Zomo the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale from West Africa
Jabuti the Tortoise: A Trickster Tale from the Amazon
Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale (Picture Puffin)
Papagayo: The Mischief Maker

ASIN: 0152024492

Book Description

Raven, the trickster, wants to give people the gift of light. But can he find out where Sky Chief keeps it? And if he does, will he be able to escape without being discovered? His dream seems impossible, but if anyone can find a way to bring light to the world, wise and clever Raven can!

Customer Reviews:

Raven -Great childrens book.......2007-06-26

A classic Native American tale with brightly colored pictures.I have searched for this book for several years to replace an old worn copy.
I was very excited to find it through Amazon.

Raven.......2005-03-25

Raven the trickser wants to give people the gift of light.
Raven gives light but you have to read the book to find out what else happens.

glorious, sumptuous and respectful.......2003-07-12

I get antsy when Native American themes and stories appear in children's books. Too often they reek of cultural misappropriation.

But this beautiful book--gorgeous watercolor backgrounds to the Northwest Native American-style imagery--feels respectful, and does a great telling of a favorite Tlingit Haida tale of how light came into the world.

The illustration of the morphing of the Sky Chief's spoiled grandson back into Raven is particularly effective.And when Raven fills the sky with the sun in his beak, it's very easy to buy into this story as a valid creation myth.

I've now bought three copies of this book for various pre-schoolers I know, and all my grown-up friensd who've seen this book have fallen in love with it, too. This is a definite winner, bound to become as classic in its own way as Robert McCloskey's ``Blueberries for Sal.''

They ask to listen to it again and again!.......2000-01-03

The children in my Pre-K class cannot get enough of this book. The magic of the illustrations and the text has them mesmerized. Many times, when we have finished reading the story, they want to here it again!

Beautiful Illustrations.......1999-07-01

This is a wonderful book! My daughter and I really enjoyed the way that this tale was re-told and the illustrations were beautiful!

Average customer rating:

a book of many songs !
Highly recommended!!
Great read!
Song of the Cuckoo Bird
Absolutely stunning!

Song of the Cuckoo Bird: A Novel
Amulya Malladi
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Serving Crazy with Curry
A Breath of Fresh Air (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
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The Space Between Us: A Novel (P.S.)
Imaginary Men

ASIN: 0345483154
Release Date: 2005-12-27

Book Description

A sweeping epic set in southern India, where a group of outcasts create a family while holding tight to their dreams.

Barely a month after she is promised in marriage, eleven-year-old orphan Kokila comes to Tella Meda, an ashram by the Bay of Bengal. Once there, she makes a courageous yet foolish choice that alters the fabric of her life: Instead of becoming a wife and mother, youthful passion drives Kokila to remain at the ashram.

Through the years, Kokila revisits her decision as she struggles to make her mark in a country where untethered souls like hers merely slip through the cracks. But standing by her conviction, she makes a home in Tella Meda alongside other strong yet deeply flawed women. Sometimes they are her friends, sometimes they are her enemies, but always they are her family.

Like Isabel Allende, Amulya Malladi crafts complex characters in deeply atmospheric settings that transport readers through different eras, locales, and sensibilities. Careening from the 1940s to the present day, Song of the Cuckoo Bird chronicles India’s tumultuous history as generations of a makeshift family seek comfort and joy in unlikely places–and from unlikely hearts.

Customer Reviews:

a book of many songs !.......2006-04-01

I am not sure what the author means when she invites the readers to see the spiritual side of India by reading this book. There are Guru's ranging from the truly genuine to the fake like Charvi. This book is not about a typical ashram, it is more about the typical misfits and typical fake Guru's.

This book is not only the song of the cuckoo bird, but also equally the song of many others ( Charvi, Sastri, Chetana, Subhadra and many others ). Add to this the songs of these people's Children and grandchildren and/or their friends and/or their relatives and visitors to the ashram. There are just too many characters.

It was not Vidura who related the battle of Mahabharatha to king Dhritharashtra and Ugadi is not celebrated in January !.

Highly recommended!!.......2006-03-10

I recommended this book to my book club and we LOVED it!! It was such a fabulous read. Now we're planning to read all of Amulya Malladi's books.

Great read!.......2006-03-10

I read a good review of this book in The Boston Globe and was not disappointed. This is a very unusual book about India and I learnt something new about the ashram culture and the Indian society as a whole. In the beginning I was annoyed with the use of foreign words but as I read the book I was glad that the author had not translated everything and ruined the charming effect the words gave the entire book.

Song of the Cuckoo Bird.......2006-03-09

I just finished reading this book and just had to write a review. I read a lot of books by Indian authors and as an Indian there are times that I am disappointed and unimpressed, this is not one of those times. "Song of the Cuckoo Bird" is a truly fabulous experience as it takes you through the lives of people living in an ashram over a span of almost 50 years. This was an inspiring read. I especially loved the chapter about the ashram getting a television; I remember those times well.

Absolutely stunning!.......2006-03-09

I loved this book! I have read other books by Amulya and have liked them but this one is truly superior. The story is beautiful, the characters interesting and the writing remarkable. I recommend this book to everyone interested in India and who want to read a novel written not specifically for a "foreign" audience, but one that just tells a story without pretense.

Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Volumes 1 & 2

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Ripley Guide

Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Volumes 1 & 2
Pamela C. Rasmussen , and John C. Anderton
Manufacturer: Lynx Edicions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 8487334679

Book Description

Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Volume 1 (Field Guide): Covers all South Asian birds (including for the first time Afghanistan and Chagos). Volume 2 (Morphology, distribution, vocalizations and taxonomy): Describes over 2500 taxa, including all 1428 species recorded for the region. Publisher: Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., and Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Publication date: April 2005 Language: English. Format: Hardback, 15,3x22,1 cm., Volume 1: 384 pages; Volume 2: 688 pages

Customer Reviews:

Ripley Guide.......2007-03-09

A truly wonderful book. An outstanding work. The book is divided into two volumes: a field guide, which is easy to carry in the field, and a second volume giving you detailed descriptions of all species. The field guide illustrates all known species from the region (about 1300) in great detail, including color variations. And the illustrations are superb. The second volume gives you details about each species, and includes, for the first time for this region, a sonogram for most of the species. I found this book invaluable for this region. Highly recommend for anyone who is interested in birds of southern Asia.

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