Book Description
This fascinating volume contains over 500 colour photographs, many from previously undocumented collections. It is full of fascinating historical detail, including the legendof the Koh-i-Noor diamond, now the centrepiece of the State Crown of Queen Elizabeth II. The book explains the skill and techniques of the Indian craftsmen and reveals ... Read more

Book Description
Some of the most savage war in world history was waged on the American Plains from 1865 to 1879. As settlers moved west following the Civil War, they found powerful Indian tribes barring the way. When the U.S. Army intervened, a bloody and prolonged conflict ensued.Drawing heavily from diaries, letters, and memoirs from American Plains settlers, historian Thomas Goodrich weaves a spellbinding tale of life and death on the prairie, told in the timeless words of the participants themselves. "Scalp Dance" is a powerful, unforgettable epic that shatters modern myths. Within its pages, the reader will find a truthful account of Indian warfare as it occurred. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Unvarnished
This is the story of the Indian Wars and battles fought on the Plains between 1865 through 1878. Focusing on the actions in Kansas and Montana, Thomas Goodrich weaves an interesting tale told from the diaries, newspaper accounts and letters of white participants. While much of the subject matter has been covered by others, these often first hand accounts are unsanitized, not politically correct versions of the events as seen and understood from the settlers' and Army's point of view. As a result, it is quite passionate, eliciting emotions that were felt on one side of these tragic events.

As a plus, Goodrich covers lesser known or reported clashes during these wars that settled the American West. A good, quick read well written.

Great First Hand Accounts of Conflict on the Plains
The author does an excellent job providing a history of violent contacts between the Plains Indians and whites and between Indians themselves through the use of first hand accounts. What is unique about this format is that the accounts seem to flow freely through the book adding to the story and not detracting from it. The accounts are primarily from whites who were direct witnesses to Indian raids in Colorado, Red Clouds War the Kansas War, The Great Sioux and Cheyene War and the Northern Cheyene's desperate flight back to their homeland. The descriptions discuss not only combat with Indians but the violence extended to victims including gruesome desercations of the victims body, thought to have necessary significance for Indians for an advanatge in the afterlife. The discovery of mutilated bodies understandably created a vengeful lust among friends and family of the deceased. Surprisingly, these accounts include mistreatment of captured women. This seems in sharp contrast to the way northeastern tribes treated prisoners during the mid 18th century where prisoners were used as slaves, barter or assimiliation purposes (see "White Devil" by Stephen Brumwell). The impression the book leaves you is that there was very little of this option with the Plains Indians, which directly speaks to the old proverb "Save the last bullet for yourself". Although the book is primarily from the white perspectives, it does cover the controversial massacre of Sand Creek by Major Chivingtonas it appears that violence begets violence whether justified or not(The massacre perspective is challenged in "The Battle of Sand Creek: The Military Perspective" by Michael Michno). One thing of note is that General Sheridan was disinclined to trade for white women prisoners if they were held in captivity too long assuming they were no longer fit for society (see "General Sheridan and His Generals" by Paul Hutton). The violent combat is not restricted just between whites and Indians but also between different tribes as one witness observed Crows torturing one of their enemies to death. The book has some balance as Captain Mills from Crooks' army expresses regret for a young Indian child's grief for her deceased mother who was caught in a cross fire at Slim Buttes. It is also noted that whites periodically took scalps (Buffalo Bill) and desecrated Indian graves. Many of the individuals quoted seemed to be very forthright as one scout who survived the siege at Beecher's Island stated that he did not know how many Indians he killed since their attacks were so fast and furious he couldn't follow his shots. The book also highlights the Fetterman Massacre (whites lost), Battle of Washita (some say massacre), Little Big Horn, Rosebud, Slim Buttes and assortment of other campaigns.All in all, the witneses attest to the hard, dangerous and violent life on the edge of the frontier.

Scalp Dance brutal, honest
This book does reflect a no screwing around prose about the Indian Wars, with many examples of incidents that had occurred during them-both to settlers, and the various Indian tribes. A very vivid book, and competes up there with Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee. Easy to read, also.

The Most Honest Book About the Plains Wars Available
One of the few good things about the 1960s was that, as one set of politically correct attitudes replaced another, there was a brief moment when both were rejected and you got something approximating the truth. In movies like Ulzana's Raid and Duel at Diablo, you got a sense that neither "red man" or "white man" was blameless, that both sides suffered and that what the Indian Wars were about was a clash of civilizations. This made for an honest assessment of the period, an assessment soon lost as the "whites as monsters" ideology replaced the "Indians as monsters" view.

There are very few books, however, which have been able to capture that objectivity. This is the best of them. You get a sense of the irreconcilable views of the two sides. In colorful, exciting but scrupulously accurate prose, the entire period is laid out for the reader. Interestingly, because the author does not tilt his narrative to one side or the other, you get a richer appreciation for the tragedy of that period.

If you read only one book on the Indian Wars, read this one.

America's First War on Terror
If you want to understand the dynamics of the plains indian wars, you MUST read this book. Scalp Dance gives you an up close and personal look at the atrocities and danger that frontier people lived with daily. One of my favorite subjects is the Indian Wars (both in the east and west), but anymore it is virtually impossible -- and I mean IMPOSSIBLE -- to find books that aren't extremely PC and insultingly one-sided. This book is the antidote. Before you cast aspersions on the people involved in these conflicts, read this book, and ask yourself, "What would I do in the same situation?" ... Read more

Book Description
The yoga and classical dance traditions of India have been inextricably entwined for millennia.  The exacting hand gestures, postures and movements of Indian classical dance can only be achieved through yogic concentration.  Conversely, the esthetics, symmetry, and dynamism of dance enhance the practice of yoga.  These two traditions, so complementary and essential to one another, are united and explicated for the first time in A Yoga of Indian Classical Dance.

Twenty-five years ago Roxanne Kamayani Gupta embarked on a journey of dance and yoga, yearning to unlock their mysteries and discover their common origins.  As a twenty-year-old student from America she was miraculously and mysteriously absorbed into Indian culture, became a Hindu, and began an odyssey so unusual and unique that the reader will be enchanted by its telling. Choosing the path of the dancer, Roxanne Gupta accomplished what no Western woman had done before: being accepted and trained by Indian masters and then performing in the Indian classical traditions--from the palaces of maharajas to the arts festivals of Europe and America--while at the same time achieving a doctorate in the anthropology of religion and being initiated into a number of yogic traditions.  Having mastered the classical form of Kuchipudi dance and studied with teachers of the hatha and kriya yoga traditions, she brings together these two great streams of consciousness and practice.

In this tantric approach to yoga and dance, expressed through the body and through a yoga of emotions, we see the traditions embodied in  a manner that embraces the totality of the human experience.  The result is the dance of the yogini, the sacred feminine initiatress who dances with one foot in nature and the other in the realm of the gods.  With extensive photographs of innovative yoga routines, Roxanne Kamayani Gupta distills her experience into techniques for yogic study certain to assist students of all levels to achieve a dynamic, beautiful, and graceful practice.

Customer Reviews (9)

The first book of its kind
It is indeed the first and - so far - the only book that attempts to introduce - to the western readership - the spiritual aspects of the classical Indian dance form of Kuchipudi. The author is clearly not a Bharata Muni or even a devadasi or a Siddhendra Yogi, but is obviously a very intellectual (and often a bit too philosophical) lady and made the book easily understandable for the non-Indian readership.

I have never watched Roxanne Kamayani Gupta dance, but, to judge from her book, she is (and has never been) not a contemporary Kuchipudi star like Varsha Ramesh who, true, cannot boast of a PhD and is too young to understand the western mentality.

To have some idea of what is inside the book:

I. Intro (Understanding Yoga and Indian Classical Dance)
1. Discipline and Desire (My Initiation into Indian Spirituality) - page 8
2. Dance of the Gurus (Meetings with Remarkable Men and Women) - page 32
3. Stillness at the Center (The Yoga of Indian Dance) - page 51
4. The Dance of Yoga (The sixty-Four Yogini Asanas) - page 59
5. Yoga of the Emotions (Spiritual Dimensions of Indian Dance) - page 150
6. The Dance of the Yogini (Tantric Dimensions of Indian Classical Dance) - page 162
7. Yoga of the Elements (Nature, Culture and Spirituality) - page 173

So, half of the book is dedicated to the asanas but gives hardly anything beyond the instructions for the physical body. So, where is the Kriya Yoga element here then? The author fails to establish the connection between the asanas and the classical Indian dance.

Of course, nobody in India performs the yoga asanas in those kind of tights - sitting in a garden on a deer skin. And nobody in India understands what is "Yogini Asanas". Yoga Asanas is what is known. There is a bit too much of the romantic American feminism here. Roxanne does not know why the founder of Kuchipudi, Siddhendra Yogi, taught it only to men... So, why?

And - my god! - "Tantric Dimensions" are of course in line with the popular western (sex-obsessed) interpretation of the Left Path of Tantra. Roxanne believes that "since the advent of the birth control pill women's sexuality no longer inevitably results in pregnancy...". Roxanne could never explain why the original devadasis were celibate and why nobody was allowed to watch them dance in the temples' shrine's. Explaining it would hurt the pride of the sexually active (majority) part of the potential readership in the USA, of course. It would be shocking for them to read something like the Irumbai legend portraying the devadasi Valli. After reading Roxanne, an average American woman may be lead to wonder if the ancient devadasis, indeed, used to pull condoms over the lingams in the temples!

As for "Yoga of Emotions" section, there are full-page photos of Roxanne attempting to demonstrate the navarasas.While some of the expressions are ok, others (such as Raudra, Sringara, Vira, Adbhuta) are not clearly expressed. Roxanne should better learn what real expressions should be by, for example, watching the DVDs of SriDevi Nrithyalaya's virtuosos.

Ok, all in, if you were not brought up in India, the book is a must-read for all those interested in the yoga side of Kuchipudi. Even if 2% of the book gives you some kind of answer to the question, "Where on earth is Yoga in Kuchipudi???", these 2% are worth gleaning from reading the entire book.

I am quite satisfied with this book's price.

Beautiful book packed with more beauty
Ms Gupta is such a talented lady. A westerner who has really taken the art of kuchipudi to such a spiritual level, its so heartwarming really. Her pics are all so clear and she teached some excellent yoga postures. She explains them all so clearly and correctly. This lady is so dedicated to the art form it gives us an insight into what dedication really is. She has lots of history as well and everything is so informative i cant get my hands off this book. Its a work of wonder!! My aunt and i virtually compete to read this beautiful book. For those indians like me who love and embrace everything abt being indian this is a great one too. and for those art enthusiasts theres alot to learn from this beautiful lady@!!!

Wonderful Book
Roxanne creates this book by combining her experiences living in India, learning classical dance and yoga. Her style of writing is exquisite and authentic. I grew up in Hyderabad speaking Telugu language. Reading about her experiences from Hyderabad, I felt like I'm back home. I met Dr. Nataraja Rama Krishna, great dance teacher few times. Teachers like him and others expect nothing but the best from their students.

Roxanne incorporates some of the dance movements and hand gestures in the yoga exercises she recommends. It clearly shows, how classical dance and yoga are inter related. Any dance teacher would benefit greatly from reading this book.

Three in one
This book is beautifully packaged, and Ms. Gupta links Yoga asanas and classical Indian dance, something so obvious, and yet the dance masters fail to do this to any extent in the present-day Indian classical dance training. The Yoga portion of the book consists of basic gentle yoga asanas, with photos of the author doing the asanas, good especially for beginners, but a video to accompany the book would have made it more complete and easier to follow (though, as photos go, it's as good as it can get without a video).It's a memoir and a journey of the author's first trip to India and how she, as an American, got interested in the East.It is full of hundreds of photos, large and small, of the author who shares her earthly and sometimes not-so-earthly experiences in words and pictures, making it a book on yoga, a biography and an introduction to Indian classical dance.

A Hidden World Revealed
Inspiring and scholarly, The Yogini's Mirror reflects undiscovered worlds inside the reader, moving the reader into a realm where anything is possible. Sincerity and Grace are humbly conveyed through personal experience and practical methods. This book is a way to easy yoga, accessible and full of joyous enlightenment. ... Read more

Book Description
The evolution of classical Indian dances, the different techniques and forms that took shape and developed over centuries is the story this book relates. All the major dance forms in India have been elaborated on in intricate and interesting detail from their origin till the present. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very picturesque
This is more than just a coffee table book, its a great compilation of the past, present and future of Indian classical dance. The author has done a fabulous job presenting a brief outlook for all the major classical styles. It might look overwhelming to a novice but its truly a pleasant read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Well worth the read........
This book is well worth the time it takes
to read and you will learn much from it.
I recommend it to all seeking knowledge. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Un classicodell'antropologia
irrinunciabile e suggestiva opera di notevole approfondimento scientifico. imperdibile la galleria delle misteriose"booger masks. ... Read more

Book Description
War Dance at Fort Marion tells the powerful story of Kiowa, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Arapaho chiefs and warriors detained as prisoners of war by the U.S. Army. Held from 1875 until 1878 at Fort Marion in Saint Augustine, Florida, they participated in an educational experiment, initiated by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, as an alternative to standard imprisonment. This book, the first complete account of a unique cohort of Native peoples, brings their collective story to life and pays tribute to their individual talents and achievements.

Throughout their incarceration, the Plains Indian leaders followed Pratt's rules and met his educational demands even as they remained true to their own identities. Their actions spoke volumes about the sophistication of their cultural traditions, as they continued to practice Native dances and ceremonies and also illustrated their history and experiences in the now-famous ledger drawing books.

Brad D. Lookingbill's War Dance at Fort Marion draws on numerous primary documents, especially Native American accounts, to reconstruct the war prisoners' story. The author shows that what began as Pratt's effort to end the Indians' resistance to their imposed exile transformed into a new vision to mold them into model citizens in mainstream American society, though this came at the cost of intense personal suffering and loss for the Indians. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The true story of Kiowa, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Arapaho chiefs and warriors
War Dance At Fort Marion: Plains Indian War Prisoners is the true story of Kiowa, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Arapaho chiefs and warriors who were held as prisoners of war by the U.S. Army from 1875 to 1878 at Fort Marion in Saint Augustine, Florida. The prisoners participated in an educational experiment, as introduced by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, as an alternative to standard imprisonment. While they were incarcerated, the Indian leaders followed Pratt's rules and met his educational demands, while keeping hold of their own identities. Author and history professor Brad. D. Lookingbill draws from primary sources, particularly Native American accounts, to piece together the story of the war prisoners, as well as portray Pratt's evolving vision to mold Indians into model citizens of American mainstream society - an undertaking that came at a cost of personal suffering and cultural loss for the Indian generations so molded. Of particular note are the coping strategies that Plains Indian leaders used to survive their internment with dignity and return to lead their people with pride. Highly recommended.
... Read more

Book Description
Indian classical dance forms have become popular throughout the world and are seen at various international dance festivals. In New Direction in Indian Dance, dancers, choreographers, and critics document the new directions Indian dance is taking in finding contemporary expression. The accompanying images reveal the ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
"McLerran's elegant, spare text begins by describing the result of white settlers' relentless westward movement in the U.S. The scenario is one often related in books sympathetic to Native Americans: buffalo, their hides stripped, left to rot on the prairie; streams stripped of fish; and herds of elk and buffalo depleted. In poetic prose, she talks about a Paiute visionary, Tavibo, and his son who each dreamed that if Native peoples danced, the white people would disappear and the ghosts of the wildlife that had been decimated would return. . . . Morin's thoughtful assemblages contain many objects that place the book in its historical context. The evocative paintings feature a variety of textures. . . . This stunning book will hold great appeal for environmentally conscious readers, and will interest classroom teachers seeking a poetic call-to-action." —School Library Journal, starred ... Read more

Book Description
This innovative cultural history examines wide-ranging issues of religion, politics, and identity through an analysis of the American Indian Ghost Dance movement and its significance for two little-studied tribes: the Shoshones and Bannocks. The Ghost Dance has become a metaphor for the death of American Indian culture, but as Gregory Smoak argues, it was not the desperate fantasy of a dying people but a powerful expression of a racialized "Indianness." While the Ghost Dance did appeal to supernatural forces to restore power to native peoples, on another level it became a vehicle for the expression of meaningful social identities that crossed ethnic, tribal, and historical boundaries. Looking closely at the Ghost Dances of 1870 and 1890, Smoak constructs a far-reaching, new argument about the formation of ethnic and racial identity among American Indians. He examines the origins of Shoshone and Bannock ethnicity, follows these peoples through a period of declining autonomy vis-a-vis the United States government, and finally puts their experience and the Ghost Dances within the larger context of identity formation and emerging nationalism which marked United States history in the nineteenth century. ... Read more

Book Description
In this fascinating ethnohistorical case study of North American Indians, the Ghost Dance religion is the backbone for Kehoe's exploration of significant aspects of American Indian life and her quest to learn why some theories become popular. In Part 1, she combines knowledge gained from her firsthand experiences living among and speaking with Indian elders with a careful analysis of historical accounts, providing a succinct yet insightful look at people, events, and institutions from the 1800s to the present. She clarifies unique and complex relationships among Indian peoples and dispels many of the false pretenses promoted by United States agencies over two centuries. In Part 2, Kehoe surveys some of the theories used to analyze the events described in Part 1, allowing readers to see how theories develop, to think critically about various perspectives, and to draw their own conclusions. Kehoe's gripping presentation and analysis pave the way for just and constructive Indian-White relations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

I am ambivalent about this book.
Ms. Kehoe did a good job at tracing the practise of the ghost dance from the time that Wovoka (A Paiute medicine man) was given this ceremony to the masacre by the military at Wounded knee creek South Dakota in 1890 to the second incident at Wounded knee creek in 1973.

For people interested in seeing the ghost dance watch the dance in the movie "Billyjack" after Billyjack goes through the ceremony with the rattlesnake. I have heard that Wovoka's sonor son-in-law supervised that scene of the movie.

Basicly the people would dance until they would faint from exhaustion, and while unconscious they would see into the spirit world something similar to an OBE.

On page 62: Ms. Kehoe states that Nick Black Elk (Sioux holy man) was a practising Catholic. It is true that Black Elk went to mass after he married the second time. However; the prayer that Black Elk offered on Harney peak, and is recorded in the book "Black Elk Speaks" John G. Neihardt, it is abundantly clear that his spiritual beliefs in Wakan Tanka (Sioux name for the Great Spirit) never wavered. He may have went along with Catholocism for peace in the family, or to stop the proselytizing church members. I used the same tactic early in life.

Ms. Kehoe; made one statement on page 65 that made me angry! She implies that Nick Black Elk had partial blindess by using gunpowder in his yuwipi healing ceremony to fool the indians into thinking the spirit helpers had arrived by throwing a pinch of gunpowder in the fire.

With my understanding of Sioux spirituality, and the properties of gunpowder. I state categoricaly that this is impossible! 20 years ago; I used gunpowder to reload the cartridges for my high powered rifle.

In the Yuwipi ceremony the indians remove all furniture from the room, and place quilts over the doors and windows to block all light from entering the room, and the wicasa pejuta or wicasa wakan (medicine man or holy man) has his hands tied behind his back with rawhide, and then they usualy wrap him up in a star quilt like a mummy and the quilt is tied around his body. The wicasa pejuta or wicasa wakan is placed on the floor, and the lamp is put out leaving the people in total darkness (there is no fire, and the yuwipi man is tied up in a quilt; making it impossible to use gunpowder in this manner).

Ms. Kehoe may have meant the Inipi (sweat lodge) ceremony so I will describe that to you. A sweat lodge structure is built of saplings or willow limbs, and a large fire is built to heat rocks until they are red hot. Whilethe rocks are heating they dig a hole in the center of the structure to hold the rocks, and the removed dirt is used to build a mound to the east of the structure, then the indians cover the ground with sage, and quilts are put over the structure. Water is poured over the rocks making steam inside the structure. (It would be impossible for Nick Black Elk or any wicasa wakan to use gunpowder on the rocks. Everyone is drenched with steam, and is sweating profusely. Gunpowder will not burn or explode if it gets wet. This is the reason for the saying (keep your powder dry.).)

I am NOT asking you to take my word for any of this. You can read about the Inipi and Yuwipi ceremonies in "Lakota Belief And Ritual" James R. Walker, "The Sacred Pipe" Joseph Epes Brown, "Mother Earth Spirituality" Ed McGaa, and other sources.

I only wish Ms. Kehoe had bothered to properly research material instead of making outrageous statements such as this.

Please send E-Mail if you have questions or comments about this review. Two Bears.

Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)

Revitalization indeed
Kehoe's excellent work on the Ghost Dance religion allows the reader to be witness to a textbook example of religious revitalization movements.From the Paiute prophet Wovoka Jack Wilson's revelation during an eclipse to "Live a good, honest life" to the massacre at Wounded Knee, Kehoe describes in detail the history and beliefs of the Ghost Dance and the benefits it provided to the American Indian communities who took it up, as well as the rejection of the Ghost Dance religion by groups like the Navajo.Kehoe further describes the continuance of a variant of the Ghost Dance religion at a reservation in Seskatchewan and talks about the revitalization movement driven by Handsome Lake amongst the Iroquois and how the re-imagining of their beliefs allowed them to become more successful in a radically altered world.

This rather short read by a pre-eminent author on the anthropology of American Indian societies is sure to both educate and provide deep enjoyment to the curious reader.

The essential book for understanding contemporary issues!
Anyone interested in North American Indians (Native Americans; First Nations) has to read Alice Beck Kehoe's book.She weaves together the past and present, religion and politics, and creates a book that offers moreinsight into contemporary issues than any other one ever written.And as aplus--for those interested in mysteries--she explains how the Ghost DanceReligion, thought to have died out in 1890, survived decades into thetwentieth century. ... Read more

Product Description
The world-renowned American epic Dances With Wolves is the eternal Story of one mans search for his place in the world. Set in 1863, the novel follows Lieutenant John Dunbar on a magical and unpredictable journey from the ravages of the Civil War to the far reaches of the imperiled American frontier, a frontier he naively wants to see before its gone. His posting to a desolate and deserted outpost is the springboard for contact with the lords of the southern plainsthe Comanche. Though he does not speak their language, has no knowledge of their customs, and is considered a trespasser, Lieutenant Dunbar finds himself intrigued by the exotic and alien culture of the buffalo-hunting people of the plains. A simple desire to know more about his wild neighbors ignites a great adventure of transformation that culminates with the emergence of a different kind of mana man called Dances With Wolves. Dances With Wolves has appeared in hardcover only once in the United States. That edition has been out of print for more than ten years. Hrymfaxe is proud to bring this timeless, and beloved story to hardcover once again, availing readers, old and new, of an opportunity to give the saga of Dances With Wolves the treasured place of permanence it deserves in personal libraries everywhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

The book is better, in my opinion.
A friend recently gave me a copy of the "Dances With Wolves" movie (one of my favorites since seeing it years ago) and the book which I had never read.After a repeat viewing of the movie, I read the book.

The main reason I normally prefer the book versions of a story is that one gets to know the thoughts and feelings of the main characters that embellish each scene and are actually sometimes needed to understand the full scope.

This reason especially applies in the case of "Dances With Wolves," written by Michael Blake.The main character is alone with only his horse, the infrequent visits of a lone wolf and his brief journalized thoughts for company until his company includes a nearby camp of Indians.As the beautiful and memorable story transpires amidst a language barrier, one is privy to a richness of behind-the-scenes depth the movie version is limited in presenting.

There are a few variations between the movie and the book, including the ending (and I prefer the ending of the book), but if you liked the movie, you will love the book.

Better than the movie
I saw the movie only once and it was good, but this book was way better! I can't wait to read Holy road.

Dances With Wolves: a review
Michael Blake's book Dances With Wolves is a great read, and one that I really enjoyed.The story is about Lt. John Dunbar, a lieutenant in the Union army during the Civil War.After being sent to an abandoned post by a drunk General Lt. Dunbar is forced to live on his own without anybody knowing that he is stationed at Fort Sedgwick, due to the fact that the guy that drove him out there was killed on the trip back, and the General was admitted into a mental hospital.Living on his own Lt. Dunbar befriends the Comanche Indians living just down the river from him, after they try to steel his horse.And that sends him on a trip through life that will cause him to change forever.
I thought that Michael Blake did an excellent job of developing the characters, especially Lt. Dunbar, Stands With a Fist, and Kicking Bird.I personally felt like I knew these characters after I was about halfway through Dances With Wolves, I was even into predicting what each character would do next.I guess the fact that I was able to do that means that the book was some-what predictable, but that doesn't change the fact that it has a good plot.
Dances With Wolves has a great theme, saying that however alone you feel or think you are, there is always somebody around that you can befriend.You can see this in Dances With Wolves when Lt. Dunbar realizes that he is alone at Fort Sedgwick and that there are no replacements coming back.Which made him feel utterly and completely alone, even pushed him into depression.Then the Comanche Indian kicking Bird found him and his camp, and this started that process of Lt. Dunbar and the Comanche Indians befriending each other.

Shook-mani-took-tonka Oh wachi
The Costner movie based on this book is one of my favorite movies ever, so it was only natural for me to pick this book when I saw it. As most would agree, the movie is NEVER as good as the book, so I quickly surmised that, since the movie was fabulous, the book must reach vast unknown limits of greatness, right?Well, not exactly. Michael Blake's writing of DANCES WITH WOLVES is certainly a good book and a wonderful story, it is Costner's ability to turn this story into such a brilliant production that is the real achievement here.

I have found that normally, if I like a movie and read the book afterwards, it serves to enhance what I saw on film. In this case, however, the book had somewhat the opposite effect for me. There are differences between the two that only seem to diminish Costner's work. A couple of things I knew already, such as Costner's use of the Indian Chief, Ten Bears, who I knew to have been a great Comanche, not a Sioux.

Well, as it turns out, the book is written to that effect. The Indians befriended by Lt. Dunbar and portrayed in the movie as Sioux, are actually Comanche. Now I can understand the alteration here, for a couple of reasons. First of all, though most Americans are notoriously ignorant of our rich history, for the most part, people do know the Comanche were the badest of the bad and it would be an increased degree of difficulty to portray the Comanche in a positive light as being rather passive and wanting only to be left alone to live in peace. Though the Sioux were hardly any more docile, their reputation is certainly not nearly as notorious. Also, for cinematic reasons, it's certainly understandable that the domain of the northern Sioux is a more picturesque backdrop that the barren plains of the Southern Comanche. Also, the Sioux language of the movie has a more poetic feel to it and is somewhat more widely recognized than the rather obscure Shoshonean spoken by the Comanche.

I hope I haven't given the wrong impression here. This is a very enjoyable read, though it is a rare occasion where the book was not nearly as enjoyable, for me at least, as was the movie.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

Inspiring and Amazing
I don't know why there are somewhat negative remarks about this book. I seriously loved this book and recomend everyone should read it sometime during their lifetime. It's just one of the many examples of the white man and his reckless and destructive behaviour, and pains suffered by the Indians who owned this land before any body else.
I took a course in Native Americans in college and you further see the destruction, chaos and murder that we the white have perpetrated. It's a very moving book and I found it to be inspiring on one side but also sad.
Trully a remarkable book, would recommend everyone should read it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wonderful History of Kuchipudi
Kuchipudi Bharatam is a delightful and descriptive history of the Kuchipudi dance form from its origins to the present day. It is peppered with enlightening and entertaining anecdotes which keep you reading for more. Although a little knowledge of Telugu or Sanskrit is needed to fully understand this book, anyone can read it and understand the jist of every chapter. It is definately a "must-read" for every lover of Kuchipudi. Dr. Uma Rama Rao has definately provided a very interesting outlook on the history of Kuchipudi. ... Read more