Product Description
Is there any chapter in American history more dramatic than that of the Northwest from the time of Lewis and Clark to the tragic defeat of Chief Joseph in 1877? Heroic - and not so heroic -characters abound: explorers, fur traders, miners, settlers, missionaries, ranchers, Indian chiefs and their tribespeople. Now, when interest in Lewis and Clark and the American Northwest has never been higher, comes the first complete and unabridged paperback edition of Alvin Josephy's masterwork. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

More About the Nez Perce, Less About the Missionaries Please
Really I would rate this book at 4 ½ stars if Amazon would let us. It is a good book, but, at least for me, it does not quite make it to 5. I felt a little too much time was spent on the history of the missionaries sent to the Nez Perce lands. I do realize though that this was an important event that caused a rift in the tribe, so it needed to be covered.When I was reading the bits about the lives of the missionaries, the book started to bog down. I was more interested in learning about the Nez Perce than the settlers. Other than that, I thought the book was good, and well written. I will definitely be reading more on the Nez Perce in the future!

Authoritative, essential, heart-rending
The appalling treatment of the Nez Perces is a sordid and shameful chapter in the modern history of the Pacific Northwest.Mr. Josephy carefully and meticulously describes the downfall of this peaceful and friendly people.His account begins slowly, but it accelerates with the momentum of a huge steam engine and thunders to a climax that left me in tears.

The best book available on this subject
Growing up in Idaho, and in my youth occasionally hearing some of the stories of the tragic flight of the Nez Perce, led me to read several books on the subject.No other story in American history is as fascinating as this one.Many good books have been written about it (along with a few that are not so good), but this one is easily the best.It is the most detailed, most accurate, and yet the most readable of all of them.Be warned, however--it is long (700+ pages), and nearly three fourths of the book deals with events that occured prior to the well-known Nez Perce war of 1877.For a shorter read about just the war itself Beal's "I Will Fight No More, Forever" might be a better choice.But for a comprehensive history of the entire region and its people, this is the best. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides an overview of the past and present lives of the Nez Perce Native Americans including a description of their history, homes, food, clothing, family life, customs, religion, and government. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
This newest volume in Oxford's acclaimed Pivotal Moments series offers an unforgettable portrait of the Nez Perce War of 1877, the last great Indian conflict in American history. It was, as Elliott West shows, a tale of courage and ingenuity, of desperate struggle and shattered hope, of short-sighted government action and a doomed flight to freedom.
To tell the story, West begins with the early history of the Nez Perce and their years of friendly relations with white settlers.In an initial treaty, the Nez Perce were promised a large part of their ancestral homeland, but the discovery of gold led to a stampede of settlement within the Nez Perce land.Numerous injustices at the hands of the US government combined with the settlers' invasion to provoke this most accomodating of tribes to war.West offers a riveting account of what came next: the harrowing flight of 800 Nez Perce, including many women, children and elderly, across 1500 miles of mountainous and difficult terrain. He gives a full reckoning of the campaigns and battles--and the unexpected turns, brilliant stratagems, and grand heroism that occurred along the way. And he brings to life the complex characters from both sides of the conflict, including cavalrymen, officers, politicians, and--at the center of it all--the Nez Perce themselves (the Nimiipuu, "true people"). The book sheds light on the war's legacy, including the near sainthood that was bestowed upon Chief Joseph, whose speech of surrender, "I will fight no more forever," became as celebrated as the Gettysburg Address.
Based on a rich cache of historical documents, from government and military records to contemporary interviews and newspaper reports, The Last Indian War offers a searing portrait of a moment when the American identity--who was and who was not a citizen--was being forged. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Wide context for a tragic event
This is another of many books about the 1877 flight of the Nez Perce from from the U.S Army. I thought: Why read it? Here's why:

If you read Alvin Josephy's The Nez Perce and the Opening of the Northwest, a detailed and readable narrative history of the Nez Perce from Lewis and Clark to the end of the 1877 "war," this will take those accurate details and put them in context with the broad sweep of history and the collision of cultures.

If you have not read Josephy's book, I would suggest that you read that before West's.The Nez Perce Indians and the Opening of the Northwest (American Heritage Library)

Insightful Read
Eliott West's detailed look at the relationships and cultural disconnect between the "Americans" and the Indians provides a new perspective on the development of the West and the nation.At times it appeared that the U.S. military was either clueless regarding the inner dynamics of these societies or deliberately exploited it.Either way, the agenda was the same.The most striking part of this story is that after-the-fact public outcry emerged to protect and defend Native American civilizations, but at what cost to them?Their homelands had been taken, their way of life was in shambles, and Americans still expected Native Americans to assimilate.West not only explores this dichotomy, but connects the events transpiring in the west and draws parallels to the developments in the South during Reconstruction.Thoughtful, concise read, but definitely emphasizes military and political strategy.

Noble People
Is there anyone on this earth that has been so totally stripped of their possessions, culture, religious practices, property, food sources, and generally suppressing their total way of life ?You hear different ethnic groups complaining about this, that, or another.They all pale in comparison to the SINS committed against these peoples. I'm sorry I understand that this is a review section, but I just felt compelled to say it.Great book.

An Oft told Story
The tragedy that West documents was repeated over and over again throughout the conquest of America.In my early reading of the book I reacted with a kind of weariness because I felt that I had heard it all before.But as I read on I saw that the author, while not presenting much new about White/Indian encounters, was able to knit together many diverse threads to gave the history a more nuanced telling.Rather than good/bad Indians, good/bad settlers. good/bad army, and good/bad government each of the actors had some of each even though settlers and the government were certainly more bad than good.In Lawrence Keely'sWar Before Civilization: The Myth of the Peaceful Savage we get the sense that although people's like the Nez Perce could easily outfight their civilized enemies they could not sustain themselves while doing so.Civilized armies could call upon resources beyond the Nez Perse's imagining: in this case the assets included the telegraph, the railroads, and a hugely productive society, all hidden from the Nez Perse's view. The structure of Nez Perse society into families and clans with changing leadership led to what was probably the majority giving up their land. Those hundreds who resisted, among whom Joseph was a bit layer prior to their defeat, launched themselves against overwhelming forces.Both reservation Nez Perse and traditional Indian enemies assisted in the resisters' undoing.With their changing leadership, their fight and flee strategy their lack of communication with potential allies, they hadn't a chance.What they did have was a style of fighting which was very much like the wolves and natives that Berry Lopez describes in "Of Men and Wolves." In their last stand, they responded to the surprise attacked spontaneously yet in a coordinated fashion. Men women and children knew what to do without foreplanning.Joseph and some women went to protect the horses, fighters made use of cover, and others to aid the wounded. They effectively held off the army inflicting disproportionate damage.With the loss of the horses they knew they were defeated yet made possible the escape of those that could.The irony is that even if they had made it to Canada they would have fared no better than the Sioux who preceded them and eventually surrendered or were killed.

The heroic nature of the story and also its tragedy is that the Nez Perse tried to live with a kind of integrity, an integrity which had some pretty harsh values, but connected them to their homeland and essentials of life which often seemed a lot more noble than that of the missionaries, traders, miners, and soldiers who displaced them. (See Wade Davis' brilliant book on this connection.The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World (CBC Massey Lecture)) The Indians did not believe in democracy but those who did, including the nobility of freeing the slaves, did not seem to apply those values to the Indians. Some did and thought the Indians thoroughly abused and cheated but when push came to shove dispossession and abuse were the order of the day.Joseph, whose leadership on emerged in defeat, seemed able to understand the growing romance about Indians and nature in the last part of the 19th century, and used it to spring his people from their captivity in Oklahoma.So some remnants were able to return to near their homes and live relatively degraded existences on reservations or amidst the whites.

In the movie, "Dances with Wolves," an old Indian pulls out a Spanish helmet, if I remember correctly, and says something about defeating the invaders some two centuries before.The Nez Perse tragedy reads like a history of unintended consequences.The, horse, the fur trade, Indian prosperity, population shifts andgrowth, the buffalo trade all contributed to the undoing of the natives of the inland northwest.Unlike the natives of the East the Nez Perse had no interest in hunting beaver but they had horses which the mountain men needed to assist in their trapping and the later buffalo hunt.So the Nez Perse unwittingly assisted in their own undoing. Like the catastrophic saying, "Rain follows the play," In the West the utter transformation of native life followed the horse," bringing the Indians out onto the plains making hunting more efficient and creating raiders like the Apache feared by both Indians and whites alike.As the Apalachicola of Florida did to the Narvaez expedition in 1528, the Nez Perse should have murdered Lewis and Clark on first seeing them, but then again it was probably too late, even at that point to stem the flow. So the Nez Perse gained a kind of nobility, but it was nobility not granted to other native groups.Through the romantic creation of Joseph's words by admirers, he and otherNez Perse were able to free themselves from the worst of captivity but not until after most of the damage was done.West gives us a window into the whole process: heroism is not uniform, villainy has a few dissenters and nature is the ultimate background. This is a good read.

Charlie Fisher author of Dismantling Discontent: Buddha's Way Through Darwin's World

Putting War in its Cultural Context
While the United States Army's campaign against the Sioux in 1876 has been immortalized by "Custer's Last Stand," the equally significant Nez Perce War of 1877 has received very little attention. There have been a few other books out on this subject, but nothing like the non-stop flow of Custer historiography. In The Last Indian War, Professor Elliott West (University of Arkansas) takes an academic look at the Nez Perce War and does a fine job casting it in a cultural context. Readers expecting a pure military history will be disappointed since only about half the book actually covers the war itself. Instead, the author's intent is to demonstrate how cultural misunderstandings between the United States representatives and the Nez Perce contributed to the deterioration of relations and eventual outbreak of war, as well as making it difficult for each side to understand the other's objectives once fighting did begin. There is a subtle nuance in these pages that greatly adds to our understanding of this conflict, yet without getting bogged down. Furthermore, the author demonstrates balance in not adopting an `all-Whites-are-bad, all-Indians-are-good' attitude or depicting the Nez Perce as noble victims, as they tried to depict themselves after they were defeated.

The Last Indian War consists of 18 chapters, plus footnotes and index, for a total of 397 pages. The author has also included 32 illustrations/photos, a chronology and five maps. Approximately the first third of the book traces the evolution of the Nez Perce and their interactions with White explorers, traders, missionaries, miners, politicians and settlers in the period 1805 to the 1870s. The author makes some good points here, that the Nez Perce were able to deal with Whites as equals to about 1855 and that the relationship established was beneficial to both sides (guns traded for resources). This period of relative equality came to an end in 1860 when gold was discovered on Nez Perce land and the resulting flood of new-comers left the Nez Perce a minority on their own land. The critical moment came with the treaty of 1863, which tried to force the Nez Perce onto reservations, which caused a split between `Treaty' and `Non-Treaty' Nez Perce. Although the author is at pains to point out deceptions and outright lies by Whites about their intentions, he does not spare the Nez Perce either. He points out that earlier, they had not only stood by while Whites took land from neighboring tribes like the Flatheads, but actually contributed scouts to help the US Army suppress their neighbors.

The war breaks out in the middle section of the book and the author covers the entire march from Idaho to Bear Paw Mountain in Montana and the three months of active campaigning. Although he does discuss the US Army, its leaders and its plans, more of the focus is on the Nez Perce. Battles are generally covered in a couple of pages, with adequate detail about casualties, but these descriptions don't include all the details that a military reader or specialist might expect. A big point that the author does make is to deflate the "Chief Joseph was in charge" legend. In fact, leadership of the Nez Perce was rather amorphous and battlefield leadership was often left up to individual warriors. In contrast, West makes the point that the US Army leadership was often deficient at the tactical level but the units had a level of cohesiveness and dedication to mission that the Nez Perce found difficult to comprehend. Amazingly, the Nez Perce apparently believed that when they left Idaho that `the war was over' and they were surprised to find other US Army units attacking them. The author succeeds in demonstrating that not only did cultural misunderstandings contribute to the war, but they made it difficult for each side to actually fight each other. Misconduct on both sides is also addressed: White violations of a flag of truce and Nez Perce murders and rapes committed against civilians.

The final section of the book covers the defeat of the Nez Perce at Bear Paw and the ultimate disposition of the `Non-Treaty' members, as well as Chief Joseph's successful song-and-dance routine to gain national sympathy (actually the author is quite merciless against Joseph). All in all, the Last Indian War does an admirable job putting this war in its cultural context although there were a few issues that were left not fully covered. For example, while the author makes clear that the "Treaty Nez Perce" did not side with those involved in the war and even provided scouts to the US Army to use against their fellows, it's still left a little murky why so many Nez Perce (apparently more than two-thirds) were able to move onto reservations and adapt without violence, while the non-Treaty's couldn't. It is clear that the anti-progressive `Dreamer Movement' among the Nez Perce played a part, but this seems insufficient in itself. Nevertheless, The Last Indian War adds to our understanding of the important Nez Perce War and makes some important observations about conflict between two radically different cultures.
... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Winding through Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon, the NezPerce Historical Trail covers a lot of ground and a lot ofhistory. Cheryl Wilfong's guide does the same, providing practicalnuts & bolts information on how, when, and where to navigate thetrail, plus a chronological history of the flight of the NezPerce. It's a well-balanced combination of details both pragmatic andpoetic.

How much ground you choose to cover depends on your time, stamina, andtype of vehicle. There are backroads, jeep trails, private ranchroads, and hiking trails, and there are highway routes that'll get youclose without sending you off among the sagebrush. Even avid Trailbuffs, however, rarely do more than a segment or two at a time, andthe guide is structured such that you can pick up any leg of thejourney and know easily where you are, logistically as well as interms of "The Story:quot;--a 20-page history of the Nez PerceNation from "time beyond memory" to 1885 when the Nez Percewere all consigned to reservations.

The Trail is split into 13 segments, each with its own chronology,terrain, and travel plan. The fifth leg, for example, is the LoloTrail, from Kamiah, Idaho to Lolo, Montana. Over a century ago it sawthe journey of Nez Perce from July 1 through July 16, 1877, includingthe Battle of Clearwater. Covering 56 miles and with alternativeroutes for Mainstream, Adventurous, and Intrepid travelers (Wilfong'sclassifications for people in RVs, cars, and jeeps), the chaptercontains specific history of the trail segment, snippets of first-handaccounts, and detailed directions as to which gravel road to take tothe Mount Idaho Cemetery or the Clearwater Battleground site.Beautifully written and educational, this is a lovely book for bothhistorians and travelers. --Stephanie Gold ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Guide to the Ni.mípu National Historic Trail
The book was put together in an informative and easy to read way.It's a travel log, for anyone wanting to visit the Nez Perce Trail National Park, plus it gives a summarized overview of that happened.I loved the author's method of narrating the story of what happened, with easy to read maps and tables of information.Her list of references was also impressive.More detail will require further reading, but this is a starter.What is missing from her story is what this band of renegades really was.They were outlaws, shunned by their own Nez Perce Nation and what is also missing is the national impact of this unfortunate Indian outbreak had on our Country.That is why I didn't rate the book higher.It's a view into history "through rose colored glasses", which is quit in style today, but that gives the starters on history a dangerously biased view.Real history is often painful to read about. These Indians were not heroes. Hundreds of innocent people were murdered and the real Nez Perce almost lost their wonderful Idaho Reservation because of this War.Congress was in a complete uproar.They were also opposed by other Indian Nations, specifically the Bannock, Shoshone and the Crow to mention a few.This is the story of a national disaster and tragedy.The real heroes were often those they attacked and the horse soldiers that had to chase them.Still, as a travelog and guide to 80% of the historic sites along the Nez Perce Trail, this book is a good starter.I also loved the historic photographs, some of which I have not found anywhere else.

absolutely essential, a gift to all researchers
Alas, I have been asked by my publisher to write yet another book on Chief Joseph.I wish to do it well and respectfully, and, if possible, break a little new ground.So, I may be one of ten people on earth who has travelled the Nez Perce trail, both known and unknown, from the Wallowa all the way to Tonkawa, with requisite sidetrips to Nespelem and various relevant sites.All in all, I've put about 10,000 miles into this enterprise.And here's the hard truth:Cheryl Wilfong, whoever she is -- and God bless her researching soul -- has made this trip possible. She has broken the route down into three categories -- mainstream traveller, for the pavement folk; adventurous traveller, for the dirt road folk; and intrepid traveller for the white-knuckle, high center clearance, "I don't need guard rails" folk.I did it mostly on the adventurous/intrepid roads.And I can say, unequivocally, that she has created a work that will not soon be bettered, and which is absolutely invaluable for any Nez Perce afficianado, from the casual traveller to the "I only come out of the archives to breathe" geeks who are researching the familial ties between Wahlatits and Yellow Bull.

By the very nature of the task, she has a few errors, and they can put you in harm's way, such as having you travel 1.8 miles to a crossroads in the vast emptiness of Montana's back country when the actual distance is 11.8 miles.But these errors are so few as to be remarkable in their infrequency.Overall, she takes you mile by mile, dusty crossroad by dusty crossroad, rutted mountain pass by rutted mountain path, and conducts you on an assiduously researched journey of the trail that the Nez Perce followed from their homeland in the Wallowa and Snake/Salmon country to their exile in Oklahoma.

I could give you endless specifics, but here is the bottom line:you cannot take this trip, or any portion of it, without this book. You can forget your Josephy, misplace your Haines and your Lavender, or trade your Greene and your McWhorter for extra gas money.But you cannot -- CANNOT -- take this journey without having this book on the seat next to you.

Take it from someone who stopped at every pile of stones, every remnant of rifle pit and breastwork, every old campsite and every battle and staging area; who walked the high country trails near Lolo and the lowland campgrounds on the flats below Fort Leavenworth:You absolutely must buy this book if you choose to retrace any of this journey.

The Nez Perce Historic Trail Foundation and the National Park Service should canonize this woman.

End of story.

Exploring the Trail of the Nez Perce Retreat
The story of the Nez Perce bands of Wallowa Oregon is one of the saddest of the expansion period of the American West.Driven from their homelandsby a sneaky treaty they never signed, several bands of Nez Perce weremoving reluctantly onto the new, smaller reservation.But a few angryyoung men left camp, on their own, and killed a white man they knew to bebad to Indians.The U.S. Army responded and thus began the pursuit of theNez Perce, across Idaho, to Wyoming, and then Montana, over 1100 miles. Eight hundred Nez Perce men, women, and children walked and rode hoping tofind a new place to settle where the Army would no longer pursue.But theArmy did pursue, and finally caught up with the Nez Perce on a cold Octoberday in Northern Montana, where after a 5 day siege, Chief Joseph finallysurrendered to save those that were left, cold, sick, and tired.This bookfollows the trail, and recounts the history as told by several authors andparticpants including General Howard, Yellow Wolf, and some Army Scouts. It is the one book you should read first.Then get out and drive the trailthat the Nez Perce rode.I bet you can't drive it in one summer, but theyrode that distance, moving camp every day, with the Army shooting at themwhen ever they didn't move far enough.Chief Joseph wondered when will thewhite men ever tell the truth.Why is the Indian not allowed to live underthe same laws of freedom as the white man.

viewing history
This is an excellent work which I plan to use as a tool for planningvacations over the next summers.The history is concise yet accurate andsupplements works by Helen Addison Howard (Saga of Chief Joseph), MerrillBeale (I Will Fight No More Forever), Alvin Josephy (The Nez Perce and theOpening of the Northwest), L. V. McWhorter (Yellow Wolf & Hear Me MyChiefs!) The maps, side trips, and road condition guides are useful.Classifications of roads for vehicles and travelers described asmainstream, adventurous and intrepid are unique for this type of historybook and assist in planning based on the type of vehicle one might beusing.Reminds me of hiking books. A knowledge of geography is vital tounderstanding history.Wilfong aids amature historians visiting the areasto view and get a better understanding of the physical conditions both thetroops and the Nez Perce found in this tragic chapter of American history. ... Read more

Product Description
A brief introduction to the life of Chief Joseph, who fought to keep the Oregon land that his people had lived on for generations. ... Read more

Product Description

Chief Joseph wanted peace for his people. But the U.S. Army had different ideas. As the headman and spokesperson for the Nez Perce, Chief Joseph tried to do what was best for his people. Join him as he leads his people over vast plains and rugged mountains on the run from the U.S. army.
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Hidden in the shadow cast by the great western expeditions of Lewis and Clark lies another journey every bit as poignant, every bit as dramatic, and every bit as essential to an understanding of who we are as a nation -- the 1,800-mile journey made by Chief Joseph and eight hundred Nez Perce men, women, and children from their homelands in what is now eastern Oregon through the most difficult, mountainous country in western America to the high, wintry plains of Montana. There, only forty miles from the Canadian border and freedom, Chief Joseph, convinced that the wounded and elders could go no farther, walked across the snowy battlefield, handed his rifle to the U.S. military commander who had been pursuing them, and spoke his now-famous words, "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."

Customer Reviews (33)

Chief Joseph and the Flight of the Nez Perce
Assigned reading for a class I am taking University of Utah.Interesting writing style - reads almost like a novel with no footnotes.At first I was put off by the lack of footnotes, but once I discovered the "Notes on Sources" near the back of the book.It is obvious that this author researches well and amply.

Very absorbing read.

One of the Best Books on the Nez Perce Flight.
This is one of the best books, if not the best books on the Nez Perce flight I have read so far... Love it! Kent Nerburn doesn't leave out any details and really explains in detail the struggles this tribe went through. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would!

Native American History
There are somethings in here that I never knew about Chief Joseph .. This is excellant reading ...

A lack of objectivity
I couldn't get past page 100. By then I had lost any hope that the author possessed the objectivity necessary to produce a worthwhile history of his subject. Constant repeated superlatives about any and all aspects of the Nez Perce or of his primary historical figure became monotonous. For example, in his description of the arrival of Lewis & Clark, he extols the nobility of the Nez Perce while describing a council meeting that, but for the intervention of one women, would have decided to murder the visitors in their sleep. This all too common tendency to see tribal life as an unspoiled and innocent Eden takes this author over the edge of credibility.

A Story of Incredible Suffering
This book is undoubtedly to be rated five stars.However, be prepared, the book is a rather lengthy 400 pages.The American public has been led to believe that Joseph was THE leader of the Nez Perce while others, at times, had more influence than Joseph.General Oliver Howard gave the Nez Perce an unreasonable demand of moving to the reservation within 30 days or be put there by force.An ensuing chase from Oregon across Idaho, across Yellowstone National Park in northwestern Wyoming, and north into Montana terminated at the Bear's Paw Mountains in northern Montana.The Battle of the Big Hole in Idaho involving Colonel John Gibbon involved the indiscriminate killing of men, women, and children which reminded me of the Sand Creek Massacre in Colorado.Gibbon stated in his report he killed 89 Nez Perce, but neglected to say that 50 of the dead were women and children.This infuriated the young Nez Perce who took revenge on any white settlers they came in contact with.

On Page 74 author Kent Herburn mentions that the Lakota Sioux "murdered" George Armstrong Custer and his men at the Little Big Horn.Herburn fails to mention that it was Custer and his men that did the attacking, and the Sioux and others were simply defending themselves.

Although a few of the Nez Perce did manage to go north to Canada following the surrender Joseph and most of the others gave up the fight with the understanding they would be returned to their original homeland.Incredible suffering began as they were transferred from one place to another from North Dakota and then south to Kansas and Oklahoma, but not to their beloved Wallowa Valley in Oregon.After eight years of suffering with the cold, heat, and insufficient food the remaining Nez Perce (less than 300 of the original 800) were split into two groups, some to the Wallowa Valley and others (including Joseph) to the Colville Reservation in Washington where Joseph died in 1904 still clinging to his traditional way of life.

I found the book to be a very detailed read, and it is a book you are going to have to have patience to stick with it.I believe it is the most comprehensive book yet written on the flight and plight of the Nez Perce Indians.This story is most certainly, as the book's cover states, "an American tragedy."
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Product Description
This book brings together three unique perspectives onthe Nez Perce War of 1877. Through the words of General O.O. Howardyou'll observe the 1300-mile long panorama of the Nez Perce War fromthe viewpoint of the commander of the pursuing U.S. Troops. In the1878 news articles of Montana reporter Duncan McDonald, you'll hearthe voices of those Nez Perces who fled during the last hours of thewar to the safety of Canada and who for years afterwards sadly,bitterly, defined the war as a friendship forgotten, a trustbetrayed. Finally, through the voice of the famed Chief Joseph, you'llwitness the personal and cultural pride, strengths and sufferings ofthe pursued. Never before have these three contradictory testimonialsto the much-debated military campaign of the Nez Perce War beenbrought together, side-by-side, for your enjoyment, judgement, andenlightenment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

In Pursuit of the Nez Perces
There is no substitute for reading from those actually involved in a historic event. I have already researched Oliver O. Howard's Autobiography, his publications "Famous Indian Chiefs I have Known", "My Life And Experiences Among Our Hostile Indians and now this publication "In Pursuit Of The Nez Perces". There is no substitute for this seemingly directly contact with the man itself. It's like going back 100 years and talking to the man himself.It's something no modern historian can match.

I am currently in the process of writing a series of books, historical fiction in format, on this subject, the Nez Perce War. I have volumes of research on this subject. This work adds to my understand of how the General felt and how he saw this historic event.

Has it influenced my writings?

Of course!

Has it helped?

Sure!

Having sources like this is literally as good as walking the actual trails or visiting the historic sights. It's getting first hand information from those involved.It's a viewpoint that one cannot get any other way.

It's a must for every serious Library on American History.

I am very pleased with the book.I want more!
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Product Description
With the wars between the US and the Native Americans drawing to a close, one tribe in Eastern Oregon continued to resist. The Nez Perce, led by the "Red Napoleon" Chief Joseph, refused to surrender and accept resettlement. Instead, Chief Joseph organized a band of 750 warriors and set off for the Canadian border, pursued by 2,000 US Army troops under Major-General Oliver Howard. The army chased the natives for three months, fighting 13 actions. Finally, just 40 miles from the Canadian border, the Army ran Chief Joseph to the ground, and forced him to surrender after a five-day battle near Bear Paw Mountain. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Editorial Oversights
I will not try to improve on the review by Dr. Karl O. Edwards. I would second what he has written and add only a little.

The book is as good as a five-star book for anyone who wants to read about the Nez Perce people. I remove one star for the sins of the editors at the University of Nebraska Press, not for any fault of the author.

Sin No. 1 is making many of the names of the Native American historical figures incomprehensible to the otherwise intelligent, well-educated reader. As their Editorial Note states, "In this edition of his work we have attempted to provide International Phonetic Alphabet-comparable transcriptions of the names as footnotes where possible, using the orthography for Nez Perce developed by Haruo Aoki." Why?! The effect of this is to require the reader unfamiliar with the IPA to refer to one or maybe two sources (Aoki being a rare one) in order to follow the characters as other than unpronounceable glyph-a-ma-jiggers (not usual Roman alphabet characters). Because the naming was discontinuous with that in Josephy's other wonderful books, I was left guessing which important persons were being referred to.

The editors' choice would be clearly defensible in a scholarly work. But this is clearly a popular work, incorporating neither footnotes nor bibliography. The orthographic symbology just puts hobbles on the reader's ability to put a sound memory to names of important people.

Sin No. 2 is the use of a frustratingly inadequate map in a book where the geography is half of the story. A map of the "Nez Perce War of 1877" was simply lifted and poorly reproduced from a National Park Service map. The map's color-coded distinctions became indistinct in monochrome. The map was reduced in size, to make much that might have been clear become virtually illegible. Yellowstone Park, with its interesting routes, was largely trimmed off the pages in the gutter. The map, had it not been constrained to a page-spread format used for other illustrations in the book, could have been given the full spread, with space in the gutter, so that it could at least have been legible.

Readers who enjoy this book will find much more detail in Josephy's earlier The Nez Perce and the Opening of the Northwest. Since that account extended to 1877, I was happy to learn from the chapters on the "Aftermath" and "Today" in the present work.

This is a fine work that could have made a more satisfying book with appropriate care at the publisher. I expect it would have turned out better if Josephy had lived to participate in its publication.

A Quick Read Abstracted From
I purchased this book without researching its origins because I found it on a Listmania! "Books about the Nez Perce" and because it was "written" by the highly respected historian, Alvin M. Josephy Jr.This has proved a partial mistake on my part, but perhaps a "boon" to others.As my title indicates, "Nez Perce Country" (2007) is nothing more than a abstract of a previous book written, at the request of the National Park Service, by Josephy to introduce visitors to Nez Perce National Historical Park (headquartered in Lapwai, Idaho, on the Nez Perce Reservation).The former book, published by the government in 1983 is currently difficult to find, and rather expensive if you do (it is listed on Amazon as well).However, it does come with many more, and extremely interesting photographs.

As such, this is not a new book, although the introduction by Jeremy FiveCrows (a Nez Perce) is new--and worth the price of the book.When I got the book and saw that Josephy died in 2005 I decided to find out more about the book, as the book itself tells you nothing.[...]

"Nez Perce Country" is totally devoid of references or a bibliography, so the reader is essentially on their own if they wish to read more.On the other hand, I feel safe in stating that the text of this book (slightly edited for changes is the spelling of Nez Perce words) is the best, most concise reading of the Nez Perce available--one that I personally can validate from my own research and knowledge.And, for those who really don't like history or reading, the book is a fast 161 pages.

If you are not knowledgeable of the Nez Perce, and do not wish to spend time reading the best available books, this book is for you and I give it a five star rating.If you know a little about the Nez Perce, this book may or may not be helpful, and certainly is not a reference or new book.If you have the time and/or money, I would recommend seeking out the 1983 "Nez Perce Country, A Handbook for the Nez Perce National Historical Park, Idaho" text.You'll find it more enjoyable.Or if you are knowledgeable of the Nez Perce, but have not boldly gone where you should--reading Josephy's unabridged, prodigious 736 page, 1965 "Nez Perce Indians and the Opening of the Northwest" (which is readily available through Amazon as well)--this book may also appeal to you.Please note that there is an abridged version of "Nez Perce Indians and the Opening of the Northwest" that I would not recommend, particularly since this book, "Nez Perce Country," is a much easier read and about as valuable as the abridged version.

Only because "Nez Perce Country" (2007) is essentially a reprint or abstract, without any references to help the reader, of the text from Nez Perce Country, A Handbook for the Nez Perce National Historical Park, Idaho (National Park 1983), have I rated this book four stars.

If this review was not helpful to you, I would appreciate learning the reason(s) so I can improve my reviews. My goal is to provide help to potential buyers, not get into any arguments. So, if you only disagree with my opinion, could you please say so in the comments and not indicate that the review was not helpful. Thanks.

Clear View
Probably the most factual account of the Nez Perce people I've found.Profiles Chief Joseph as the Statesman he was.The Government Administrators and religous leaders during this time are depicted for what they really were. ... Read more

Product Description
Tells how Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce advocated peace between Indians and whites until he was forced to defend his people against their oppressors and finally surrendered with the words, "I will fight no more forever." ... Read more

Product Description
Following the Nez Perce War of 1877, federal representatives promised the Nimiipuu who surrendered with Chief Joseph repatriation to their Pacific Northwest homes. Instead, they were driven into exile. This book tells the story of the Nimiipuu captivity and deportation and offers an in-depth analysis of the resistant Nez Perce, Cayuse, and Palus bands during their incarceration.

Focusing on the tribes' eight years in exile, J. Diane Pearson describes their arduous forced journey from Montana to the Ponca Agency in Indian Territory. She depicts their everyday experiences in a captivity marked by grueling poverty and disease to weave a compelling story of tragedy and heroism.

Impeccably researched, with insights into the prisoners' daily lives, The Nez Perces in the Indian Territory is the only comprehensive record of this phase of Nez Perce history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

In Appreciation for the Research
As a descendant of many referenced in this book, I am extremely grateful for the research and writing that went into this comprehensive work about the exile years of the Wallowa Band of Nez Perce in Oklahoma Territory. Particularly important to me is the information about the formation of the Oakland Presbyterian Church among the Nez Perce there and my ancestor, Rev. Archie Lawyer's ministry among them. I appreciate the hours of interviews, digging through documents in many locations and the incredible result that is this book. Thank you very very much for all the hard work. It is an important contribution to my library and genealogy.

A powerful record of events
The Nez Perces in the Indian Territory: Nimiipuu Survival tells of the Nimiipuu captivity and deportation after an agreement with federal agents following the Nez Perce war of 1877. Focusing on the tribe's eighty years in exile, the author describes their forced journey and incarceration and provides a powerful record of events - the only comprehensive record of this part of Nez Perce history. Any in-depth college-level Native American collection needs this.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

Product Description
Part historical narrative, part travelogue, and part environmental plea, Selling Your Father's Bones recounts one of the most astonishing journeys in the history of the American West.

The year 1877 bore witness to a broken promise. Joseph, chief of the peaceable Nez Perce band who made their home in Oregon's Wallowa Valley, had long sworn to uphold the dying words of his father: "This country holds your father's body. Never sell the bones of your mother and your father."

Yet, as the U.S. government confined the tribe to ever smaller reservations in favor of miners and ranchers in their westward sprawl, the fateful decision of several young Nez Perce warriors to attack the settlers set in motion an exodus from Joseph's ancestral home. For the next eleven weeks, seven hundred Nez Perce men, women, and children traveled 1,700 miles across inhospitable wilderness, engaging the chasing army in six battles and many more skirmishes, as they drove on in search of peace and freedom. Just forty miles from the Canadian border, the tribe survived a calamitous five-day siege until Joseph could no longer bear his people's suffering and surrendered. It is said that when he died, in 1904, the cause was a broken heart.

Populated with the heroes and villains of a classic conflict, Selling Your Father's Bones intercuts the Nez Perce's fight for survival with the author's own travels across this very same terrain, the mountains, forests, badlands, and prairies of modern-day Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. The imposing Bitterroot Mountains, the Lolo Pass (then and now among the toughest mountain crossings on the North American continent), and the great Montana buffalo plains retain their majesty. Yet, as Schofield reveals, ecological vandalism, unthinking corporate policies, and dubious political leadership have wrought scarred landscapes, battered communities, and toxic environments whose realities must be borne by the living descendants of both the Nez Perce warriors and the European settlers. As Schofield walks among the people who now occupy these sacred lands, he sees in the values of the Native American West -- love for homeland, for ancestry, and for Mother Nature -- a route to their, and our, salvation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Couldn't even finish it...couldn't get into it at all..
I have been reading a lot lately about the Nez Perce tribe. Skip this book...I really couldn't get into it at all and it doesn't get to the valid points about the Nez Perce journey at all it rather just skims the surface. I recommend Kent Nerburn's Book on the Nez Perce. Chief Joseph & the Flight of the Nez Perce: The Untold Story of an American Tragedy by Kent Nerburn.
I'm not a huge history fan but after moving to the USA from Australia I have become interested in Native American history and this book really left me disappointed, I'm can't see how it won awards in the UK.

Selling Your Father's Bones
This is alternately a heart-breaking book and an uplifting one.If you study Native American history this is a great book for you, and if you're into things environmental and Native spirituality, it's all in this great book.We had read a review of it in High Country News which is what prompted us to order it.The book arrived in timely fashion and great condition, and it is already being passed on to others here in the heart of Nez Perce country.

Outstanding
This is a masterpiece, to be savored and enjoyed by history enthusiasts.
The author brilliantly weaves the history of the Nez Perce with current historical locations in Idaho and surrounding states.

A must read for everyone.

other side of the mountains
have not yet read this saga..I am more familiar with the Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Macah tribes..they occupied the beautiful n'west on the better half of the state..will be interesting to read differencesw/similiarities in treatment..the 'palefaces' of the Puget Sound were not kind!!! ... Read more