Product Description
Ideal for today's young investigative reader, each A True Book includes lively sidebars, a glossary and index, plus a comprehensive "To Find Out More" section listing books, organizations, and Internet sites. A staple of library collections since the 1950s, the new A True Book series is the definitive nonfiction series for elementary school readers. ... Read more

Product Description
Reprinted as it originally appeared in 1950, this classic children's book high-lights the remarkable life of Chief Joseph, last of the great Indian leaders, in this fast-moving narrative.Dean Pollock, the author and illustrator, provides stirring illustrations as vivid as the story itself.Large format.Ages 9 and up.Fifth printing. 8 1/2 x 11.64 pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Every Child Should Read this book
While shopping for my grandchildren I found this title. It is one which I have purchased hrough the years, and in fact owned it as a child. Dean Pollock so accurately tells the story of the last stand of the Nez Perce. The battle of Clear Creek, one which is tudied at the War College to this day is well decribed for the young reader.The illustrations are excellent and the story so poignant.I am so thrilled that the book is still in print and that my grandchildren can enjoy it Julie, Oregon ... Read more

Product Description
A Little Bit Of Wisdowm is the first individual Nez Perce narrative publised in more than half a century and the first ever told exclusively in English. Although scores of volumes have been written about the Nez Perce people, almost all of them concentrate on the only war between the United Staes and the Nez Perce people, and especially upon young Joseph and the famous 1877 flight and surrender. By contrast, this book tells the personal story of Isluunts ( Horace Axtell), a contemporary Nez Perce elder and spiritual leader, who grew up in northern Idaho on a windy prairie speaking The Prairie dialect of his people. His great-grandfather fought and died in the battle at Bear Paw Mountains, but the story Horace tells inside the pages of this book is about growing up Christian while maintaining a strong tribal identity, about going to war and then to prison, and then coming home to rediscover the Long House and Sweat Lodge and the sacred practice of the Seven Drum Religion. It is a story he tells in his own plain-spoken style about what it means to speak two languages and to live simultaneously but harmoniously in two very different worlds. In these worlds Christianity and the native Nez Perce religion exist side-by-side in a careful relationship. But it is also a story about family and extended familyrelationships, about respect, tradition, patience, kindness, healing, and grace ( as well as their oppistes). Here then is one man's story of contemporary Nez Perce culture told with good will and plenty of gentle humor about some of life's most inewxplicable mysteries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Recording Oral Stories And Recollections
I purchased this book because I had the privilege of seeing Horace Axtell on several occasions, and because I am a firm believer in the need to record oral traditions.(I have done so through the Montana Historical Society, obtaining an interview for them with my friend, mentor, and former chair of the Native American Studies Departments at the University of Montana and Montana State University.)As with all oral history, to really "learn" one must "listen," not read, the stories and recollections.Perhaps co-author Margo Aragon, or the Idaho Historical Society, have the recordings and can some day make them available.In the mean time we have the transcript that we can "read."

Let me be clear, "A Little Bit of Wisdom: Conversations With a Nez Perce Elder" will not appeal to many readers for several reasons.One, the book retains the "English as a second language" syntax (sentence structure) that Horace Axtell uses.Second, the "deep meaning" of what is being told can easily be missed and/or lost in the stories repetitiveness inherent to Native American speech.Third, while one learns much about Horace Axtell, a Nez Perce elder that I personally respect, the reader does not garner much "cultural" or "historical" information about the Nez Perce from the book.Granted, the reader can sense the sincere reverence Horace Axtell has for his Nez Perce traditions, but details are politely left unsaid.Fourth, Horace Axtell tells it as he sees it--which I personally like--which may be offensive or "boring" to some readers.Keep in mind, this is not a biography, a history, an ethnography, or a novel.If you can do that, then "A Little Bit of Wisdom: Conversations With a Nez Perce Elder" may be something to look into.

I have rated the book four stars because I feel the book, by the very nature of it's content, cannot adequately convey in words that which must be oral.Moreover, if I did not have two advanced degrees in Native American Studies, if I had not taught Native American Studies, if I had not spent years studying the Nez Perce, and if I did not have what I hope is a fairly reasonable understanding of various Native American cultural ways, I am unsure if I would have enjoyed the book.Then, again, I may be overly jaded in my perspectives, having encountered so many individuals who either think they "know" everything about Native Americans or hold overt and/or covert prejudices--many to the point of oblivious bigotry.

On the other hand, if you love listening to your "grandparents" or elders tell stories and their own recollections, "A Little Bit of Wisdom: Conversations With a Nez Perce Elder" well could be your "cup of tea."And, there is in deed wisdom to be uncovered.As I think Horace Axtell would put it, we all can learn if something is told us in the right way; and what each person learns may be different from another person.AND, each time we read "A Little Bit of Wisdom: Conversations With a Nez Perce Elder," we may learn or put to mind a different understanding than before.

Update--1 July 2008: 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.

A provocative and honest depiction of tribal wisdom
Horace Axtell speaks in simple and straightforward language about his Nez Perce heritage and cultural teachings, in a manner that is both humble and powerful.One learns of the relevance for life that he has attained onlythrough experience, and sometimes hardship, in his many years and roles. Of particular importance to me was his time spent in Japan shortly afterthe bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945 -- to see the massdestruction from the eyes of a Native American and learn of the compassionthat can surface even in the midst of ruin and death was a compelllingchapter.But there are lighter moments too, as Axtell speaks of hisgrandmother and her sense of humor.Unlike other "spiritualguidance" books, this work does not judge, beguile, or confront thereader.It's a friendly and open invitation to learn how the trail ofone's life can shape a person's soul.And despite challenges such asracism, ignorance, and family conflicts, dignity and courage can still beearned. ... Read more

Product Description
Mountains of Stone chronicles the effects of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the emerging fur trade on Native Americans. Early western expansion beyond the Mississippi River set in opposition two people: one with an insatiable thirst for land; the other a territorial people with no concept of land ownership. For the Indian-Mother Earth was shared by all. A rich historical background coupled with cultural and religious aspects of Native Amercans makes Mountains of Stone educational while the blend of fiction and fact rivets the reader's attention. ... Read more

Product Description
The relationship between Westering Americans and the Nez Perce Indians covers a time-span of one hundred years, from the meeting of the Lewis and Clark party with the Indians in 1805 to the death of Chief Joseph in 1904.It is epic drama, taking place on a vast stage during a critical period in the development of the United States.

Certainly no setting could be more spectacular than the rugged, beautiful homeland of this tribe.No story can equal in historical importance the long-standing friendship given by the Nez Perces to the white newcomers in their country.And no event is more poignant, bitter, and tragic than the Nez Perce War.

Before acquiring the horse around 1730, the Nez Perces occupied approximately 27,000 square miles of what is now north-central Idaho, northeastern Oregon, and southeastern Washington.After becoming a mounted people, they ranged over a much larger area, traveling east to the buffalo country claimed by Blackfeet, Crow, and Sioux, west to the great fishing and trading station on the lower Columbia, Celilo Falls.Uniquely situated as they were between the Plains and Coastal Indian cultures, they would play a key role in the struggle between Great Britain and the United States as to which nation would take title to the Pacific Northwest.

In Chief Joseph Country: Land of the Nez Perce, author Bill Gulick lets the participants in the developing drama tell the story in their own words by excerpting diaries, letters, and statements made in contemporary accounts.Beginning with the prehistory of the Nez Perces, he relates how, after being pedestrians for eight thousand years, acquisition of the horse drastically altered their way of life.Then, in rapid succession, came firearms, American explorers, British fur traders, the Manifest Destiny struggle, missionaries, Oregon Trail emigrants, settlers, gold miners, farmers, and finally war.

"If there is a bias in this book, it is that I have given more credence to statements made by Indians than to words written by white men," the author says."Time and again in my research I have come across references to the importance the Indian placed on telling the plain, simple truth when relating any event in which he was involved.To the contrary, time and again I have found statements made by white leaders so contradictory and at variance with the truth that I began to question everything they wrote."

In selecting the many historical photographs and sketches used to illustrate the book, the author examined the holdings of some twenty institutions from coast to coast, some of which dated back to the 1850s.As he did in Snake River Country, Bill Gulick applies skills learned as a novelist and dramatist to the non-fiction field of history, using the twin tools of dramatic narrative and sound research to bring history alive to the layman reader.He writes:

"As in all epic dramas, forces beyond the understanding or control of the people involved were at work as the Nez Perces and the whites confronted one another, driving them toward a fate neither could forsee.

"Here, I have recorded that confrontation from the Indian point of view." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Chief Joseph Country
Excellent overview of the history and account of the relations between the settlers and the Nez Perce in the Northwest.

This is a wonderful reference, but out of print.

The book arrived within a few days of order confirmation and was in excellent shape, including the dust cover; exactly as described by the vendor.

The author, Bill Gulick, clearly loves the Northwest and the tribes who live there.My interest in this book was piqued by a friendship with the artist David Manuel, who has chronicled this same history through his sculpture and painting.

Great reading of a great story (and with pictures)
An all-around fantastic book.This is the 11th book I have read on the subject of the Nez Perce people (please see my Listmania!) and this one impressed me as much as any of them, in some ways even more so.

The pre-war history is covered very thoroughly and the author manages to present it in a way that was as good as any I have read.The war and flight period as well as the post-war period are treated rather lightly, but still the reading was superb and all the major events are given adequate attention.

The final chapter, titled "The Nez Perce Today", was excellent and unique in that the author describes some of the challenges that the Nez Perce currently face and which we all, as Americans, are involved in.One of the most important of those challenges is the problem of declining salmon runs and the rapid deterioration of the Columbia River watershed.

One thing I especially appreciated about this book was the generous use of first-hand accounts to tell much of the story.The author did an excellent job of finding the best historical records and inserting appropriate accounts and quotes in just the right places.

However, more than anything else, what truly makes this book special and unique is the vast number of photographs that are included throughout.Most of them are pictures I have never seen before.The painting on the front cover is also especially appealing as it depicts several horseback-mounted Nez Perce (including leaders Joseph, Ollokot, and Looking Glass) on the shore of their beloved Lake Wallowa.Beautiful!

Compelling and powerful...
Bill Gulick gives a command performance in this book of the Nez Perce Indians.He depicts the life and times of these Indians so clearly...from the time they befriended the Lewis and Clark Expedition in September of 1805 and the years to follow, including all the historical documentation leading up to the plight of Chief Joseph and hundreds of his people into exile.The story doesn't stop here either.He also documents what happened after the famous 1877 Battle of Bear's Paw in Montana and how they were all sent off to reservations in Kansas and Oklahoma, soon to be subjected to other hardships.I would highly recommend this book to those interested in this part of America's past.Mr.Gulick indeed did his homework! ... Read more

Product Description
Chief Joseph's exhausted words of surrender, 'Hear me, my chiefs, I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever', are the accepted end of the Nez Perce War of 1877, in which several bands of Nez Perce attempting to find a new home outside their diminished Idaho reservation clashed with the U.S. military (and occasionally other Indians) along the Clearwater and Big Hole Rivers, and finally at the foot of the Bear Paw Mountains. However, a number of Nez Perce escaped transportation to Indian Territory with Joseph and continued their flight to Canada, with perhaps a hundred eventually joining Sitting Bull's Lakota."I Will Tell of My War Story" reproduces, describes, and discusses a remarkable series of drawings by an anonymous Indian artist who fought with Chief Joseph and later reached Canada. The drawings, in red, blue, and black pencil, include portraits of principal participants in the war, battle scenes, and views of Nez Perce camp life and celebrations during the war and after. The drawings are preserved in a small pocket ledger labeled 'Cash Book' on the front, which was acquired by Indian Agent Charles D. Warner in the 1880s.It was willed by him to a family living in northern Idaho, and is now in the collection of the Idaho State Historical Society.Scott Thompson worked closely both with the owners and with members of the Nez Perce community in preparing his manuscript. Thompson's detective work and research methods to identify Nez Perce and other parties pictured in the Cash Book make fascinating reading. He is careful to point out what is speculation and what has been documented or attested to by experts on dress, weapons, ceremony, and other aspects of Native culture.The Cash Book drawings are unique in several ways. They are one of very few firsthand pictorial records of the Nez Perce War, representing an even scarcer record of this war as seen from the Indian viewpoint. They contain invaluable historical and ethnographic information not only explicit in the form of military and Native dress, regalia, and quite graphic battle scenes, but also implicit. The drawings reveal an important stage of cultural adaptation as shown by the mixture of white and Native goods combined in Nez Perce material culture during the 1870s and 1880s, and by the artist's assimilation of white/European drawing techniques such as texture and perspective.The artist combined these drawing techniques with Native art traditions to make exceptionally effective pictorial communications. Scott M. Thompson is an art teacher at Chase Middle School in Spokane, Washington. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Well worth your time
This book is very informative and I really enjoyed reading the detailed descriptions of what the ledger drawings are believed to illustrate.There was one error (a typo?) regarding the year that Agent Charles Warner lost his position as agent (page 3 states 1881 and page 4 states 1882).Overall, this book gave me an appreciation for the perceptive eye that the Native chroniclers possessed.In a way, it helps give credence to their oral history.
Highly recommended.

Scott Thompson finds buried treasure
For anyone who likes the history of Native American Culture or military history, this book is an interesting find.The pictures found in the "cash book" by Mr. Thompson in 1990 illustrate a hidden viewpoint of the Nez Perce War.An unknown Indian warrior who traveled with the Nez Perce during their flight from the U.S. Army recorded some brilliant pictures in full color.These pictures, preserved by Indian Agent Charles Warner, are first shown to the public in this book. The pictures are not only full of cultural symbolism, but also portray historical figures.If you have interest in what happened in America's wars with the Indians, Chief Joseph, or the Pacific Northwest this book is worth looking into.I think that it is interesting just to see the pictures.Although the book is an academic publication with footnotes and all, it is well written and reads easily. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A beautiful and moving picture account of a sorrowful event.
Chief Joseph And The Nez Perces is a beautiful photographic history documenting the epic journeyof the Nez Perces made in flight from the army from June to October of 1877.The role ofthe respected Nez Perceleader Chief Joseph is explored with care and precision throughout the time of the Nez Perces' flight.The authors have presented onlyphotographs of the areas travelled and frequented by the Nez Perces without reminders of modernity, so the land is presented as closely as possible tothe landscape known by the Nez Perces of 1877.Tracing the route of theNez Perces with a color coded map of the area helps explain their tortuouscrossing and recrossing of the mountainous area through the main passes. The brief book is divided into three main sections: prologue, flight , andepilogue, with a helpful bibliography of related works.There is no doubtthat the star feature of this history is the stellar color photographs,including a beautiful golden sweep of vista of the Bear Paw Battlefield, inNez Perce National Historical Park, south of Chinook, Montana, and manymore.There is also no doubt of the tragic heart of the tale, for ChiefJoseph himself, though he worked tirelessly to reinstate his people intheir homeland after the surrender, was never allowed to return to the NezPerce Reservation in the Northwest.This blatant violation of the terms ofsurrender is blamed upon the army's high command, Generals William TecumsehSherman and Philip H. Sheridan, who"ignored the surrender terms as ifthey had never existed (page ix)."Chief Joseph And The Nez Perces isa beautiful and moving picture account of a sorrowful bloodyhistory.

Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A Story you didn't learn in school.
Children of Grace is one of those books that tells a story to which most of us have never been exposed. Certainly, we learn early and often about our conflicts with the Souix and Cheyenne, but not the Nez Perce. These are the people that helped Lewis and Clark. How then did we end up fighting them?

Bruce Hampton clearly shows the circumstances and humiliations that ultimately lead the Nez Perce to hit the warpath. One of the most revealing aspects of the ensuing conflict is that the U.S. Army's defeat by the Nez Perce as White Bird Canyon was as devastating as the Little Bighorn or the Fetterman Massacre. And yet how many of us, outside of Idaho, have heard of the battle fought at White Bird Canyon?? Sounds like a great script for a John Ford classic.(Maybe other reviewers can point out if this conflict has been made it onto film.)

Bruce Hampton brings to life an incredible journey undertaken by the Nez Perce as they pass through a huge area pursued by three separate U.S. Army commands. It's an incredible American story and one that is well worth the knowing.

You may have heard of Chief Joseph's famous quote, "...I will fight no more forever." Read this excellent volume to find out why this legendary figure of the American West said these words.
... Read more

Product Description
Unpublished letters and diaries by eyewitnesses, interviews with decedents, an intimate knowledge of the country enrich this narrative of the heroic Nez Perce Indian War waged in 1877 against relocation. The result is a well documented chronicle offering new perspective on prewar Indian-white relations, United States government pressures and nontreaty rebellions, the five battles, subjection and surrender, and on the character of the leaders on both sides. "From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever," Chief Joseph said in surrender. But as a guardian and protector of his people he at last succeeded in bringing back the remaining members of his tribe to their beloved valley. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Excellent account
A tremendous amount of study involved; Beal received help from National Park services, College officials, archivists, and historical societies.There is an extensive bibliography for further study.Keep a dictionary close.Through eye witness reports we observe the details of the battles, the strategies used, the men who fought, the traversing of the land, the heartache, the despair, and the sadness.Descriptions of the chiefs and officers are also detailed.Misconceptions will be laid to rest.

Joseph was considered the leader of the Nez Perce, but there were many chiefs.It is not till towards the end of the book where we hear most of his words.He was a man of great wisdom; a diplomat, and a man of faith. He blames his men and the white man for the war; he tried to avoid it. "Hear me, my chiefs, I am tired; my heart is sick and sad.From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."

The officers were amazed by the outstanding leadership, the resiliency and the exceptional fighting ability of the Nez Perce.By miscellaneous observers we understand their way of life: they were prosperous, welcoming, good natured, thoughtful, and forgiving; comparably more than other tribes.We get a good description of their physical appearance, early history, character, and home land.

The war began because of Indian retaliation against local minors.The military had difficulties tracking the bands down.The Nez Perce fought well and were able to allude the military throughout the northwest.The battle of the "Big Hole": some say one of the most bitterly fought in the annals of warfare.Indian Woman and children were killed, but some woman engaged in the fight.The story ends of course with their eventual surrender, for the purpose of saving his (Joseph) people.We follow their journey by land and river too the reservation (see "Trail Of Tears").How they survived so weakened is a true testament to the will to survive.Some honored the treaty some did not.When will white man learn tell truth.

The white man has been called wicked for his actions, but this may not be justified.Settlers were quite sincere to treaty terms. Indians lacked unity, some committed murders and there was fighting between tribes.Although there were atrocities committed on both sides, there were few.It was destined to happen, although sad the way it went down.

Wish you well
Scott

story of the nez pierce
a good history of the nez pierce
this work could have been stronger if the author would had defined the nez pierce relationships with the other indian tribes better and whether or not the nez pierce became indian scouts themselves.

A Heartbreaker!
This book is gut-wrenching and difficult to read at times.It is packed with so much emotion.The book also helped me in understanding more about the Indian Wars and how they were fought on the Western Frontier.Good Book!

A Story of How Everything Went Wrong
Written in a vivid way which allows you to follow the flight of the Nez Perce as they struggled to survive, Mr. Beal keeps you reading until the heartbreaking end.This story of how a people were forced into battle, chased by the army and eventually shipped away, shows the errors of our past and adds perspective to the present.Mr. Beal's writing not only presents history, but helps to identify a culture that america tried to destroy within our own boundaries.A must read for anyone interested in the history of the American West.

A well-done piece of Native American history.
I Will Fight No More Forever is an excellent telling of the Nez Perce and their flight to escape destruction.The story shows the real maening of the Indian wars,and the real people behind the legends.A must-read foranyone interested in American history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This book must be read by all interested in the Nez Perce Wa
If you've ever read Yellow Wolf and Hear Me, My Chiefs! then you must read this book.It's the not always glamorous behind the scenes of just how the books came to be.I had perhaps three very minor criticisms while reading the book but must say that Evans did a fantastic job.Long live Yellow Wolf, Peo Peo and the non-treaty Nez Perce.You have my eternal respect! ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Muckleshoot, Nez Perce, Duwamish, Treaty of Point Elliott, Ktunaxa, Coast Salish, Makah, Coast Salish Languages, Coeur D'alene Tribe, Colville Indian Reservation, Quileute, Sahaptin People, Sammamish, Quinault Treaty, Sanpoil, Spokane People, Lummi, Cayuse, Sinkiuse-Columbia, Nisqually, Samish, Okanagan People, Chinook People, Puyallup, Yakama, Palus, Nespelem, Wasco-Wishram, Klickitat, Walla Walla, Snoqualmie, Tulalip, Lower Skagit, Swinomish, Sauk-Suiattle, Suquamish, Wanapum, Nooksack, Lumni Nation, Chehalis, Saanich, Chemakum Language, Chelan, Skokomish, Hoh, Entiat, Cowlitz, Wenatchi, Methow, Upper Skagit, Sahewamish, Snohomish, Stillaguamish, Chehalis People, Willapa People, Watlata, Kalispel, Cathlamet. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 249. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Southern Lushootseed, English The Duwamish tribe (pronounced in Lushootseed) is a Native American tribe in western Washington, and the indigenous people of metropolitan Seattle, where they have been living since the end of the last glacial period (c. 8,000 B.C.E., 10,000 years ago). The Duwamish tribe descends from at least two distinct groups from before intense contact with people of European ancestrythe People of the Inside (the environs of Elliott Bay) and the People of the Large Lake (Lake Washington)and continues to evolve both culturally and ethnically. By historic language, the Duwamish are (Skagit-Nisqually) Lushootseed; Lushootseed is a Salishan language. Adjacent tribes throughout the Puget Sound-Strait of Georgia basin were, and are, interconnected and interrelated, yet distinct. The present-day Duwamish tribe developed in parallel with the times of the Treaty of Point Elliott and its aftermath in the 1850s. Although not recognized by the U.S. federal government, the Duwamish remain a...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=316556 ... Read more

Product Description
The great fighting retreat of the Nez Perces, struggling for their lives, lands, and freedom, outwitting and battling off one purusing force after another, is one of the giant epics of the American West.The literature about it is immense, but there is no volume like this monumental account of the war by Jerome A. Greene.Written by one of the foremost experts in frontier military history and reviewed by members of the Nez Perce tribe, Nez Perce Summer, 1877 details the dozen armed encounters between U.S. Army troops and a desperate body of Nez Perces that spanned the long summer of 1877 in the wilds of Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana territories.A meticulously researched and well-written narrative, it chronicles a people's epic struggle to survive spiritually, culturally, and physically in the face of unrelenting military force.Sixteen maps detail troop and Indian movements and skirmishes, while 49 photographs further illuminate this sad and dramatic conflict. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Indispensable
Published in 2000, Jerome A. Greene's NEZ PERCE SUMMER, 1877 isn't the most recent work on the Nez Perce tragedy, but it does the best job of combining a detailed, blow-by-blow account with a larger overview of this enormously complex and panoramic event, which stretched over three and a half months in the summer of 1877 and constituted one of the saddest mass injustices in the history of the Indian Wars.

Greene, who wrote the book under the aegis of the National Park Service--it's available online at their website, but I wouldn't recommend reading it that way--is especially good at explaining where things happened in relation to other things that were going on at the same time and what all the parties concerned were doing simultaneously-- an invaluable asset in an account of a military campaign. And his final chapter, "Consquences," does a splendid job of drawing back and fairly and objectively evaluating the outcome and import of the campaign, not only for the Nez Perces but for the American army and also some of the individuals involved.(Which reminds me to say that the backnotes are often as interesting as the book itself.)

There are other good books about the Nez Perce campaign, notably Bruce Hampton's more passionate and journalistic CHILDREN OF GRACE (1994), as well as Mark H. Brown's pathbreaking THE FLIGHT OF THE NEZ PERCE (1967); all three are highly readable. But if you have time for only one, it should probably be Greene's, since Brown's account has been superceded and Hampton's book, though it has many virtues, ultimately leaves you without the grand picture.

In fact, my one major complaint about NEZ PERCE SUMMER, 1877 is that it doesn't provide a timeline (neither do the other two books). This would have helped enormously in getting a handle on the complicated, multi-layered events of the story, and while an author can be excused for failing to realize how important this is for his readers, his editor shouldn't be.Luckily, you can get a great timeline on the Internet, put together--very well, as far as I can see--by Montana schoolchildren!([...])

Aside from this flaw, NEZ PERCE SUMMER, 1877 is indispensable reading for anyone seeking to understand what it all meant.

Nez Perce Summer, 1877... The U.S. Army and Ni.mípu Crisis
Jerome Greene has written the standard for those studying the War of 1877.I am currently using this book as the master reference for my writings. I am very pleased with the List of References, and the Summary Appendix Listing the known Army and Tribesmen casualties; what's missing is the Civilians and Noncoms casualties.Through out, Mr. Greene maintained a neutral viewpoint, something that is absolutely necessary for a serious and worthwhile reference work.

Mr. Greene is now to the Nez Perce War what Bruce Cotton was to the Civil War.It is the "master", to which all other work must be reviewed against. Incidentally, the famous author, Terry C. Johnston used a prerelease draft supplied by Jerome Greene as the basis for his novels on the first half of this conflict.

I am very pleased with this book and I wish all the historical events making up the history of the American West had such a through, scholarly work summarizing the events and identifying those involved.It is something other scholars should think about; it sure makes research easy for a novel writer like me.

Of course, no work can cover all the facts and neither does Mr. Greene's.Further research into the works of those actually involved would be the next level of detail, the serious students will go to.

Mr. Greene's approach to a very complicated series of events, making up this Indian outbreak, was to discuss one subject at a time, while ignoring the others until that subject was complete, then take-up another and do the same.The result became a saw tooth of events that jumps the reader back and forth through history, none seemly related to the others.That is why I rated the work as I did.That aside, it's nothing a good set of notes can't correct.

Nevertheless, this is an important work and a must copy for every library covering the history of the American West.

Thank you Mr. Greene.

A Masterpiece of History
One word adequately describes this book-Superb! I have read other accounts of the Nez Perce conflict but none with this degree of detail.For example, other authors have skimmed over some of the smaller engagements of the campaign (such as Canyon Creek) but Greene gives this as well as other episodes the full treatment they deserve. In his introduction, Greene clearly states that he mainly relied on primary source material, using secondary sources for background only. This decision clearly paid off.

Footnotes are used extensively to bring to the fore conflicting testimony as well as useful background information.All of this is augmented by excellent maps that illustrate the action.Greene avoids wasting the reader's time with moralizing sermons. He correctly portrays the military as simply trying to do the job thrust upon them by their civilian masters.

Truly, the best parts of this work are the final chapters detailing the culminating conflict at Bear Paw Mountain. At last, I feel like I am on the way towards understanding this battle.I walked away from this book with new respect and understanding for Greene, the Nez Perce and the much-maligned frontier army.

Greene has done his homework
Over the years I've read a lot on the subject of the Indian Wars. However, it seems that many recent publications are just a re-hash of materials, from secondary sources, presented as a new thesis or from a new perspective. Nez Perce Summer is a notable exception. Greene has used a wealth of primary sources, many never used before, in order to turn up new information and call old notions into question.

This is not a history of the Nez Perce, it is a military history of the campaign against them. While many these days prefer their Indian wars history from an Indian perspective, they should not be deterred from reading this work. This is a history of the military campaign, not a support of it. Indeed, one cannot come away from this without being amazed at how the Nez Perce continually stumped the most experienced Indian fighters of the time.

The narrative is well-written, and Greene holds our attention as well as any fiction writer could. I highly recommend !this book to anyone--scholar or casual reader--interested in the study of the Indian Wars.

Vividly drawn and engaging presented storytelling
In Nez Perce Summer 1877: The U.S. Army and the Nee-Me-Poo Crisis, research historian Jerome Green provides an informative, superbly researched, and wonderfully written account of the Nez Perce conflict with the larger white culture as represented by the U.S. Army. Green is one of those rare historians able to combine meticulous scholarship with a genuine flair for vividly drawn and engaging presented storytelling. Nez Perce Summer 1877 is ardently recommended reading for students of American frontier history in general, and Native American studies in particular. ... Read more

Product Description
A new title in the Classic Wisdom Collection by the editor of Native American Wisdom. Here are three great speeches revealing the broad panorama of the Indian experience. Includes Red Jacket's 1805 speech, Chief Seattle's 1854 speech, and Chief Joseph's 1879 speech. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Dictionary of American History, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 762 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Focuses on cultures and countries around the world, specifically what is and is not shared culturally by the people who live in a particular country. Entries contain descriptive summaries of the country in question, including demographic, historical, cultural, economic, religious, and political information. ... Read more

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Discusses the history, traditions, way of life, and future of the Nez Percâe Indians. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Dictionary of American History, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 672 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Focuses on cultures and countries around the world, specifically what is and is not shared culturally by the people who live in a particular country. Entries contain descriptive summaries of the country in question, including demographic, historical, cultural, economic, religious, and political information. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

The Sad Saga of Chief Joseph
I picked this book up after traveling along the Chief Joseph highway in Utah. It is a well written depictionof the events and travesties of the Nez Perce. It also somewhat lets the reader see that although a greatleader, Joseph was not perfect and that there are some who do not believehe was a great a leader as he was depicted in history. Overall, a wellresearched book which gives the reader an inside view to the thoughts andactions of Chief Joseph and other leaders of the Northwest Native Americantribes. ... Read more