In this collection of illuminating conversations; renowned historian of world religions Huston Smith invites ten influential American Indian spiritual and political leaders to talk about their five-hundred-year struggle for religious freedom. Their intimate; impassioned dialogues yield profound insights into one of the most striking cases of tragic irony in history: the country that prides itself on religious freedom has resolutely denied those same rights to its own indigenous people. With remarkable erudition and curiosity—and respectfully framing his questions in light of the revelation that his discovery of Native American religion helped him round out his views of the world's religions—Smith skillfully helps reveal the depth of the speakers' knowledge and experience. American Indian leaders Vine Deloria; Jr. (Standing Rock Sioux); Winona LaDuke (Anishshinaabeg); Walter Echo-Hawk (Pawnee); Frank Dayish; Jr. (Navajo); Charlotte Black Elk (Oglala Lakota); Douglas George-Kanentiio (Mohawk-Iroquois); Lenny Foster (Dine/Navajo); Tonya Gonnella Frichner (Onondaga); Anthony Guy Lopez (Lakota-Sioux); and Oren Lyons (Onondaga) provide an impressive overview of the critical issues facing the Native American community today. Their ideas about spirituality; politics; relations with the U.S. government; their place in American society; and the continuing vitality of their communities give voice to a population that is all too often ignored in contemporary discourse. The culture they describe is not a relic of the past; nor a historical curiosity; but a living tradition that continues to shape Native American lives.
#338586 in Books 2004-09-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x 1.30 x 5.00l; 1.60 #File Name: 0520240960592 pagesthe definitive resource for exploring California's spectacular landscape and abundant flora and fauna
Review
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Hugely DisappointedBy J. S. RadfordI used the original version of this book back 40 years ago when the co-author was Usinger ("Sierra Nevada Natural History" (1963) by Storer and Usinger). I loved that thing and annotated it variously and color coded the page edges for quick reference to groups of species.So I found that my cherished tome had been updated and "improved" and it was a no-brainer to buy.What a disappointment!Admittedly; I have not used this new book yet (just came today) but I am greatly put off by it's layout and poor graphics; compared to the old version. The old version was SO much more accessible with full page comparisons of species drawings for quick assessment and ID. It had weak color photos but they are better than the new ones. THAT is inexcusable considering how far (light years) photography and printing have advanced in the 41 years between editions. The new version has information scattered about and comparisons not so nearly ready-to-hand as the 1963 book.Anybody use BOTH versions? I'd be interested in comments by people who knew and used the 1963 book and have used this one.REVIEWS: I find it revealing that after 11 years (!!!) there are only 7 reviews of this book. Millions go to the Sierra every year and hundreds of thousands look for guide books such as this. SEVEN reviews??? That in itself is very telling.I have John Muir Laws' guide book; which is beautifully illustrated and intensely and very usefully organized for quick ID of all manner of Sierra biota. My reason for buying the new Storer and Usinger update (w/o Usinger but deliberate revision of the old book) was that I missed the commentary that Laws lacks. The Laws book is crammed full of illustration; beautifully rendered; but it has almost no info beyond the line or two or phrase or two immediately next to a drawing. I yearned for the coherently organized text of Storer and Usinger (1963) with careful species descriptions including life form; habitat; range; etc.; etc.I'm stuck with Laws. It is a wonderful though lacking book. I won't take both books on backpacking treks (both are very heavy). So I will just donate the new Storer book to the book sale. I don't think I will ever use it in the field.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. ... field guide from the 1960s and one of the best available general guides for the Sierra NevadaBy L. AngierA revision of the classic field guide from the 1960s and one of the best available general guides for the Sierra Nevada!2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A great reference guide with a history of its ownBy greggerThis book; on its own; has quite a bit of history. The short entries have a lot of character and information. They definitely align better with the localities of the Sierra Nevada better than more general books of flora and fauna. There are more detailed books about wildflowers in the area. However; the range of coverage is pretty amazing. It definitely has answered quite a few questions that; even after 20+ years of visiting the same area; weren't exactly clear.A nice resource for anyone written in an entertaining and engaging way.
