About the Author

Carl Waldman, a graduate of Hamilton College, is a former archivist for the New York State Historical Association. A freelance writer, he is the author of numerous books on American Indians, including Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes, Third Edition for Facts On File and Checkmark Books. He is the coauthor of Facts On File's Encyclopedia of Exploration, a Booklist/RBB "Editors' Choice Reference Source, 2004" and a Library Journal "Best Reference Source, 2004." He lives in New York.

Reviews

"...splendid...a visually appealing, thorough examination of [Native] cultures..." - School Library Journal"

Gr 10 Up-An impressive and exhaustive work. Updates since the highly acclaimed 2000 edition include information on the first Native American in space and the Canadian Parliament's endorsement of the UN "Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples," and more color maps and photographs. The volume is divided into several broad subject areas, such as "Ancient Native Peoples," "Native Lifeways," "Indian Wars," "Native Land Cessions and a Changing Way of Life," and "Contemporary Native North Americans." The subject divisions follow a chronological pattern and explore Native history across the continent, in no way marginalizing Central America or Canada. The exemplary informational content is complemented by numerous maps and photographs, in both color and black and white. Numerous access points include an extensive map list and a series of appendixes, such as the "Chronology of Native Prehistory and History," "Native Nations in the United States (with Languages and Locations)," "Contemporary Canadian First Nations," and "Major Native Place-Names in the United States and Canada." The bibliography is extensive. This work stands out due to its scope and the attention given to the Canadian Native experience. The use of the word "Indian" in the title may be problematic, especially for Canadian librarians, but Waldman's preface outlines the variety of terms used for North America's first peoples and explains that they are all used throughout the book, where applicable. This visually appealing resource will be an excellent addition, even if libraries own the previous edition.-Robyn Walker, Elgin Court Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.