brad_mckay's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.75
cher_n_books's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars - It was really good.
While the writing was a bit too journalistic and dry in style, the story of Edward Curtis' life, sacrifices and accomplishments was wonderful. Learning more about Seattle's history, and the differences among various Native American tribes was also very interesting. Above all else, what made this book was the inclusion of Curtis' photography, with the pictures packing an emotional punch and reminder of the inconceivable iniquities the natives suffered.
All 20 volumes of Edward Curtis' masterpiece, The North American Indian can be viewed online through NWU library at this site: http://curtis.library.northwestern.edu/curtis/toc.cgi
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: ....Government agents, the frontline enforcers of assimilation, the faces of a conqueror who made sure no sensible policy would ever be practiced.
First Sentence: The last Indian of Seattle lived in a shack down among the greased piers and coal bunkers of the new city, on what was then called West Street, her hovel in the grip of Puget Sound, off plumb in a rise above the tidal flats.
While the writing was a bit too journalistic and dry in style, the story of Edward Curtis' life, sacrifices and accomplishments was wonderful. Learning more about Seattle's history, and the differences among various Native American tribes was also very interesting. Above all else, what made this book was the inclusion of Curtis' photography, with the pictures packing an emotional punch and reminder of the inconceivable iniquities the natives suffered.
All 20 volumes of Edward Curtis' masterpiece, The North American Indian can be viewed online through NWU library at this site: http://curtis.library.northwestern.edu/curtis/toc.cgi
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: ....Government agents, the frontline enforcers of assimilation, the faces of a conqueror who made sure no sensible policy would ever be practiced.
First Sentence: The last Indian of Seattle lived in a shack down among the greased piers and coal bunkers of the new city, on what was then called West Street, her hovel in the grip of Puget Sound, off plumb in a rise above the tidal flats.
wayoflife's review against another edition
5.0
Before beginning the first chapter of this book, I only knew the story from the blurb on the jacket, which I read in a bookstore in Bellingham, Wa. But when I read the first chapter I realized I was learning about one of Seattle's greatest artists - though one unknown for far too long.
Curtis singlemindedly pursued one life vision from the late 1800s through the First World War: document the American Indian as she and he truly lived, before the American expansion, Manifest Destiny, and a culture of blatant racism and greed assimilated them. Although it cost him much - Curtis lost his wife, his reputation, and died penniless - his work documenting the reality of Native life was astounding. He produced twenty volumes of work, so exquisitely printed that the first reviews of his books were said to rival only the King James Bible. He made 200,000 photos. He recorded 10,000 songs. He wrote vocabularies and alphabets for 75 languages, many of which have been used by those tribes' descendants to revive their language. He transcribed rituals, stories, mythology. He produced the first deeply researched reconstruction of Custer's shameful work in The Battle of Little Big Horn, by talking to eyewitnesses on both sides of the battle. He told the story of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce wars, followed by the in humane treatment of the natives.
The Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher does an outstanding job of bringing this visionary the credit he deserves for such phenomenal work.
Curtis singlemindedly pursued one life vision from the late 1800s through the First World War: document the American Indian as she and he truly lived, before the American expansion, Manifest Destiny, and a culture of blatant racism and greed assimilated them. Although it cost him much - Curtis lost his wife, his reputation, and died penniless - his work documenting the reality of Native life was astounding. He produced twenty volumes of work, so exquisitely printed that the first reviews of his books were said to rival only the King James Bible. He made 200,000 photos. He recorded 10,000 songs. He wrote vocabularies and alphabets for 75 languages, many of which have been used by those tribes' descendants to revive their language. He transcribed rituals, stories, mythology. He produced the first deeply researched reconstruction of Custer's shameful work in The Battle of Little Big Horn, by talking to eyewitnesses on both sides of the battle. He told the story of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce wars, followed by the in humane treatment of the natives.
The Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher does an outstanding job of bringing this visionary the credit he deserves for such phenomenal work.
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
5.0
Most Americans are familiar with photographs of Native Americans such as Geronimo and Chief Joseph but are not necessarily familiar with the stories behind the pictures of the individuals who went to great expense and effort and even personal risk to create a lasting look of a vanishing culture. Edward Curtis (1868-1952) was such a unique individual and Egan’s telling of his story is a masterpiece of biography and history.
With little formal education but with an insatiable passion to leave a lasting pictorial and written record of native peoples Egan tells of Curtis’ early struggles and eventual support from President Teddy Roosevelt and the financial support of J.P. Morgan to publish a 20 volume illustrated set taken from the tens of thousands of photographs Curtis took of 80 tribes throughout North America.
Well beyond the photographs you learn of the many experiences he had over three decades living with native peoples recording their customs and even with sound and early movie recordings. A highly recommended work providing a unique perspective of the history of the American west.
--Recommended by Stephen
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sshort+nights+of+the+shadow+catcher+egan__Orightresult__U1?lang=eng&suite=pearl
With little formal education but with an insatiable passion to leave a lasting pictorial and written record of native peoples Egan tells of Curtis’ early struggles and eventual support from President Teddy Roosevelt and the financial support of J.P. Morgan to publish a 20 volume illustrated set taken from the tens of thousands of photographs Curtis took of 80 tribes throughout North America.
Well beyond the photographs you learn of the many experiences he had over three decades living with native peoples recording their customs and even with sound and early movie recordings. A highly recommended work providing a unique perspective of the history of the American west.
--Recommended by Stephen
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sshort+nights+of+the+shadow+catcher+egan__Orightresult__U1?lang=eng&suite=pearl
llkendrick's review against another edition
5.0
Since I was a child I've always had a love for Native American culture and history, so this book was right up my alley. It was fascinating to read about Edwards Curtis' photography work with so many tribes and read about his love for these people. The photography included in the book is beautiful and I'd love to see his work in a gallery someday.
cnorbury's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting book about an overlooked photographer who may have been one of the best America ever produced. His magnum opus, a twenty-volume book of photographs, songs, alphabets, and language translations and definitions titled "The North American Indian" was possibly one of the most ambitious artistic projects ever attempted, especially considered the subject matter, their locations, and the technology, transportation, and communication that was available in the early 1900s.
Curtis must have been a challenging man to live with due to his single-minded focus on his art at the expense of his family relationships and general disregard for paying his bills, balancing his budget, and living within his means. I was amazed that he managed to travel extensively, hire support staff, provide food, lodging, supplies, and transportation for himself and his staff without seeming to have any money on a day-to-day basis. I presume some travel and other costs were covered by credit, and he was funded by JP Morgan (only to a limited degree, not a blank check). Still, for him to finish his project over the decades with the limited and erratic funding he had is a testament to his determination to accurately depict the American Indians as they lived before the white man destroyed their culture.
Egan writes engagingly and maintained my interest throughout considering I'm not a serious photographer and didn't know much about Curtis before starting the book.
Curtis must have been a challenging man to live with due to his single-minded focus on his art at the expense of his family relationships and general disregard for paying his bills, balancing his budget, and living within his means. I was amazed that he managed to travel extensively, hire support staff, provide food, lodging, supplies, and transportation for himself and his staff without seeming to have any money on a day-to-day basis. I presume some travel and other costs were covered by credit, and he was funded by JP Morgan (only to a limited degree, not a blank check). Still, for him to finish his project over the decades with the limited and erratic funding he had is a testament to his determination to accurately depict the American Indians as they lived before the white man destroyed their culture.
Egan writes engagingly and maintained my interest throughout considering I'm not a serious photographer and didn't know much about Curtis before starting the book.
spiderfelt's review against another edition
2.0
The first part of the book was an interesting read for the Seattle history, but I found myself wishing there were more photographs. As the author described Curtis' travels and the photographs he took, I wanted to see what he was seeing, or at least see the pictures he captured. I requested some books from the library, and ultimately stopped reading this book and just focused on the supplementary reading. I wasn't able to finish the book before my book club met, but had enough of a sense of how the story was going to feel satisfied. There were long sections of the story that rehashed the same theme: passionate artist underappreciated by academics and wealthy establishment abandons family to pursue dreams. There is no doubt that Curtis achieved a Herculean task, without proper credit or compensation. The fact that he did not receive any support from the Smithsonian or the Bureau of Indian Affairs is terrible. The job was far too large, and far too costly to be managed by one person. However, this is a review of the book and not the man. I would not recommend reading this book if you want to know the stories behind the pictures.
berthe33's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent read. One man’s obsession created a treasure of information regarding Native American Indians from the early 1900’s-mid 20th century.
pldean's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating book about a life that was indeed epic. It's a short book, though, and Curtis's life seems to need a thick volume, something like Chernow's life of Alexander Hamilton. What's here is well done, though. Highly recommended.