readerreaderonthewall's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
mlatibash's review against another edition
Nothing wrong with the book. Just not the right time for me right now to fully appreciate it and focus on it.
taralorraine's review against another edition
4.5
I thought this book had a lot of good personal stories told amongst some bigger picture stories.
It was also well-written with some beautiful passages.
Also: I felt it came across very real and honest - the good and the bad of people and movements.
It was also well-written with some beautiful passages.
Also: I felt it came across very real and honest - the good and the bad of people and movements.
hooliaquoolia's review against another edition
5.0
What an incredible book. The history of Native America, as Treuer writes, is often clouded by the fact that when non-Indian people write that history, it portrays American Indians as a) monolithic and b) the faceless objects of countless mass tragedies whose stories begin with their victimization and end with their supposed disappearance into the mists of history. Treuer demonstrates that Indians are where they are not because they were passive victims of government policy, but because they fought time and time again against government encroachment on their rights, lives, lands, and cultures. They exist, as Treuer writes, because they are the descendants of those who fought and survived, and they continue to fight for their lives and futures against government imposition.
Treuer includes thorough histories of the many regions of Native America, beginning with a general background in pre-history, first European contact, relations up to and through the Revolutionary War, then through the 19th century and westward expansion, and finally through the 20th century as Indians navigated abusive boarding schools, government abuse and graft, and finally began reclaiming sovereignty over reservations and tribal lands. The history of the American Indian Movement of the 60s and 70s was in particular fascinating. His background in anthropology is clear and put to excellent use in his analysis of history, politics, and the legal battles waged by and against various tribes. His argument that Indian issues are fundamentally American issues, and indeed, the basic issues facing any society wishing to live as a multi-cultural civilization, is incredibly important to the current discourse around race, government abuse of power, and the future of communities on the micro and macro level.
Maybe you've heard this about a lot of books--but this is a must-read for anyone who wants the full picture of America, not just Native America, today.
Treuer includes thorough histories of the many regions of Native America, beginning with a general background in pre-history, first European contact, relations up to and through the Revolutionary War, then through the 19th century and westward expansion, and finally through the 20th century as Indians navigated abusive boarding schools, government abuse and graft, and finally began reclaiming sovereignty over reservations and tribal lands. The history of the American Indian Movement of the 60s and 70s was in particular fascinating. His background in anthropology is clear and put to excellent use in his analysis of history, politics, and the legal battles waged by and against various tribes. His argument that Indian issues are fundamentally American issues, and indeed, the basic issues facing any society wishing to live as a multi-cultural civilization, is incredibly important to the current discourse around race, government abuse of power, and the future of communities on the micro and macro level.
Maybe you've heard this about a lot of books--but this is a must-read for anyone who wants the full picture of America, not just Native America, today.
adamsw216's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
I recently and somewhat randomly had a realization that I knew next to nothing about contemporary Native American/Indian culture. In fact, I knew little about Native American/Indian history in general. My education in the Illinois public school system only tentatively touched upon the topic, and I remember very little about it. I did not read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee in school, and most of my knowledge of Native American/Indian culture came from the media (movies, television, news, etc). I decided that I wanted to know more and found this book. Wanting to have a better understanding of the accepted popular narrative so far, I finally read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee as a preface to reading this book.
David Treuer (Ojibwe) presents this book as both a history and a response to the "popular narrative" of Native American/Indian history, past and present. As one might expect, and despite being often treated as such, Native Americans/Indians are not monolithic. They are comprised of many people, from many tribes, from all walks of life. And though the story of the Native American/Indian is filled with tragedy, their story is often told as though their history and culture ended in the late 1800s--a sad footnote in the chapters of low-points in American history. Yet, they live on, they are here, growing, adapting, working for a better tomorrow--not just for themselves, but for the country as a whole.
In this book, Treuer gives us a glimpse into not only the political, economic, and social hurdles, but also the internal conflicts of identity that Native Americans/Indians struggle with. In many ways, I found the book to be enlightening. The early parts of the book are a re-telling of some important historical events which are also covered in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. I felt like some of these elements were too long and felt like the point was either made early enough to make these passages laborious, or they were long enough that the passages became meandering. This also applies to some of the later stories of Native Americans/Indians that Treuer spent time with. It was fascinating to connect his thoughts with how actual people are living their lives, but sometimes it felt like the point was getting away. I also felt like some of his conjecture/analysis on how the people he was spending time with were feeling or why they were acting in one way or another was a little unnecessary (for example, he might say, "I think he might be saying this because..." or "Maybe the reason he does this is..."). Whether he was right or wrong, it felt sort of out of place.
Ultimately, I believe that more Americans need to broaden their understanding of contemporary Native American/Indian history. Not necessarily out of any particular guilt or anything, but because they are a part of this country, and we are all in this struggle together--the struggle to build a better society and a better future. Trying to understand one another a little more is surely a step in the right direction.
I recently and somewhat randomly had a realization that I knew next to nothing about contemporary Native American/Indian culture. In fact, I knew little about Native American/Indian history in general. My education in the Illinois public school system only tentatively touched upon the topic, and I remember very little about it. I did not read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee in school, and most of my knowledge of Native American/Indian culture came from the media (movies, television, news, etc). I decided that I wanted to know more and found this book. Wanting to have a better understanding of the accepted popular narrative so far, I finally read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee as a preface to reading this book.
David Treuer (Ojibwe) presents this book as both a history and a response to the "popular narrative" of Native American/Indian history, past and present. As one might expect, and despite being often treated as such, Native Americans/Indians are not monolithic. They are comprised of many people, from many tribes, from all walks of life. And though the story of the Native American/Indian is filled with tragedy, their story is often told as though their history and culture ended in the late 1800s--a sad footnote in the chapters of low-points in American history. Yet, they live on, they are here, growing, adapting, working for a better tomorrow--not just for themselves, but for the country as a whole.
In this book, Treuer gives us a glimpse into not only the political, economic, and social hurdles, but also the internal conflicts of identity that Native Americans/Indians struggle with. In many ways, I found the book to be enlightening. The early parts of the book are a re-telling of some important historical events which are also covered in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. I felt like some of these elements were too long and felt like the point was either made early enough to make these passages laborious, or they were long enough that the passages became meandering. This also applies to some of the later stories of Native Americans/Indians that Treuer spent time with. It was fascinating to connect his thoughts with how actual people are living their lives, but sometimes it felt like the point was getting away. I also felt like some of his conjecture/analysis on how the people he was spending time with were feeling or why they were acting in one way or another was a little unnecessary (for example, he might say, "I think he might be saying this because..." or "Maybe the reason he does this is..."). Whether he was right or wrong, it felt sort of out of place.
Ultimately, I believe that more Americans need to broaden their understanding of contemporary Native American/Indian history. Not necessarily out of any particular guilt or anything, but because they are a part of this country, and we are all in this struggle together--the struggle to build a better society and a better future. Trying to understand one another a little more is surely a step in the right direction.
danahuff's review against another edition
5.0
[b:The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present|36620482|The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee Native America from 1890 to the Present|David Treuer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1513714679l/36620482._SY75_.jpg|58380027] is the first book I finished in 2020, and it's a fitting start. I'm really glad I read it. [a:David Treuer's|135656|David Treuer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1298720702p2/135656.jpg] book is based, in part, on ethnography he did in the last ten years. In addition to capturing the lives of a broad, diverse, and numerous (though not as numerous as it should be) people, he captures the stories of individuals—everyone from a cousin involved in MMA and another living off the land, collecting pinecones, leeches, and cranberry bark in addition to ricing, to Indians* at the forefront of a new movement in indigenous food and fitness. Treuer explains in his epilogue that his goal in writing this book was "to catch us not in the act of dying but, rather, in the radical act of living" (453). His call to action is for all of us to consider what kind of country we want to live in and to work in our ways to build that country.
Treuer's writing is beautiful. I did not realize he had written fiction, as this was my first of his books, but I was not surprised to learn it after seeing his way with words in this book. Many nonfiction writers tend to dispense with pretty prose in favor of utilitarian fact-telling—the writing is a means to an end but not necessary to the journey itself—but Treuer's writing is a meld of poetic storytelling—at times harrowing and other times funny. I appreciated his voice and thorough research.
The book is structured in seven parts:
One thing I appreciated as a fellow Gen-Xer was what I would describe as a uniquely Gen-X take on history, particularly on AIM. I don't mean Treuer is cynical because he is anything but cynical, but he is honest. I think many civil rights movement leaders tend to be lionized rather than seen as flawed people who did some very good things but who also were not perfect and even did some very wrong things. It might just be me, but I feel like that is a particularly Gen-X take on civil rights movements because we were the generation after Boomers, who thought they were idealistic and would change the world—they protested the Vietnam War, they attempted to open up America's puritanical views on sex, they fought for rights for Black people, women, and (to a much lesser extent) Indians. But the 1980s seems to have wiped out their remaining idealism. Ronald Reagan's ideas won the day, and they voted for that country, so they must have wanted it. So when people want to accuse Gen-Xers of being cynical, remember what we saw with our older siblings and parents who were Boomers. Treuer's view of the leaders of AIM was much more balanced. Yes, they drew attention to Indian concerns and united people from diverse Indian backgrounds toward a common goal. They also sidelined Native women and engaged in a great deal of violence. I appreciated this nuanced point of view. Part of this Gen-X so-called cynicism is actually a core of realistic optimism I feel like some Gen-Xers have (some folks might argue with me about that), and Treuer has that realistic optimism. It is possible for us all to improve our country, but it will take active participation in shaping that future, and we have to understand why we are where we are today.
*Treuer uses this term for indigenous people in the United States, and I understand it is one of many preferred terms, hence my use of it in this review.
Treuer's writing is beautiful. I did not realize he had written fiction, as this was my first of his books, but I was not surprised to learn it after seeing his way with words in this book. Many nonfiction writers tend to dispense with pretty prose in favor of utilitarian fact-telling—the writing is a means to an end but not necessary to the journey itself—but Treuer's writing is a meld of poetic storytelling—at times harrowing and other times funny. I appreciated his voice and thorough research.
The book is structured in seven parts:
- Narrating the Apocalypse: 10,000 BCE-1890. If this seems like a lot of compression, remember that Treuer's goal is to discuss the history since Wounded Knee, and this part was necessarily compressed to allow for the space to do that.
- Purgatory: 1891-1934. This part covers the period of the Dawes Act, Allotment, Indian boarding schools, the institution of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
- Fighting Life: 1914-1945. This part covers not only Indian involvement in both World Wars but also the Meriam Report that investigated the state of Indian affairs and the government's Indian policy.
- Moving on Up—Termination and Relocation: 1945-1970. This part covers the migration of Indians to urban areas, where the majority of Indians live today, and the Termination Act of 1953, which "proposed to fix the Indian problem once and for all by making Indians—legally, culturally, and economically—no longer Indians at all" (250).
- Becoming Indian: 1970-1990. This part discusses the reclamation of indigenous culture as part of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and also the sort of pan-Indianism that resulted when people of different nations and tribes joined forces as well as the beginning of US policy that favored Indian interests.
- Boom City—Tribal Capitalism in the Twenty-first Century. This part covers the rise of casinos and other capitalist ventures that have enabled some nations and tribes to become successful and even wealthy.
- Digital Indians: 1990-2018. This part describes the efforts of modern Indians to reclaim culture (including language and foodways) and be Indian in the modern world.
One thing I appreciated as a fellow Gen-Xer was what I would describe as a uniquely Gen-X take on history, particularly on AIM. I don't mean Treuer is cynical because he is anything but cynical, but he is honest. I think many civil rights movement leaders tend to be lionized rather than seen as flawed people who did some very good things but who also were not perfect and even did some very wrong things. It might just be me, but I feel like that is a particularly Gen-X take on civil rights movements because we were the generation after Boomers, who thought they were idealistic and would change the world—they protested the Vietnam War, they attempted to open up America's puritanical views on sex, they fought for rights for Black people, women, and (to a much lesser extent) Indians. But the 1980s seems to have wiped out their remaining idealism. Ronald Reagan's ideas won the day, and they voted for that country, so they must have wanted it. So when people want to accuse Gen-Xers of being cynical, remember what we saw with our older siblings and parents who were Boomers. Treuer's view of the leaders of AIM was much more balanced. Yes, they drew attention to Indian concerns and united people from diverse Indian backgrounds toward a common goal. They also sidelined Native women and engaged in a great deal of violence. I appreciated this nuanced point of view. Part of this Gen-X so-called cynicism is actually a core of realistic optimism I feel like some Gen-Xers have (some folks might argue with me about that), and Treuer has that realistic optimism. It is possible for us all to improve our country, but it will take active participation in shaping that future, and we have to understand why we are where we are today.
*Treuer uses this term for indigenous people in the United States, and I understand it is one of many preferred terms, hence my use of it in this review.
toasternoodle's review against another edition
5.0
A more representative, present-day anthology of Indigenous U.S.-occupied America than its better-known predecessor, [b: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee|76401|Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee An Indian History of the American West|Dee Brown|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1604058784l/76401._SX50_.jpg|1240262]. You never know how much you don't know until you start filling in the gaps—where Dee Brown would have you believe Indigenous lifeways ended with the 20th century, Ojibwe historian David Treuer documents many more nations/tribes in personal detail and includes real stories/interviews with other reservation members, leaders and activists, placing the context of Native America right next door, right now.
There are many more accounts of Native tribes that I hadn’t even heard of before, as well as their deeply woven personal histories. This covers Indigenous contact pre-1500 and the ensuing genocidal expeditions of Spanish/Portuguese sailors, and the era during which California’s Native population (of which Treuer writes was more densely populous than Europe’s biggest cities) was systematically pushed out and Native genocide written into policy. Treuer analyses AIM/Black Panthers/Indigenous resistance over the years, including the DAPL/Standing Rock protest. He also devotes a large section to explaining Native sovereignty and exclusion from taxing, including how reservation casinos came about, and what the future of other tax-free lifestyle economies such as marijuana production, processing and dispensing could bring for Natives. And everything in between.
The chapters are not divided usefully for audiobook organization (sections are differentiated as Parts 1-7, no titling information for easy reference) so I found rereading more inconvenient. But I am grateful someone sat down to record 18 hours of history at all, so that's an accessibility plus. I gave Bury My Heart 5 stars when I knew less so I must do the same here.
There are many more accounts of Native tribes that I hadn’t even heard of before, as well as their deeply woven personal histories. This covers Indigenous contact pre-1500 and the ensuing genocidal expeditions of Spanish/Portuguese sailors, and the era during which California’s Native population (of which Treuer writes was more densely populous than Europe’s biggest cities) was systematically pushed out and Native genocide written into policy. Treuer analyses AIM/Black Panthers/Indigenous resistance over the years, including the DAPL/Standing Rock protest. He also devotes a large section to explaining Native sovereignty and exclusion from taxing, including how reservation casinos came about, and what the future of other tax-free lifestyle economies such as marijuana production, processing and dispensing could bring for Natives. And everything in between.
The chapters are not divided usefully for audiobook organization (sections are differentiated as Parts 1-7, no titling information for easy reference) so I found rereading more inconvenient. But I am grateful someone sat down to record 18 hours of history at all, so that's an accessibility plus. I gave Bury My Heart 5 stars when I knew less so I must do the same here.
goodvibes22's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
entropydoc's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.25