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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
An important book, if only for the establishment of a counter-narrative to a pervasive stereotype. We always need reminders that everyone -- let alone a wide range of native cultures -- deserves to be taken for who and what they are, not the labels we want to assign them.
I think Krech loses some of his message with his deliberately confrontational language (e.g., juxtaposing Ecological Indians and Non-Ecological White Men) but overall this is quite an interesting read. Some of his arguments are clearly flawed, such as assuming waste was inherent in the buffalo jump when in fact pre-historic natives would have had no way to reach, or butcher, the beasts on the bottom of 200 deep piles of buffalo in narrow arroyos. Yet for the most part he provides good research and well reasoned arguments that challenge looking at all Native Americans as defenders of untrammeled nature. Whereas Cronon is more measured and insightful, Krech is more provocative and challenging. Not my preferred methods in an academic piece seeking truth but as I stated above he has some valid points worth noting. I wouldn't pick this up for my first environmental history book but it helps round out the field. Solid 3 stars.
This is an okay book, one that for me was most successful at the beginning and end and crawled in the middle. It feels somewhat dated (and is by a couple decades), and I feel that it would have benefited more from placing a greater emphasis on indigenous voices - both in quantity and in offering them the same high level of trust Krech places in European-American sources. I also think it could be much shorter - a lot of the length comes from him bringing in lots of examples, but these don’t always come together to be more than the sum of their parts. 3/5.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
The book does a really good job at enforcing the point that all stereotypes, even “good” ones, are bad. The stereotype of the “ecological” Indian is revealed to be dehumanizing and untrue.
While I do think this author was biased (he frequently discusses that historial accounts of native Americans are, without addressing his own account likely is as well) k still enjoyed this book. It really made me think and I think it’s good to read things that challenge beliefs you hold.
While I do think this author was biased (he frequently discusses that historial accounts of native Americans are, without addressing his own account likely is as well) k still enjoyed this book. It really made me think and I think it’s good to read things that challenge beliefs you hold.
The book does a really good job at enforcing the point that all stereotypes, even “good” ones, are bad. The stereotype of the “ecological” Indian is revealed to be dehumanizing and untrue.
While I do think this author was biased (he frequently discusses that historial accounts of native Americans are, without addressing his own account likely is as well) k still enjoyed this book. It really made me think and I think it’s good to read things that challenge beliefs you hold.
While I do think this author was biased (he frequently discusses that historial accounts of native Americans are, without addressing his own account likely is as well) k still enjoyed this book. It really made me think and I think it’s good to read things that challenge beliefs you hold.
informative
reflective
slow-paced