The Columbia Guide to American Indians of the Great Plains

The Columbia Guide to American Indians of the Great Plains
Author: Loretta Fowler
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2003
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780231117005

From where--and what--does water come? How did it become the key to life in the universe? Water from Heaven presents a state-of-the-art portrait of the science of water, recounting how the oxygen needed to form H2O originated in the nuclear reactions in the interiors of stars, asking whether microcomets may be replenishing our world's oceans, and explaining how the Moon and planets set ice-age rhythms by way of slight variations in Earth's orbit and rotation. The book then takes the measure of water today in all its states, solid and gaseous as well as liquid. How do the famous El Niño and La Niña events in the Pacific affect our weather? What clues can water provide scientists in search of evidence of climate changes of the past, and how does it complicate their predictions of future global warming? Finally, Water from Heaven deals with the role of water in the rise and fall of civilizations. As nations grapple over watershed rights and pollution controls, water is poised to supplant oil as the most contested natural resource of the new century. The vast majority of water "used" today is devoted to large-scale agriculture and though water is a renewable resource, it is not an infinite one. Already many parts of the world are running up against the limits of what is readily available. Water from Heaven is, in short, the full story of water and all its remarkable properties. It spans from water's beginnings during the formation of stars, all the way through the origin of the solar system, the evolution of life on Earth, the rise of civilization, and what will happen in the future. Dealing with the physical, chemical, biological, and political importance of water, this book transforms our understanding of our most precious, and abused, resource. Robert Kandel shows that water presents us with a series of crucial questions and pivotal choices that will change the way you look at your next glass of water.

After Custer

After Custer
Author: Paul L. Hedren
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
Total Pages: 396
Release: 2012-09-24
Genre: History
ISBN: 0806187360

Between 1876 and 1877, the U.S. Army battled Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne Indians in a series of vicious conflicts known today as the Great Sioux War. After the defeat of Custer at the Little Big Horn in June 1876, the army responded to its stunning loss by pouring fresh troops and resources into the war effort. In the end, the U.S. Army prevailed, but at a significant cost. In this unique contribution to American western history, Paul L. Hedren examines the war’s effects on the culture, environment, and geography of the northern Great Plains, their Native inhabitants, and the Anglo-American invaders. As Hedren explains, U.S. military control of the northern plains following the Great Sioux War permitted the Northern Pacific Railroad to extend westward from the Missouri River. The new transcontinental line brought hide hunters who targeted the great northern buffalo herds and ultimately destroyed them. A de-buffaloed prairie lured cattlemen, who in turn spawned their own culture. Through forced surrender of their lands and lifeways, Lakotas and Northern Cheyennes now experienced even more stress and calamity than they had endured during the war itself. The victors, meanwhile, faced a different set of challenges, among them providing security for the railroad crews, hide hunters, and cattlemen. Hedren is the first scholar to examine the events of 1876–77 and their aftermath as a whole, taking into account relationships among military leaders, the building of forts, and the army’s efforts to memorialize the war and its victims. Woven into his narrative are the voices of those who witnessed such events as the burial of Custer, the laying of railroad track, or the sudden surround of a buffalo herd. Their personal testimonies lend both vibrancy and pathos to this story of irreversible change in Sioux Country.

The Black Elk Reader

The Black Elk Reader
Author: Clyde Holler
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2000
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780815628354

A compilation of essays by authorities on Black Elk. The introduction explores his life and texts, and the essays demonstrate Black Elk's relevance to today's scholarly discussions, and consider his work from postcolonial, anthropological and cultural perspectives.

Ashes of Heaven

Ashes of Heaven
Author: Terry C. Johnston
Publisher: Macmillan
Total Pages: 418
Release: 1998-05-15
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0312965117

No one captures the glory, adventure, and drama of the courageous men and women who tamed the American West like award-winning author Johnston. His Plainsmen series brims with colorful characters, fierce battles, and compelling historical lore. Reissue.

Julian Scott

Julian Scott
Author: Robert J. Titterton
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 354
Release: 1997-01-01
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780786402724

The art of Julian Scott (1846ndash;1901) is admired by historians and critics alike for its authenticity and for his attention to detail. His paintings and drawings came directly from his own experiences; he was a Civil War hero whose earliest recorded actions include the saving of nine soldiers and the capture of a Confederate officer, for which he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. He also took part in the Indian census of 1890 and witnessed firsthand the demise of the old, Native American, West. This first-ever biography of Scott focuses on how his experiences were reflected in his art, from the oil paintings of Civil War soldiers in the field to pencil sketches of Native Americans. There are almost 100 reproductions, some in color.

Living with Strangers

Living with Strangers
Author: David G. McCrady
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
Total Pages: 201
Release: 2009-09-11
Genre: History
ISBN: 1442609907

In The Pension Fund Revolution, originally published nearly two decades ago under the title The Unseen Revolution, Drucker reports that institutional investors, especially pension funds, have become the controlling owners of America's large companies, the country's only capitalists. He maintains that the shift began in 1952 with the establishment of the first modern pension fund by General Motors. By 1960 it had become so obvious that a group of young men decided to found a stock-exchange firm catering exclusively to these new investors. Ten years later this firm (Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette) became the most successful, and one of the biggest, Wall Street firms. Drucker's argument, that through pension funds ownership of the means of production had become socialized without becoming nationalized, was unacceptable to the conventional wisdom of the country in the 1970s. Even less acceptable was the second theme of the book: the aging of America. Among the predictions made by Drucker in The Pension Fund Revolution are: that a major health care issue would be longevity; that pensions and social security would be central to American economy and society; that the retirement age would have to be extended; and that altogether American politics would increasingly be dominated by middle-class issues and the values of elderly people. While readers of the original edition found these conclusions hard to accept, Drucker's work has proven to be prescient. In the new epilogue, Drucker discusses how the increasing dominance of pension funds represents one of the most startling power shifts in economic history, and he examines their present-day Impact. The Pension Fund Revolution is now considered a classic text regarding the effects of pension fund ownership on the governance of the American corporation and on the structure of the American economy altogether. The reissuing of this book is more timely now than ever. It provides a wealth of information for sociologists, economists, and political theorists.

Sitting Bull

Sitting Bull
Author: Robert M. Utley
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
Total Pages: 566
Release: 2014-05-13
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1466871393

“Gripping. . . . transforms Sitting Bull, the abstract, romanticized icon and symbol, into a flesh-and-blood person with a down-to-earth story.” —The New York Times Book Review Winner, Spur Award for Best Western Nonfiction Historical Book A New York Times Notable Book Reviled by the United States government as a troublemaker and a coward, revered by his people as a great warrior chief, Sitting Bull has long been one of the most fascinating and misunderstood figures in American history. Distinguished historian Robert M. Utley has forged a compelling portrait of Sitting Bull, presenting the Lakota perspective for the first time and rendering the most unbiased, historically accurate, and vivid portrait of the man to date. The Sitting Bull who emerges in this fast-paced narrative is a complex, towering figure: a great warrior whose skill and bravery in battle were unparalleled; the spiritual leader of his people; a dignified but ultimately tragically stubborn defender of the traditional ways against the steadfast and unwelcome encroachment of the white man. “A definitive biography of this Native American warrior and tribe leader.” —Publishers Weekly “Compelling reading.” —The Washington Post Book World Originally published as The Lance and the Shield: The Life and Times of Sitting Bull

King of the Gypsies

King of the Gypsies
Author: Renee Fisher
Publisher: iUniverse
Total Pages: 270
Release: 2001-03-06
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0595160557

In a family of victims, Celie is determined to triumph and survive. Abandoned by her father and older brother, she lives through her mother's death, her sister's retreat from society and survives her own unwise and short-lived marriage. Ultimately, she creates the family that she has never had but has always wanted and then experiences her final triumph by finding her brother and reuniting him with her sister and herself.