The Ecological Indian: Myth and History

Rating:
Summary: Sad History
Review: I notice that the earlier review of 'learned' E. N. Anderson is very careful in maintaining a politeness to 'learned' Dr. Krech. Both men, however, seem to be victims of their education. The book is indeed biased. It will be welcomed by all those who wish to corroborate their mindset belief that the Native Americans were an inferior race who needed to be pushed aside by the superiority of Western culture. For the reader who sincerely seeks out truth, I would suggest these books: Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond; A Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn; Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen; and The Only World We've Got by Paul Shepard.

Rating:
Summary: Misleading 'facts'
Review: If you are the kind of person who wants to believe in the culture of Western Civilization then this book is for you. The author focuses on a few tribes out of the hundreds that lived in North America before the arrival of Europeans. Vague references are made to others. Questionable, unverified accounts fill in the blanks. The vast majority of tribes that lived in balance with the land are overlooked. The epilogue is almost entirely concerned with the actions of present day Indians. This book is, at the least, mistitled and biased in a sneaky, empirical science, wanting to appear objective, kind of way. It's sad that someone would want to write something like this. We all instinctively want to validate the culture we grew up in.....but give me a break.

Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking, though not perfect
Review: In this book, Krech sets out to contradict popular perceptions of Native Americans as perfect beings living in harmony with their environments. This doesn't sound like a very nice thing to do at first, but the author clearly states that he feels such images are not only inaccurate generalizations based on biased, outdated European stereotypes, but are dehumanizing in their suggestion that native people are "natural" animals rather than "cultural" humans. He goes on to present a number of case studies showing situations in which Native Americans were indeed cultural humans not living in perfect ecological balance with their surroundings. His treatment of the archaeological evidence is pretty thorough and unbiased. His historical case studies, while relying a bit heavily on potentially biased historic records by White settlers, remain fairly convincing examples of situations in which Native Americans were not perfect conservationists. Unfortunately, after this array of case studies it can be easy to forget that Krech's stated reasons for examining them were to present Native Americans as active human beings rather than passive stereotypes. Instead, readers can end up with a negative feeling about Native American land use practices in general or about Krech in particular, as the reviews below point out. In spite of these flaws, however, the book does raise interesting questions about how perceptions of Native Americans are constructed (both by native people themselves and by others) and about how we should approach environmental issues (including our definition of a "natural" environment) we grapple with today. His writing is clear and issues are presented in a fairly understandable way for a general audience, not just dusty academic types. Although you may not agree with all of the book's conclusions, the issues it raises make it very worthwhle reading material for anyone interested in environmental impact and Native Americans in the past and today.

Rating:
Summary: Understood ....... not "misunderstood"
Review: It's hard to believe that the reviewer from Dec. 8, 2002, titled 'Misunderstood' ever read this book. The reviewer states "At least half the communicative burden should always rest on the reader". I couldn't agree more. I suppose this reader/reviewer sat back and absorbed some brilliant insight about "Disney-Pocahontas stereotypes". A scary thought, considering that this person is probably "college educated" (perhaps spelled 'college programmed). This book, and the aforementioned review, are both a sad disappointment. We have too many blind "educated" people writing and reviewing these types of misleading books.

Rating:
Summary: Worth reading, for a new perspective.
Review: Kudos to Krech for bringing up a new twist on the historical "crying Indian" figure everyone is so familiarly brainwashed into identifying with. I was initially shocked and disgruntled by Kreches arguments because I have grown up with a 100% ecological Indian/Dances With Wolves impression of Native Americans. However, the book is stocked with evidence claiming the alternative, that Native Americans did have negative impacts on the environment possibly comparatively to that of the European settlers. Krech did a fabulous job avoiding the use of glittering generalities when presenting arguments. However, at times he almost seems to argumentative (with himself) which is why I give the book only four stars--he tended to write to the critics. At some points he tends to have random arguments, but overall, it is a fascinating piece, which brings up new ideas on the subject in a sensitive way.

Rating:
Summary: Worth reading, for a new perspective.
Review: Kudos to Krech for bringing up a new twist on the historical "crying Indian" figure everyone is so familiarly brainwashed into identifying with. I was initially shocked and disgruntled by Kreches arguments because I have grown up with a 100% ecological Indian/Dances With Wolves impression of Native Americans. However, the book is stocked with evidence claiming the alternative, that Native Americans did have negative impacts on the environment possibly comparatively to that of the European settlers. Krech did a fabulous job avoiding the use of glittering generalities when presenting arguments. However, at times he almost seems to argumentative (with himself) which is why I give the book only four stars--he tended to write to the critics. At some points he tends to have random arguments, but overall, it is a fascinating piece, which brings up new ideas on the subject in a sensitive way.

Rating:
Summary: Worth reading, for a new perspective.
Review: Kudos to Krech for bringing up a new twist on the historical "crying Indian" figure everyone is so familiarly brainwashed into identifying with. I was initially shocked and disgruntled by Kreches arguments because I have grown up with a 100% ecological Indian/Dances With Wolves impression of Native Americans. However, the book is stocked with evidence claiming the alternative, that Native Americans did have negative impacts on the environment possibly comparatively to that of the European settlers. Krech did a fabulous job avoiding the use of glittering generalities when presenting arguments. However, at times he almost seems to argumentative (with himself) which is why I give the book only four stars--he tended to write to the critics. At some points he tends to have random arguments, but overall, it is a fascinating piece, which brings up new ideas on the subject in a sensitive way.

Rating:
Summary: Understood ....... not "misunderstood"
Review: Not much to say about this type of thing without becoming overly political. I think these kinds of books should be written by the people they purport to represent. We are passing judgement on a way of life so vastly different from the Western European way and through a filter of a couple of centuries.

Rating:
Summary: Myth, not a lot of history
Review: Not much to say about this type of thing without becoming overly political. I think these kinds of books should be written by the people they purport to represent. We are passing judgement on a way of life so vastly different from the Western European way and through a filter of a couple of centuries.

Rating:
Summary: Native Americans are human, too
Review: The author maintains that it is racist and dehumanizing to treat native Americans as though they were preternaturally beyond the everyday needs and desires of mankind everywhere.

In that spirit, the book does a marvelous job in dissecting the mythology and realities of Indian cultures and their relationships to wildlife and the environment.

This book is the perfect antidote to the mindless drivel heard so often in most American schools today.

(Another good book that touches on this is "Plagues Of The Mind: The New Epidemic Of False Knowedge" by Bruce S. Thorton.)