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I knew this would be a difficult read so even though I‘ve owned this for a while, I kept putting it off. Glad I finally got to it, though it was hard going in some places. The atrocities people can commit against each other because of “otherness” never ceases to amaze me.

A soft pick. A Native American history focused on the way the many different tribes responded to, and managed, European encroachment, each responding in their own way. The info is solid. The tone is strange. A lot to of pro-native bias - like way over the top.

Another challenging text, written in high detail. The Creek were used like a tool by Andrew Jackson to expand the confederacy, clearing out the land while fighting another tribe he called the ‘Red Sticks‘. Thousands of both tribes were slaughtered…this massive death event and violent colonization paved the way for expanded slavery territory, and eventually, the Civil War. Note: the confederacy enslaved both Black and Indigenous people, and⬇️

My current audiobook. This is the recent winner of the 2024 Cundill History Prize. The language is a little overkill in lifting up the native image and condemning the European one. But the info has been good.

"As millions of Americans sit down to celebrate Thanksgiving, many around the world don‘t know the racist history behind the holiday. But Indigenous people have kept the true story alive for generations. Here‘s a brief look at the holiday‘s origins." (see tagged book).
From AJ+
Full Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DC7E-x1RJnW/?igsh=cndibnJ0b3JkbGE=

#thanksgiving #indigenouspeople #history

This is not a substantial dive into the subject. The book offers brief overview of the major conflicts from colonization to wounded knee.

This author‘s work is reminiscent of that other western historian, Richard White, and more generally both of these were perhaps forerunners of the Howard Zinn style of historical narrative with a focus on the experience of the people who lived it instead of the deeds of conquering Europeans and later US officials. One of the great tasks of this book is to dispel the mythical western imagery from film and literature that became historical stand-in.

Basically history lesson on the USA from the perspective of the Natives. Though I didn‘t like how they were called Indians throughout. The book reads like a drawn out timeline, giving basic “need to know”, without going too far into depth. It was hard to keep momentum up reading, and I really wanted to finish it because I needed to know this perspective. Like, I didn‘t realize how well the natives were able to keep back the Americans.

This was good, especially on #audio since the NPR journalist narrates it himself. I liked the juxtaposition of Jackson‘s history alongside the story of Cherokee leader John Ross‘ as well but just so infuriating. Jackson remains the worst president ever in my opinion. #Roll100 #BookspinBingo @PuddleJumper @TheAromaofBooks