Encyclopedia of native tribes of North America

Last published in 2007 (CH, Apr'08, 45-4148), this encyclopedia, now in its fourth incarnation, was first published in 1994 as The Native Tribes of North America (CH, Jun'94, 31-5210). This new edition features 16 additional pages, new maps on the Arctic and the subarctic, a section on the Métis, an expanded glossary, and updated census data. Like earlier editions, it is organized by culture area ("Northwestern Woodlands," "Southeastern Woodlands," "Plains and Prairie," "Plateau," "Great Basin," "California," "Southwest," "Northwest Coast," "Subarctic," and "Arctic"). Each culture area is introduced with a linguistic chart, an ethnohistorical essay, and a map; these help readers understand relationships between nations in the specific areas. Because entries within culture areas are not alphabetic, finding information on specific tribes is not straightforward; the index to this volume often provides the quickest means of access. Entries continue to be titled by popular rather than preferred names; in this edition, the preferred name is now noted in parentheses, e.g., "Winnebago (Ho Chunk)," and cross-referenced in the index. Coverage continues to be uneven-ranging from a short paragraph for some entries (e.g., for tribes in the Great Basin) to lengthy entries for others (e.g., Plains). The volume is enhanced with an informative introduction, an explanation of linguistic classification (language families), extensive and detailed maps, a section on Native people today, detailed demographic statistics for the US and Canada, and an illustrated glossary. Though not in academia, Johnson has published about Native peoples for more than 30 years. This reference book is equivalent in scope, quality, and price to the Anton Trever et al. one-volume Indian Nations of North America (2010). The maps, photographs, and beautiful illustrations by Hook, combined with concise, accurate entries, make this volume a good purchase, especially for libraries that lack the 2007 edition. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers. --Mary Jane M. Cedar Face, Southern Oregon University

Johnson, author of several books on Native Americans, expanded and richly illustrated this second edition which focuses on tribes living north of the Rio Grande, including Alaska and Canada. In addition to the color plates by Richard Hook, there are numerous maps, illustrations, and black-and-white photos throughout. An overview of the classification of Indian languages serves as the basis for the organization of the subsequent sections of the encyclopedia. Each chapter concentrates on a geographic region with tribal information arranged by language. The content is concise, gathering facts on ethnology, demographics, and culture. A glossary, census data, and a bibliography are also included. Anyone interested in Native American history and culture will find this book a valuable resource. VERDICT A worthwhile addition to the reference collection at school, college, and public libraries.-Diane Fulkerson, Univ. of South Florida, Lakeland (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Revised and expanded, Johnson's Encyclopedia of Native Tribes of North America is a delight both to the eye and pocketbook. Arranged by cultural and geographical area (e.g., "Northeastern Woodlands," "Southwest"), the volume contains brief entries on tribes, confederacies, and other groups. A chart at the beginning of each geographical-cultural section lists the various language families and tribes.  The indexing, greatly improved over that of the 1999 edition, includes tribe names, illustrations, and maps; and the cross-referencing between entries is also greatly improved. Appendixes list the powwow trails, museums, Native American tribes by populations, locations of reservations by state, and principal tribes. The expanded glossary is greatly enhanced by having the photographic examples in place with the alphabetic entry. The quality of illustrations and photographs is excellent and is indeed the most improved part of the book. The arrangement may prove off-putting or difficult for those persons with only a rudimentary understanding of the cultural structure of Native American tribes; however, with the improved indexing, this seems a minimal problem and actually adds to learning for the reader. The bibliography has been updated, and a new section on museums includes information about the newest addition to the Smithsonian museums—the National Museum of the American Indian. The section "The Indian Today" has been expanded, and the section on "Native Populations" has been updated to reflect 2001 census data.  This book makes an excellent companion to Carl Waldman's Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes (3d ed., Facts On File, 2007). The fact that Firefly Books could do this exquisite volume for such a small price is to be commended. Recommended for most types of libraries. Copyright 2008 Booklist Reviews.

Newly expanded by more than 70 pages from the original 1994 publication, this substantial reference remains one of the most elaborately illustrated books on Native Americans now in print. Divided into ten region-categorized chapters, it offers a one- to two-paragraph description of the many tribes living within recognized regional boundaries. The color plates, previously located in a separate section, now appear beside relevant textual passages. Period and cultural artifact photographs have been added. Highly recommended for North American historical and ethnographic collections.

Johnson, author of several books on Native Americans, expanded and richly illustrated this second edition which focuses on tribes living north of the Rio Grande, including Alaska and Canada. In addition to the color plates by Richard Hook, there are numerous maps, illustrations, and black-and-white photos throughout. An overview of the classification of Indian languages serves as the basis for the organization of the subsequent sections of the encyclopedia. Each chapter concentrates on a geographic region with tribal information arranged by language. The content is concise, gathering facts on ethnology, demographics, and culture. A glossary, census data, and a bibliography are also included. Anyone interested in Native American history and culture will find this book a valuable resource. VERDICT A worthwhile addition to the reference collection at school, college, and public libraries.—Diane Fulkerson, Univ. of South Florida, Lakeland