"As entertaining as it is thoughtful....Few contemporary writers have Weatherford's talent for making the deep sweep of history seem vital and...
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reviews
Jun 11, 2010
Will
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The most recent book I read was a short one but it offered a new perspective which I just noticed seemed to be what I look for in a book. A major idea that attracted me right off the bat in this book was when Jack Weatherford stated "At the time of the discovery of America, Europe has only about $200 million worth of gold and silver, approximately $2 per person. By 1600 the supply of precious metals had increased approximately eightfold. The Mexican mint alone coined $2 billion worth of
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Aug 11, 2009
Bird Brian
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My favorite part is the calories-invested vs. calories-returned analysis of different crops. Northern European societies struggled along for centuries trying to emulate the Romans' wheat-based economy. Wheat has a very poor calories-invested-vs.-returned profile in Northern locales, so Mediterranean climates enjoyed an advantage. Potatos have a much different profile, which favors the cooler environments of Northern Europe. When explorers brought potatos back from the New World, it introduced a
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Dec 17, 2009
Runningfox
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I learned from this book about the many contributions American Indians have given not onlty the USA but the entuire world..Jack Weatherford is 100% right when he says American Indians have been underrated and mostly ignored when it comes to the contributions they have made to the world economy,food supply and overall culture..This book makes and American Indian even prouder to be an American Indian and I think every American Indian should read this book..
Aug 05, 2011
Janice
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Overall, "Indian Givers" was a good book and seemingly well researched. Some of it drags, but some chapters read well. He gives many, many examples of the contributions of food, medicine, and philosophy that have contributed to world culture, but sometimes fails to acknowledge the parallels that developed in the rest of the world. For example, Mr. Weatherford extols the design and construction of the Inca roads, but fails to recognize that the Romans created an equally intricate paved
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May 25, 2009
Picked up this book in a used bookstore several years ago, fascinated by the title. Finally read it a couple months ago. Loved the reverse from the usual slant how European culture civilized the world to how goods and ideas from the Americas facilitated transformation in the rest of the world. Such as supply silver and gold for adequate coinage to supplying potatoes as a much more dependable food staple. As for ideas: Indian governance being a balance of chief and tribal council a foundation
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Mar 27, 2010
Cindy
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An amazing and powerful read. This covered this influence of Native Americans, or Indians as the author referred to them, on almost every aspect of modern life. Indians changed what the rest of the world ate and grew permanently. I knew that, of course. I had read elsewhere about how much of what modern people eat today came from the Americas. Imagine your daily diet without any tomatoes, potatoes, chocolate, chilis, corn, beans, and much, much more. Just corn and potatoes by themselves had revo
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Jun 02, 2011
David R.
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A very fine treatment of Native American contributions in the realms of agriculture and pharmacology, and of abuse of native cultures. The other material is rather uneven, and in the case of politics and economy is a reach: reminds me of the old Soviet schtick about the Russians having invented everything. The footnotes are sparing and the bibliography is awfully thin, suggesting that Weatherford may be a little more imaginative than scholarship would demand.
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Feb 23, 2009
Wade
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I was completely unaware that so many prominent European thinkers and writers (including Karl Marx) were so profoundly influenced by the American Indian form of government and political practices, especially those of the League of the Iroquois. The example of American Indian governance was a true catalyst that helped America's Founding Fathers think outside the box, beyond the Old World monarchies and limited attempts and outlines of democracy by the Greeks. The League of the Iroquois provided
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Jul 12, 2009
Julie H.
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Ths book is a great jumping off point for students or others wishing to better appreciate the many contributions of indigenous peoples to our daily life. While by no means comprehensive, this is a decidedly un-preachy approach to the many traditions whose roots lie in traditional practices and lifeways of Indians of North, Middle, and South America.
Sep 01, 2010
Kevin
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Indian Givers turned out to be an educational and at the same time very sobering read. Because while Jack Weatherford makes a very strong point as to why the subtitle of this book "How Native Americans Transformed The World" is totally appropriate. The sad fact is that for the most part, these contributions have gone totally unrecognized. The edition I read is a re issue of the book that originally came out in 1989. Hopefully this edition will go further in getting out the message of j
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Feb 01, 2009
Meredith
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Sometimes a little dense to get through, this book nevertheless brings up so many interesting and important points about the native communities that continue to shape our world. I was drawn to it originally by the title, and I think Weatherford did a good job packing a lot of interesting information concisely.
Mar 07, 2008
Roberto
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La historia la escriben los vencedores. Esa es la que conocemos. Pero esta es la otra. La que explica porqué un descubrimiento como había habido muchos otros, cambió la faz de la Tierra. La ciencia, la tecnología, la medicina, la cultura, los sistemas políticos de los indios americanos y su poderosa fuerza transformadora. Sabías que lejos de ser un centro ceremonial, se estima que Machu Pichu era un laboratorio de agronomía avanzada? Que la actual industria farmacéutica tiene su origen en la med
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Dec 15, 2009
Ngaire
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A great read - this book really held my attention. I had no idea what incredible agriculturalists Indians were, or that their styles of government had such a profound effect on the political structures of the US. I didn't even know that caucus is an Iroquois word. This was very eyeopening - and totally made me want to know more about these incredible peoples. Full of interesting facts - the Inca's roads through South America are still probably the best roads in many countries, and many of th
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Oct 21, 2011
Probibliophile
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The subject of food that came from the American Indians is surprisingly interesting. It was a gift and I read it three or four times.
May 04, 2010
Steven
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A pretty fun old book. Weatherford writes a feel-good book about the influence of Natives on the development of the United States.
Apr 24, 2011
DwyerTeacher
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What a fantastic book. The Native Americans are an important and unrecognized element to human development and history. Must read for all inquiring minds.
Jul 21, 2009
This chapter book provides the reader with knowledge about what the Indian's achieved and how that benefits us today.
May 20, 2009
Dana
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I read this book long ago - lent it out to someone and it never made it back to me. Anyhoo...informative!!! loved it!
Jan 21, 2012
French translation, "Ce que nous devons aux Indiens d'Amérique et comment ils ont transformé le monde".
Jun 28, 2009
Carol
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This title should read, Without the Indians of the Americas, we would still be in the Dark Ages.
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Aug 17, 2011
David
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Native Americans (non-European natives who were in North and South America before Columbus) "gave" the world many things: medicine, silver, federal government, etc. Weatherford's book is well-researched and certainly sensitive to the plight of the natives. Strange book in that Weatherford does not provide an introduction - he just jumps right in. The book is disturbing because the natives really did not "give" these things to the world; the things were taken and the native
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Mar 12, 2011
Reiden
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I think Jack Weatherford does an amazing job describing bits and pieces of the history and cultures of Native Americans (of both North and South America). This book goes one step further than just exploring Native culture, by interweaving the simultaneous history of Europeans, and looking at how they were influenced by the people of the New World as well.
I loved this book, solid 5-stars!
I loved this book, solid 5-stars!
Jan 18, 2011
Anna
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This book is an interesting look into the culture of the Americas before European contact and how that contact changed the rest of the world. It is a bit dense, but my real problem with it was when I found a couple of errors in botany that made me wonder how well researched the rest of the book was. A fun read, but don't take it as fact.
Feb 18, 2008
This book was recommended to me by the Chancellor of the National Hispanic University. I haven't read it yet but I am definitely going to as soon as I get the chance to (meaning, when I find some time to read anything but what is on my syllabi).
Oct 20, 2010
Diane
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did not finish, it was quite editorial, which I thought took away from the book. Discovered a copy at the cabin, so I can go back to it some time when I'm up there if I want to. I loved Genghis Kahn by the same author but this one, no.
Dec 17, 2009
Kristy
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This book does a great job reminding readers just how much we owe to the native people of the Americas, especially in like of colonization and such. It's always good to be reminded of the richness that others add to your life.
Oct 08, 2011
Sherilyn
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Loved this book. Reminded me of how much is owed to America's Native Americans. I like Jack Weatherfords writing. Enjoyed his Genghis Khan as well.
