Everyday Life Among the American Indians: 1800 to 1900

Writer's Guides to Everyday Life

by Candy Vyvey Moulton

The lives of American Indians and the vital role they played in American history has been riddled with stereotypes and falsehoods. Everyday Life Among the American Indians corrects decades of misinformation with insightful, accurate scholarship that belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in reading--or writing--the real story. Covering more than 500 tribes and utilizing maps, illustrations, chronologies, and detailed overviews of day-to-day life, this invaluable reference for writers, researchers and students is at once comprehensive yet strikingly accessible. From the Louisiana Purchase to the Trail of Tears to Wounded Knee and beyond, author Candy Moulton vividly portrays the disappearing cultures of 19th century American Indians with dignity and dynamic detail, including information * Tribal leadership and religion
* Weaponry and warfare
* Food and shelter
* Tools and medicine
* Languages and customs
* Crime and punishment

Genres: History, Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Research, Native American

273 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2001

Reviews

[Dawn Livingston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book because I was curious not because I wanted to be a student again. I just noticed on the cover it says "A Guide for Writers, Students & Historians. This sums it up. It's an intimidating read as are most history books. I skimmed over some things that were repetitive or that I had no interest in.

Interesting but really for the more serious reader than I am. Truly for writers, students and historians. Just the introduction alone would be good required reading for students. The book has great, detailed information, so much so that it can be overwhelming and confusing as there are so many tribes some of which are now extinct. They're not clear on which are extinct, they just list the tribes that were in certain areas.

I recommend this book as a reference book.

[Jeff Sedlak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book filled with detail. I will say this is not a book meant for the casual reader and is more geared towards someone that is researching or looking to do a deep dive into the everyday life of various Indian tribes.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative book. A useful guide for anyone interested in this specific time period, but especially to writers who write in this genre.

[Mick · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well it's my fault for not realizing that in the 1800's Indians were already living like the European settlers in many ways and had been pushed off their lands to reservations. So the everyday life wasn't what I really wanted to read about. This is more a history book than anthropology. It's a pretty dry read. All facts, no real interesting stories. The writing feels more academic than entertaining. But it doesn't talk about the real Indians. Only those run down wretches who'd lost everything.

[Aim · Rating 3 out of 5]

very general reference